Perception and readiness of students towards online learning during COVID -19 pandemic among university students. A case study of School of Statistics and Planning Makerere University
Abstract
The coronavirus pandemic saw the abrupt shutting down of higher institutions of learning by government,
and students were told to vacate campuses as one of the measures to curb further infections. In order to
ensure uninterrupted educational delivery, universities across the continent are introducing online
learning including Makerere University - Uganda. This study investigated the perception and readiness of
students’ towards online learning at Makerere University during the Covid-19 pandemic. This study
employed descriptive survey research design and structured questionnaire was the instrument used for the
data collection. A total of one hundred ten (110) undergraduate students filled the questionnaire. The
collected data was analyzed using tables, frequency counts, charts and percentages. On the positive side,
the study revealed that majority of the respondents claimed to be conversant with online learning with a
high level of readiness. Furthermore, the findings revealed that majority of the respondents needed high
level of ICTs skills and competencies required for successful online learning. On the negative side, fear
of high cost of data, poor internet services, erratic power supply, inaccessibility to online library
resources and limited access to computer were the major perceived challenges to effective online
learning. Based on these findings, the study recommended that SSP at Makerere University must as a
matter of necessity improvise means through which knowledge delivery and general learning act ivities
can be achieved seamlessly and at the lowest cost to the students even while they are at home.
Keywords: Online learning, Covid-19 Pandemic and School of statistics and planning students.