A study to assess the perception towards online classes during COVID 19 pandemic among nursing students studying in a selected nursing college of Jammu

Manisha Thakur¹, Deva Pon Pushpam. I²

¹Nursing Tutor, Bee Enn College of Nursing, Jammu.

²Associate Professor, Bee Enn College of Nursing, Jammu.

*Corresponding Author E-mail: manishathakur605@gmail.com

ABSTRACT:

The COVID-19 pandemic situation had led to drastic change in lifestyle of common people especially in student life as this led to shift from traditional method of teaching to online learning. Online teaching plays a crucial role, helping in continuing the courses during this pandemic. Hence, it is essential for the educators to find out students’ perception that ensures their satisfaction towards the online classes. A descriptive study was used toassess the perception towards online classes during COVID 19 pandemic among 205 nursing students selected by total enumerative sampling technique. Structured likert scale was used to collect the data through online survey.The results revealed that majority 96.6% of the nursing students were partially satisfied, whereas only 2.4% were fully satisfied and only 1% was unsatisfied towards online classes.

KEYWORDS: Perception, Online classes, Nursing students.

INTRODUCTION:

The COVID-19 has been declared pandemic since 11^th March, 2020 by WHO². The COVID-19 pandemic situation had not only affected the physical health of the individual but had shaken the humans at financial, cultural, social and educational background too¹.

With outbreak of COVID 19, the lockdown has been initiated to tackle the situation, in which there was closure of educational institution. So, in order to cope up with the educational demands of the students the traditional method of teaching was switched to the online method of teaching and learning³. The Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD) emphasized on E- learning with tagline as “Let COVID 19 not Stop your Learning with SWAYAM”¹.

Jammu is not an exception to this disease. The government of Jammu had reported confirmed cases 3,18,693 till 11^th July 2021. Hence, the government had announced the closure for various educational institution⁴.

Online learning is a purely virtual mode of learning system. In these recent years, the education system has changed drastically as there was a massive rise in online learning via various digital platforms which has proved that distance learning is a feasible alternative at present times. Online learning has its own upper hand over conventional teaching methods such as availability to a wider population especially in difficult areas where face- to-face teaching is not feasible, time-efficiency, flexibility to students, convenience, and easy accessibility. However, lack of motivation, absence of physical interaction with the instructor, and no immediate feedback from the teacher are major disadvantages ⁵.

The teacher control over the class is minimal through online mode of teaching, adding to another problem.

A study done in Nepal to determine the perception of nursing students towards E- learning during COVID-19 pandemic which concluded that 54.1% of student have negative perception whereas 45.9% had positive perception towards online classes².

Studies related to effectiveness of online mode of teaching and learning needs to be utmost concern of education system of India. There is very little or no data pertaining to perception of nursing students regarding online classes in Jammu. Therefore, the researcher conducted a study to assess the perception towards online classes among Nursing students during COVID- 19 pandemic.

This knowledge regarding online learning will help to make the online mode of teaching more effective and beneficial.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM:

A study to assess the perception towards online classes during COVID 19 pandemic among nursing students studying in a selected nursing college of Jammu.

OBJECTIVES:

I. To assess theperception towards online classes during COVID-19 pandemic among nursing students.

II. To determine the association of perception towards online classes during COVID-19 among nursing students with socio-demographic variables.

III. To determine the association of perception towards online classes during COVID 19 among nursing students with their data related to online classes.

REVIEW OF LITERATURE:

Rana S, Kumari C (2021) conducted a cross-sectional descriptive study among 211 nursing students using enumerative sampling to assess the online learning perception of nursing students studying in Proficiency Certificate Level (PCL) and Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) nursing program of LMCTH. The study findings revealed that out of 211 students, majority of students

i.e. 120(56.9%) had positive perception towards online learning whereas 91(43.1%) students had negative perception towards online learning.

Kaur S, Sharma A (2020) conducted a cross sectional descriptive study to assess the perception and issues regarding online studyduring lockdown, in 278 studentsstudying in selected nursing college of block Pachhad, district Sirmaur, Himachal Pradesh. The students were selected through total enumeration sampling technique Thetool used to collect data was online self-structured questionnaire. The results concluded that 68.70% of students were partially satisfied, 24.10% were fully satisfied and 7.2% of students were unsatisfied.

Koirala D, Silwal M and Gurung S (2020) conducted a cross-sectional study to assess perception towards online classes during COVID-19 among 133 nursing students studying at Gandaki Medical College (GMC) which is located in Kaski district of Nepal. From 15 to 21, September 2020, data was collected through online survey using a semi-structured questionnaire. The results concluded that majority of students i.e. 72(54.1%) had negative perception and 61(45.9%) had positive perception towards online classes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Research approach:

The approach was Quantitative.

Research design:

The Descriptive cross-sectional research design was adopted for this study.

Target population:

The target population for the study was B.Sc. Nursing students.

Research setting:

The study was conducted at Bee Enn College of Nursing, Jammu.

Sampling technique:

Total enumerative sampling technique was used to select the samples. The sample size was 205.

Criteria For Sample Selection:

The following criteria were used in this study to select the samples.

Inclusion criteria:

1. Both male and female students were selected.

Exclusion criteria:

The students who were:

1. not willing to participate.

2. absent during the time of data collection.

Tool and Method of Data Collection:

Data was collected using the structured questionnaire. The structured questionnaire consists of two variousparts:

PART A (I) – Socio-demographic profile of the students PART A (II) – Data related to online classes

PART B – It consists of structured likert scale to assess the perception towards online classes during COVID-19 pandemic among nursing students.

Scoring procedure:

Part B - It consists of 24 questions portrayed in five point structured likert scale to assess the perception

towards online classes during COVID-19 pandemic among nursing students. The minimum score was 24 and maximum score was 120.

S. No	SCORE	Perception of nursing students
1.	1 - 40	Unsatisfied
2.	41 – 80	Partially satisfied
3.	81 - 120	Fully satisfied

Data Analysis:

The data collected during the study was organized, classified, grouped and analyzed on the basis of descriptive and inferential statistics such as mean, standard deviation and chi square.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION:

· Majority of the nursing students i.e.151(73.7%) were

20 – 23 years of age, 167(81.5%) were females, 125(61%) were living in rural area and 143(69.8%) of students were living in nuclear family.

· More than half i.e. 125(61%) were muslims and 203(99%) were unmarried.

· Maximum number of mothers of nursing students i.e 99(48.3%) had secondary level of education, whereas 115(56.1%) fathers of nursing students had completed their graduation and above and 103(50.2%) students’ parents belonged tomedium level of income.

· Out of 205, majority of students i.e. 57(27.8%) were student of B.Sc. nursing 3^rd year.

· Majority of the students i.e. 169(82.4%) had earlier received online classes before COVID-19.

· More than half i.e. 190(92.7%) had used smartphones gadgets and 160(80%) had cellular type of connection to attend online classes.

· Majority of the students i.e. 154(75.1%)had internet connection at home and 127(62%) had sound and static internet connection.

· More than half i.e. 180(87.8%) students had preferred both (ZOOM and google meet) for attending online classes.

· Out of 205, 156(76.1%) students want that online classes should be continued during COVID-19 pandemic.

· The finding related to perception towards online classes during COVID 19 revealed that majority of the nursing students i.e. 198(96.6%) were partially satisfied, whereas only 5(2.4%) were fully satisfied and only 2(1%) were unsatisfied towards online classes.

· The mean score and standard deviation of the perception towards online during COVID-19 among nursing students was found to be 60.95and 9.79respectively.

· There was no significant association between perception towards online during COVID-19

pandemic among nursing students and their selected socio demographic variables except gender.

· There was no significant association between perception towards online during COVID-19 pandemic among nursing students and their data related to online classes.

CONCLUSION:

The conclusions drawn out of the study were:

· Majority of the students 96.6%were partially satisfied with online classes during COVID-19 pandemic.

· There was no significant association betweenperception towards online during COVID-19 pandemic among nursing students and their selected socio demographic variables except gender.

· There was no significant association between perception towards online during COVID-19 pandemic among nursing students and their data related to online classes.

IMPLICATIONS:

· The findings of this study will aid in expanding the professional knowledge upon which further research can be conducted.

· The findings can help the institution to know the current problems faced by students during online classes.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

· Various similar studies can be conducted with large number of samples.

· Various comparative studies can be conducted among girls and boys.

· A comparative study can be conducted among under and post graduate nursing students.

· An explorative study can be conducted exploring barriers and adequate suitable ways to overcome them in order to enhance effective learning.

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Manisha Thakur1, Deva Pon Pushpam. I2