The perception of English department students and faculty members of online learning during COVID-19: What courses fit better?

The purpose of this study is to discover English Department faculty members’ and students’ perceptions of
online learning, to identify which English courses are most suitable for online learning. The study was
implemented in the English Department at Jouf University during COVID-19 crisis. The research applied
quantitative and qualitative research approaches. Two open-ended/closed-ended questionnaires were designed to
collect required data. The participants were 21 faculty members and 68 students in BA English program. The
results of the study revealed that Literature and Reading courses are the most appropriate courses for online
learning as a result of their appropriate content. Additionally, the study has discovered that both faculty members
and students are satisfied with their online learning experience. Faculty members are able to deliver different
courses successfully, and students are capable of preforming required skills efficiently. However, the study found
that all participants thought that this mode of learning cannot replace traditional learning due to various reasons
including: the lack of face-to-face interaction, students’ lack of motivation, unsuitability of some courses for
online learning, difficulty in assessment, and technical issues.