Students' Views on the Benefits of E-Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Factors That Facilitated Their Learning

Abstract

The transition from face-to-face to synchronous online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic has been a major challenge for everyone involved – both educators and learners. This chapter explores the views of students from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki's School of Early Childhood Education on the advantages of synchronous e-learning and the factors that facilitated their learning in both synchronous classes and asynchronous learning sessions during the COVID-19 pandemic era. The study presents the results of a qualitative research that involved 129 students. Among the main advantages of synchronous e-learning cited by students are the ability to participate in the learning process safely, the ease of access, and time and cost effectiveness resulting from reduced commuting activity. Upon discussing the factors that facilitated their learning, students highlighted those that promoted student-centered learning, interaction between participants, and emphasized the role of the instructor and the convenience of attending from home.