Abstract:

IIn university education, there is a continuous need for change and renewal of content and methodology. With the spread of digitalisation, there have been attempts to use IT tools and related pedagogical practices, but in the current pandemic situation, only their full application will allow education to continue. Today's university education is characterized by the fact that several different generations are involved in the teaching and learning process at the same time. The vast majority of faculty members encountered the Internet as adults, while students were already born into the world of digital technologies. They best function through the network and it’s their expectation to have as much information as possible available to them in digital form. However, the question arises about the effectivenes of this education forced into the online space due to the current pandemic. How do students feel about this form of learning?

In our questionnaire survey we sought answers to the following questions: How well prepared were students and teachers for online education? What pros and cons of online education did they experience? Did students have concentration difficulties? Did their interest in the learninig subject change?

Participants of the Hungarian language higher education in Romania were only partially able to make the transition to the new situation of online teaching and learning. The equipment was adequate, but many encountered difficulties in the process of teaching and learning. Furthermore, the lack of personal contact proved to be a problem, especially as there was no immediate nonverbal feedback from either teachers or students. This caused students to lose interest and find it difficult to maintain concentration. It was a challenge for the teacher to prepare the entire teaching material in a new, presentable form. Based on the responses received, it can be said that online education has not proved to be as effective as the traditional classroom teaching.

The results point out further tasks that can promote the development of online education. The higher education system needs to focus on providing a framework that enables effective education. The openness and constructive attitude of teachers is necessary, but at the same time they need to play an increasingly conscious role as mentors and coaches. Students must develop the ability to acquire knowledge and learn independently. Virtual classrooms need to be transformed into a place of thinking together.

We are convinced that we need a detailed, unified concept to operate the online education system, that does not solve issues and problems as they arise (as a firefighter), but already has a pre-developed methodology and guidelines.

Keywords:

Online university education, pandemic, learning motivation, equipment, effective education.