Teaching Business English Online – Students’ Perceptions and Suggestions on Advancing the Online Learning Process

Abstract

The learning process is a gradual process that keeps evolving based on technology, economics, political standing, and social structures. However, the unexpected COVID-19 pandemic rushed this evolutionary process for higher educational institutions that were unprepared for online teaching. This was especially the case for the educational systems that have not incorporated online teaching into higher education, such as the Macedonian education system. Therefore, the higher educational institutions, including the students and professors, had to adjust to the new teaching method immediately. While the change was inevitable, these adjustments to learning impact students’ perspectives towards the learning approach, such as their goals and achievements. The current study employs a quantitative descriptive design to study students’ perspectives on e-learning and traditional learning. A total of 45 students following the Business English courses, comprising of 17 males and 28 females, were provided with an online questionnaire in order to understand their perception of the online teaching process at the Faculty of Economics in Prilep during the academic year 2020-2021. Based on students’ responses, the study also provides appropriate suggestions that can enhance the two learning methods for business English students. The study also found no significant relationship between e-learning and traditional learning based on gender. Despite the general perception of most participants that traditional learning is more motivating, more effective and made it easier to develop learning skills compared to e-learning, students believe that the benefits of e-learning should also be considered, and, therefore, suggest that both learning methods should be incorporated into the teaching-learning process. Both learning methods have different challenges but also show similarities and differences. The survey concentrated on the online teaching process at the Faculty as a whole, not on the Business English course particularly; therefore, student suggestions should be considered in relation to teaching practice regardless of the type of the course.