Abstract:

The global transition to online education post-COVID has presented significant challenges, particularly concerning the diverse time zones and technological disparities among participants. Despite the promises of online learning, these challenges hinder its efficiency and effectiveness, leading to diminished engagement, asynchronous communication inefficiencies, and difficulty in fostering a cohesive learning community. This research investigates challenges in online education post-COVID, focusing on diverse time zones and technological disparities. We reviewed existing literature on online learning, highlighting gaps in understanding asynchronous settings and disparities between online and campus-based education. We conducted semi-structured interviews with three academics and four students in an online master's degree program. We collected data to identify the challenges faced by students and educators. Through thematic analysis, we discovered four significant challenges students face: online learning platforms, group work dynamics, a sense of community, and feedback and assessment. Educators also faced four challenges: Online learning platform efficacy, engagement and interaction, technologies, and pedagogical adjustments. Both students and teachers expressed two strategies for combating some of the presented challenges: communication tools and the future of online education. We discuss the findings of our study and believe that they offer valuable insights into the challenges facing online learning environments, experiences, and practices while highlighting areas for improvement.

Keywords:

Online Education, COVID-19, Time Zones Diversity, Technological Disparities, Learning Management Systems.