A QUALITATIVE CASE STUDY OF STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF THEIR EXPERIENCES IN UNDERGRADUATE ONLINE COURSES

The advancement of instructional technology has significantly influenced course delivery in higher education institutions and online learning has increased considerably as an instructional course delivery method. In addition, the changing student demographics and increasing cost of education have spurred the growth of online learning and have demonstrated the inevitability of online learning as an alternative to in-class instruction. Further, the ad-hoc implementation of online learning in higher education due to the COVID-19 pandemic has validated the use of online environments as a viable educational platform, but has also amplified the challenges associated with providing an optimal online education experience for students. The application of traditional education theories to online learning is still evolving and the research on online course effectiveness has focused primarily on student outcomes. The objectives of this qualitative case study was to capture students’ perceptions of their experiences and the processes that facilitated the outcomes or the quality of student learning. This study sought to inform the practice of developing engaging, instructional course design focused on student success and learning. The research will add to the body of literature regarding students’ perceptions and experiences in online course