THE ANALYSIS OF STUDENTS’ ATTITUDES TOWARD DISTANCE LEARNING AT THE UNIVERSITY

Abstract

The paper presents results of the research conducted at the FE in Jagodina upon the termination of the state of emergency over the coronavirus pandemic in the Republic of Serbia. The research aimed to determine the attitudes of students (N = 87) about the quality of university teaching using Google Classroom and Zoom applications. Students fulfilled their pre-exam obligations in the Methodology of Environmental Studies and Methodology of Physical Education using the above applications. The research was conducted by applying descriptive and survey methods, with special attention paid to students’ competence to use Google Classroom and Zoom applications, student motivation and self-confidence, quality and understanding of materials from the aspect of applicability of acquired knowledge and the quality of pre-exam obligations (assignments) they had to fulfill during the state of emergency. The results show that the students recognized advantages of distance learning, that they did not have major difficulties using the applications, that such a mode of working has positively affected their motivation to participate in online teaching, and that they generally consider the given assignments interesting and useful for their future work with children. The research confirmed that the students’ attitudes toward the possibilities of raising the quality of teaching by applying electronic materials and modes of communication are positive, except that the quality and understanding of materials processed during the state of emergency should be reviewed and examined in more detail.