# High School Students’ Attitudes towards E-Learning and Impacts of Online Instruction on Their General English Learning: Challenges and Issues

Authors: Widhiya Ninsiana; Farida Imamutdinovna Gabidullina; Mulyanto Widodo; Indrajit Patra; Harikumar Pallathadka; Dhulfiqar Ali Abdulhussein Mousa Alkhateeb; Anna Gustina Zainal; Asma Gheisari
Journal: Education Research International
 (2022)

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## Abstract

This research is aimed at examining high school students’ attitudes towards e-learning. Also, the current study investigated the effects of online learning on high school students’ general English. To achieve these objectives, the Oxford Quick Placement Test (OQPT) was administered to 73 students, and 50 of them who were at the intermediate level were selected as the study participants. Then, the selected participants were randomly divided into two groups: one experimental group (EG) (n=25) and one control group (CG) (n=25). After that, a general English pretest was administered to both groups, and then, the participants of the EG received the treatment through an online instruction (WhatsApp). Three lessons of their course book (Vision book 3) were taught to the participants via the WhatsApp application. On the other hand, the participants of the CG were deprived of online instruction. They were taught traditionally, through holding a face-to-face class. After teaching all three lessons, both groups took the posttest of general English. In addition, an attitude questionnaire was administered to the participants of the EG to examine their perspectives on e-learning, and ten students were interviewed. The study results indicated that the EG outperformed the CG on the posttest. In addition, the results of one-sample t-test showed that EFL students held positive perspectives on e-learning in teaching English. The interview results indicated that digital literacy, inability to focus on the screen for a long time, and lack of accessibility to high-speed Internet were the problems of e-learning.


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## Body

## 1. Introduction

The Internet plays an essential role and has tremendous promise in foreign language learning and instruction today. According to Yang and Chen [1], the Internet provides English learners with access to valuable language materials and the ability to connect directly with native English speakers. Electronic learning, often known as e-learning, is made possible via the Internet and is used to provide educational programs to distance learners [2]. It is a formalized online learning platform that uses a range of multimedia technologies and arises from a formal setting. This system is supported by electronic gear and software, which may be used either offline or online. It is common practice to offer training or computer-enhanced learning in the context of e-learning via the use of a personal computer [3]. Other forms of communication technology, such as tutorials, learning support systems, and online lectures, are offered to be used in learning [4–6]. According to Ahmed and Al-Kadi [5], it is built on technology to improve classroom engagement via a positive atmosphere, in which learners are consciously involved in online tutorials to complete a work that has been set to them.E-learning guarantees that students are fully engaged in the learning process by including texts, films, audio, cooperative exchange, and engaging visuals into the learning process. It has the potential to improve the quality of teaching and learning, to identify the need for higher education institutions to preserve comparative benefit, and to increase student access to higher education in this globalizing economy [7, 8]. Using information technology (IT) to integrate learning and teaching in e-learning has led to a decrease in learners’ costs while simultaneously increasing the quality of learning and teaching [9]. This demonstrates that students who utilize e-learning may save money while still engaging in other beneficial activities in their free time, as seen by this example [10, 11].Another significant benefit of e-learning is its flexibility, which allows students to participate in courses from any location and at any time. Moreover, by employing the vast amount of interactive information accessible on the Internet, e-learning can accommodate a wide range of various learning styles [12]. A rise in the demand for web-based learning and teaching has increased due to access to technology and the widespread nature of the Internet. Distance learning is a rapidly developing setting that provides users with the ability to function outside of time and space constraints. Learning that occurs entirely or partly through the Internet is referred to as “online learning” in university education [13, 14]. Online learning is advantageous to a diverse range of students. It is becoming increasingly widespread in various educational contexts, from primary to high schools and postsecondary training.E-learning has caused many other benefits to language learning and teaching, in addition to lowering costs and increasing efficiency. These benefits include learner-centeredness, the capacity for students to set their own learning pace, an increase in the motivation of the student, the accessibility of a wide range of sources for language instruction, and engagement with others through web-based social media channels, among others [15]. The constraints of traditional formal training, which make learners mainly passive recipients of knowledge, necessitate the incorporation of e-learning as a supplement to formal education. This allows students to effectively transform the knowledge they receive in class into language production in an e-learning situation while also empowering their positive thinking and interaction skills and enhancing their level of motivation, all of which contribute to their achievement in formal education [16–18].Furthermore, the availability of resources, technological experience, learning preferences, study habits, objectives, reasons, lifestyles, and personal attributes all influence students’ performance in e-learning [19, 20]. According to a study by Tallent-Runnels et al. [21], students’ willingness to take responsibility for their education is directly influenced by their attitudes and efforts toward online learning, which means that the benefits of online learning on participant success in language learning can be partly due to these factors. As a result, evaluating an e-learning program’s performance is dependent on how well its participants do. This study sought to discover how students felt about online education to help them achieve that aim. According to a new study done by Liu [19], online training also impacted Iranian high school pupils’ overall English skills.The current research is significant since it used a triangulation method for collecting the data. The pre- and posttests, the attitude questionnaire, and the interview were used in this study; in fact, both quantitative and qualitative data were used to make it significant.


## 2. Review of the Literature

It has proven beneficial to use e-learning in a variety of settings. Using e-learning technologies in education has been shown to have specific benefits in previous research [22]. E-learning has long been seen as a means of tailoring instruction to the needs of individual students. It is more efficient to impart knowledge in the digital era by concentrating on the requirements of individual students rather than the requirements of educational institutions or instructors Huang and Chiu, 2015; [23, 24]. E-learning may help students attain their goals in the shortest time and with the least amount of work. Education may be improved by offering equal access to information regardless of ethnicity, color, or age, irrespective of where a student is or how old they are. In an e-learning environment, participants or learners depend on themselves rather than relying on teachers as the exclusive information source [17, 25].Several kinds of research have demonstrated the favorable impacts of e-learning based on the insights of learners or students. E-learning, for example, makes it possible to observe more flexible methods of attending courses while reducing the amount of time spent traveling. Students can better understand the material by participating in classroom activities via interactive video [26, 27]. This allows students to react quickly to the tasks. Also noted is that e-learning platforms provide better interaction between learners and lecturers. All learners may engage in online degree courses from any area or region, allowing persons who are traveling or relocating to get valuable experience and education [28]. People with disabilities now have the option to further their education from almost anywhere, thanks to the widespread use of electronic learning (e-learning).Despite the many benefits of e-learning, participants face some challenges that can lead to either limited or negative outcomes. Arkorful and Abaidoo [2] found in their research that a lack of student engagement may stifle e-learning because of the distance and reflection involved. E-learning may be less successful than traditional classroom training since there is no one-on-one interaction with instructors or teachers. Since evaluations in e-learning methods are often conducted online, preventing illegal actions such as cheating and plagiarism becomes more complex [2]. The biggest issue in e-learning is the lack of face-to-face interactions between instructors and students and between colleagues and students [8]. Because student-to-student interaction is far less critical than student-to-instructor interaction, online learning communities are rare and hard to come by. Most students prefer working on their projects to avoid engaging with their peers. Another major drawback of adopting an online course is the cultural division.Another issue that online students face is the difficulty of staying motivated while taking a course. Compared to their peers, learners who lacked initiative and drive performed worse academically Sarkar, 2012 [29]. As a result of a lack of self-regulation, students are more likely to submit low-quality work or projects that are late. More confident in their ability to achieve, successful students have better technological skills and access, more self-responsibility, and more incredible self-organization abilities overall [30, 31]. Motivating elements must be identified for learners to maintain their enthusiasm throughout the course. It is easy for students to lose focus and drift away from their initial goals in class, which might lead to their dropping out altogether [17, 22].The activity theory [32] is a theoretical framework that has contributed to creating new pedagogies. The interaction between people and computers primarily emphasizes this theoretical approach to computer science. It played a critical part in the extension of learning via devices, tools, and mediation, among other methods. Using new technologies as vehicles for modernizing, contextualizing, and altering activity methods, this theory demonstrates the potential influence on teaching and learning that new tools may have [17, 33, 34]. Vygotsky [35] was primarily concerned with learning and social relations. Sociocultural theory and constructivism are beneficial to explain the use of social networks in online learning, collaborative learning, and importance of social integration in online social learning environments. Children learn most efficiently in a social environment, according to Lev Vygotsky [35], and they build meaning via their interactions with other people. A youngster is capable of doing and solving more complex activities than he or she can on his or her own, with guidance, assistance, and teamwork. Learners may actively engage in the learning process if the courses are organized to encourage students to learn via exploration. This style of learning allows students to conclude inductively and autonomously, which aids in the development of intellectual capacities and the improvement of the stability and understanding of the information they have learned.A few experimental studies have been conducted on students’ views regarding e-learning in the last several years. Researchers Erarslan and Zehir Topkaya [36] investigated the attitudes of L2 learners about e-learning and how an online course affected the participants’ achievement in English. The results of this study were based on a questionnaire presented to 47 students to explore their views about online education, and their online scores were compared with their midterm and quiz scores to get insight into the probable impacts of an online course on their English proficiency. It was shown that students had somewhat good views about online learning; nevertheless, learners did not benefit from online courses in terms of their overall achievement in preparatory classes, according to the findings.Erfani and Ghapanchi [37] conducted a qualitative and quantitative investigation on the understanding of e-learning among English and engineering students using qualitative and quantitative instruments. Students had good sentiments throughout the quantitative phase, and during the qualitative phase, they expressed the opinion that online courses should be recorded. They also offered some recommendations for making online class interaction more successful, and they thought that online learning may be beneficial for those who work full-time or part-time employment. According to what students had to say, the benefits of this sort of learning were time and money savings, the ability to work while continuing your education, and the ability to record lessons. Some of the downsides mentioned by students were teachers’ unfamiliarity with online education and their unfavorable attitude toward it, a lack of appropriate contact, and technological restrictions.Mahmoudi [38] investigated the effects of online learning via smartphones on Iranian EFL learners’ grammatical accuracy enhancement. The results indicated that there were significant differences between the experimental and the control groups, and the experimental group who used online classrooms had better performance on the grammar posttest.During the COVID-19 epidemic, Jalilinia [39] investigated EFL learners’ views towards online learning. To do this, 30 male and 30 female high school students from Tehran, Iran, were selected to participate in a questionnaire study there. The questionnaire utilized in this research was adapted from Rojabi [40], and it is divided into parts one and two. During the first part of the test, students’ interactions with one another and with the instructor are evaluated, while the second half of the test analyzes students’ attitudes regarding their online learning platform. The data were analyzed using the SPSS program (version 24). The findings indicated that most learners had unfavorable attitudes about online learning and would not recommend it for their future school years. The majority of those who took part struggled to have successful interactions with one another. Furthermore, most of them did not have a positive experience with the learning platform that they were required to utilize. Based on this research, it was advised that the current learning environment be enhanced and instructors use ways to engage students in the learning process during online sessions thoroughly.Tanjung and Utomo [41] researched online learning in Indonesia using a questionnaire that covered demographic information and participants’ perspectives on the learning environment before and during the COVID-19 epidemic in Indonesia. A rise in social media and instructional websites has been attributed to the government’s directives to utilize them for education. The findings demonstrate that learners’ knowledge of these platforms varies widely. Also, cheating, copying, and network issues have been cited as drawbacks to online education. In general, both good and negative views about online learning were expressed. Another research in Saudi Arabia used the Student Course Engagement Questionnaire (SCEQ) to examine the involvement of 379 female EFL students in online courses. According to the results, instructors should take an active role in their students’ learning and shift from an authoritative to a supporting one. According to the findings of other studies, participants in the online class were significantly involved [42].Anwar and Wahid [43] conducted a study to understand learners’ opinions of online learning better. The questionnaire they utilized in this research comprised both closed-ended and open-ended questions that focused on the participants’ engagement, the role of the instructor, and the design and delivery of the instructional materials and activities themselves. The study’s findings led the researchers to conclude that students were satisfied with the instructional design and delivery of online courses. However, the group did consider that there was still an opportunity for development. Students also expressed dissatisfaction with the quality of their Internet connections. Additionally, according to the findings, students were dissatisfied with the degree of contact they had throughout online courses. Teachers should be more supportive, according to the researchers, and should take on the role of mediator.About 126 higher education participants in Pakistan were interviewed by Adnan and Anwar 2020 [44]. for their thoughts on online education, which they found to be relatively positive. This was accomplished via an altered version of the Bernard et al. [45] questionnaire. According to the data analysis findings, participants found that conventional classrooms were more beneficial than online ones. They stated that online learning would not help develop nations such as Pakistan because of the technological limitations. According to Lengkanawati and colleagues (2020), additional research was conducted in which EFL students’ perspectives on online learning were evaluated via online interviews with six students. The findings revealed that learners acknowledged that online learning was the most successful method of education during the COVID-19 epidemic, even though they considered face-to-face learning was more beneficial. Another complaint was that professors lacked sufficient competence in online learning.Students’ technical proficiency and attitudes toward online learning were examined by Cabangcala et al. [46]. The Attitude towards Online Learning Questionnaire and the Technological Competence Tool were employed for this aim Javier, 2020 [47]. The findings revealed that the respondents had a generally optimistic outlook and a reasonable level of technical competency. In addition, students’ views on online education and their level of technical proficiency were reported to be linked.Based on the studies reported above, students have a positive attitude towards e-learning. In addition, these studies show that e-learning or online instruction can help significantly to English learning in different contexts. Using online teaching is an excellent supplement to traditional education. A few studies examine Iranian high school students’ attitudes towards e-learning and inspect the impacts of online instruction on their general English learning. Besides, triangulation studies in e-learning in Iranian EFL contexts are rare. Most studies reported above used only one instrument to collect their data; no studies used a triangulation method in data collecting. Therefore, this study is aimed at covering this gap and using a triangulation method to enrich the data collection procedure. In addition, there is a dearth of information on how online training affects Iranian high school learners’ general English learning; this research was designed to fill that gap. As a result, two research questions were posed:(i)
RQ1. Does using online instruction develop Iranian high school students’ general English learning significantly?(ii)
RQ2. What are Iranian high school students’ attitudes towards e-learning?


## 3. Methodology

### 3.1. Participants

Based on the Oxford Quick Placement Test (OQPT), 50 respondents were recruited from 73 applicants. They came from a single high school in Ahvaz, Iran’s Khuzestan Province. The participants had an intermediate level of English proficiency and were between 16 and 18. The group was entirely composed of men. EG and CGs were formed by randomly selecting individuals and dividing them into two equal numbers in each.


### 3.2. Instruments

The OQPT was the first tool utilized in this investigation. The researchers used this exam to bring all of the respondents together and better understand where they stood concerning each other. Participants who scored 0 to 10 on this test were regarded as beginners; those who scored 11 to 17 were taken into account breakthroughs; those who scored 18 to 29 were elementary; those who scored 30 to 39 were preintermediate; those who scored 40 to 47 were intermediate; those who scored 48 to 54 were regarded advanced; and those who scored 55 or higher were considered experts. It was determined that 50 intermediate learners would be the focus of this study based on these findings.The second instrument that the researchers used to collect the data was the Final English Exam of Third Grade High School in Khordad 1400 (Persian date, which equals June 2021). It included grammar, vocabulary, cloze test, listening skills, and reading passages. This test is one of the standardized tests held all over Iran for all third-grade high school students. This test was used as the pretest and the posttest to make the researcher aware of the participants’ level of general English before and after the treatment.Students were asked to complete a survey on their overall attitudes regarding adopting e-learning as a research tool. The questionnaire had 15 questions concerning the participants’ views about adopting E-learning according to the current literature. Using a 1–5 Likert scale, respondents could indicate how much they agreed or disagreed with each statement on the questionnaire. The responses were divided into four categories: strongly agree and strongly disagree. Each student’s answer to a questionnaire question was given a number value. A student scored 5 points for a response in which she indicated “strongly agree.” A numerical value of 4 was given to those who agreed, 3 to those who disagreed, 2 to those who strongly disagreed, and 1 to neutral. For this questionnaire, Cronbach’s alpha (r=0.88) was used to determine reliability.The interview was the last instrument of this study. A semistructured interview was conducted with ten students to gain their ideas about the problems and changes of e-learning. The items of the interview were about the difficulties and challenges of e-learning. During the interview, the researchers recorded the participants’ voices, and after the interview, the answers were transcribed. When all ten students were interviewed, the researchers transcribed and analyzed them.


### 3.3. Data Collection Procedure

To conduct this research, the OQPT was given to all respondents to demonstrate their homogeneity in terms of English language skills. From 73 individuals, 50 were chosen as the target population for the present research. The individuals were then separated into two equal groups, one for the EG and one for the CG. Following that, the participants in the EG were instructed on how to get the therapy via the use of an online tutorial. Three lessons ofVision book were taught to the participants via the WhatsApp application. Each part of the lesson was conducted through the WhatsApp application; for example, the researcher read the conversation, recorded his voice, and sent it to the students. He translated the conversations for the participants and mentioned the crucial points. The grammar rules, vocabularies, pronunciation points, etc. were instructed in the WhatsApp application. After teaching the three lessons, the questionnaire of e-learning was administered to the participants to examine their perspectives on e-learning in education during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, ten students were interviewed about the problems of e-learning. On the other hand, the participants of the CG were deprived of e-learning instruction. They were taught traditionally, through a face-to-face fashion. The students attended the actual class, and the researcher conducted the lesson to them directly. A final test of general English was administered to both groups of respondents to assess if the intervention had any effect on their ability to communicate in general English.


### 3.4. Data Analysis

The collected data were analyzed through using SPSS software, version 22. A paired samplet-test and two independent sample t-tests were run to determine the impacts of the treatment on the participants’ general English. In addition, the questionnaire data were analyzed using a one-sample t-test. Moreover, the data of the interview were analyzed qualitatively.


## 3.1. Participants

Based on the Oxford Quick Placement Test (OQPT), 50 respondents were recruited from 73 applicants. They came from a single high school in Ahvaz, Iran’s Khuzestan Province. The participants had an intermediate level of English proficiency and were between 16 and 18. The group was entirely composed of men. EG and CGs were formed by randomly selecting individuals and dividing them into two equal numbers in each.


## 3.2. Instruments

The OQPT was the first tool utilized in this investigation. The researchers used this exam to bring all of the respondents together and better understand where they stood concerning each other. Participants who scored 0 to 10 on this test were regarded as beginners; those who scored 11 to 17 were taken into account breakthroughs; those who scored 18 to 29 were elementary; those who scored 30 to 39 were preintermediate; those who scored 40 to 47 were intermediate; those who scored 48 to 54 were regarded advanced; and those who scored 55 or higher were considered experts. It was determined that 50 intermediate learners would be the focus of this study based on these findings.The second instrument that the researchers used to collect the data was the Final English Exam of Third Grade High School in Khordad 1400 (Persian date, which equals June 2021). It included grammar, vocabulary, cloze test, listening skills, and reading passages. This test is one of the standardized tests held all over Iran for all third-grade high school students. This test was used as the pretest and the posttest to make the researcher aware of the participants’ level of general English before and after the treatment.Students were asked to complete a survey on their overall attitudes regarding adopting e-learning as a research tool. The questionnaire had 15 questions concerning the participants’ views about adopting E-learning according to the current literature. Using a 1–5 Likert scale, respondents could indicate how much they agreed or disagreed with each statement on the questionnaire. The responses were divided into four categories: strongly agree and strongly disagree. Each student’s answer to a questionnaire question was given a number value. A student scored 5 points for a response in which she indicated “strongly agree.” A numerical value of 4 was given to those who agreed, 3 to those who disagreed, 2 to those who strongly disagreed, and 1 to neutral. For this questionnaire, Cronbach’s alpha (r=0.88) was used to determine reliability.The interview was the last instrument of this study. A semistructured interview was conducted with ten students to gain their ideas about the problems and changes of e-learning. The items of the interview were about the difficulties and challenges of e-learning. During the interview, the researchers recorded the participants’ voices, and after the interview, the answers were transcribed. When all ten students were interviewed, the researchers transcribed and analyzed them.


## 3.3. Data Collection Procedure

To conduct this research, the OQPT was given to all respondents to demonstrate their homogeneity in terms of English language skills. From 73 individuals, 50 were chosen as the target population for the present research. The individuals were then separated into two equal groups, one for the EG and one for the CG. Following that, the participants in the EG were instructed on how to get the therapy via the use of an online tutorial. Three lessons ofVision book were taught to the participants via the WhatsApp application. Each part of the lesson was conducted through the WhatsApp application; for example, the researcher read the conversation, recorded his voice, and sent it to the students. He translated the conversations for the participants and mentioned the crucial points. The grammar rules, vocabularies, pronunciation points, etc. were instructed in the WhatsApp application. After teaching the three lessons, the questionnaire of e-learning was administered to the participants to examine their perspectives on e-learning in education during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, ten students were interviewed about the problems of e-learning. On the other hand, the participants of the CG were deprived of e-learning instruction. They were taught traditionally, through a face-to-face fashion. The students attended the actual class, and the researcher conducted the lesson to them directly. A final test of general English was administered to both groups of respondents to assess if the intervention had any effect on their ability to communicate in general English.


## 3.4. Data Analysis

The collected data were analyzed through using SPSS software, version 22. A paired samplet-test and two independent sample t-tests were run to determine the impacts of the treatment on the participants’ general English. In addition, the questionnaire data were analyzed using a one-sample t-test. Moreover, the data of the interview were analyzed qualitatively.


## 4. Results

### 4.1. Quantitative Results

In this section, the researchers analyzed the data of the pretest, the posttest, and the questionnaire and presented the results in the following tables.Pretest descriptive data for both groups are shown in Table1. The mean and standard deviation for the CG are 14.09 and 2.27, respectively. EG’s mean and standard deviation are 13.81 and 2.71, respectively. Both groups’ averages are almost identical. This implies that the two groups share specific characteristics since they started as the same size.Table 1
Group statistics (pretest of both groups).
Groups
N
Mean
Std. deviation
Std. error mean
Scores
CG
25
14.09
2.27
0.46
EG
25
13.81
2.71
0.55In Table2, the differences in scores between the two groups on the pretest were determined using an independent sample t-test. The fact that Sig (0.98) is bigger than 0.05 indicates that there is no statistically significant difference between groups at (p=0.05). As it turned out, they were very identical in their performance on the general English pretest.Table 2
Independent samplet-test (pretest of both groups).
Levene’s test for equality of variances
t-test for equality of means
F
Sig.
t
d
f
Sig. (2-tailed)
Mean difference
Std. error difference
Scores
Equal variances assumed
1.12
0.29
0.11
48
0.98
-0.08
0.77
Equal variances not assumed
0.11
47.51
0.98
-0.08
0.77Both groups’ posttest descriptive data are shown in Table3. Both the CG and the EG have mean scores of 15.34 and 17.80, respectively. On the posttest, it seems that the EG outperformed the CG, which suggests that the two groups are distinct.Table 3
Group statistics (posttest of both groups).
Groups
N
Mean
Std. deviation
Std. error mean
Scores
CG
25
15.34
2.59
0.53
EG
25
17.80
1.46
0.28Table4 shows that Sig (0.00) is less than 0.05, which implies that the difference between the two groups is statistically significant at the 0.05 level. EG really outperformed CG in terms of posttest performance.Table 4
Independent samplet-test (the posttest of both groups).
Levene’s test for equality of variances
t-test for equality of means
F
Sig.
t
d
f
Sig. (2-tailed)
Mean difference
Std. error difference
Scores
Equal variances assumed
15.06
0.00
5.95
48
0.00
3.51
0.59
Equal variances not assumed
5.82
35.59
0.00
3.51
0.60A paired samplet-test is employed in Table 5 to compare the CG pre- and posttest results. There is no statistically significant difference between the CG posttest and pretest since Sig (0.09) is bigger than 0.05. In other words, the second paired sample t-test findings demonstrate that Sig (0.00) is less than 0.05, which means that the EG difference between the pretest and posttest is significant.Table 5
Mean
Std. deviation
Std. error mean
t
d
f
Sig. (2-tailed)
Pair 1
CG pre/post
0.44
0.65
0.13
-3.38
24
0.09
Pair 2
EG pre/post
4.08
1.50
0.30
-13.32
24
0.00As indicated in Table6, the statistic T value is 53.07, df=14, and the significance level is 0.00, which is less than 0.05. This shows that Iranian EFL learners had positive attitudes towards e-learning.Table 6
One-sample test of the questionnaire.
T
d
f
Sig. (2-tailed)
Mean difference
53.07
14
0.00
3.84


### 4.2. Qualitative Results

In this part, the data of the interviews were analyzed qualitatively, and the challenges and the problems of e-learning were mentioned. After interviewing the participants, most of them appreciated the application of e-learning in the EFL context, but they also mentioned some issues in using e-learning. For example, they said that the need for providing a computer, sufficient software, constant electricity, and high-bandwidth Internet is relatively a considerable demand. Digital literacy was the other problem that the students mentioned. They stated that learning proficiently via online instruction requires much digital literacy and knowledge. They also asserted that “students need to understand online communication etiquette and know each other’s rights and responsibilities in the online learning environments.” Inability to focus on the screen for a long time was another challenge based on the participants of this study. They stated that focusing on the screen for an extended time is tedious and difficult. The other problems were lack of an exemplary mobile and lack of accessibility to high-speed Internet. Students’ and instructors’ learning may suffer if they do not have a reliable Internet connection. The students also noted that there are fewer physical connections between students and instructors in online courses than in traditional classrooms. Learners are often left feeling lonely as a result of this.


## 4.1. Quantitative Results

In this section, the researchers analyzed the data of the pretest, the posttest, and the questionnaire and presented the results in the following tables.Pretest descriptive data for both groups are shown in Table1. The mean and standard deviation for the CG are 14.09 and 2.27, respectively. EG’s mean and standard deviation are 13.81 and 2.71, respectively. Both groups’ averages are almost identical. This implies that the two groups share specific characteristics since they started as the same size.Table 1
Group statistics (pretest of both groups).
Groups
N
Mean
Std. deviation
Std. error mean
Scores
CG
25
14.09
2.27
0.46
EG
25
13.81
2.71
0.55In Table2, the differences in scores between the two groups on the pretest were determined using an independent sample t-test. The fact that Sig (0.98) is bigger than 0.05 indicates that there is no statistically significant difference between groups at (p=0.05). As it turned out, they were very identical in their performance on the general English pretest.Table 2
Independent samplet-test (pretest of both groups).
Levene’s test for equality of variances
t-test for equality of means
F
Sig.
t
d
f
Sig. (2-tailed)
Mean difference
Std. error difference
Scores
Equal variances assumed
1.12
0.29
0.11
48
0.98
-0.08
0.77
Equal variances not assumed
0.11
47.51
0.98
-0.08
0.77Both groups’ posttest descriptive data are shown in Table3. Both the CG and the EG have mean scores of 15.34 and 17.80, respectively. On the posttest, it seems that the EG outperformed the CG, which suggests that the two groups are distinct.Table 3
Group statistics (posttest of both groups).
Groups
N
Mean
Std. deviation
Std. error mean
Scores
CG
25
15.34
2.59
0.53
EG
25
17.80
1.46
0.28Table4 shows that Sig (0.00) is less than 0.05, which implies that the difference between the two groups is statistically significant at the 0.05 level. EG really outperformed CG in terms of posttest performance.Table 4
Independent samplet-test (the posttest of both groups).
Levene’s test for equality of variances
t-test for equality of means
F
Sig.
t
d
f
Sig. (2-tailed)
Mean difference
Std. error difference
Scores
Equal variances assumed
15.06
0.00
5.95
48
0.00
3.51
0.59
Equal variances not assumed
5.82
35.59
0.00
3.51
0.60A paired samplet-test is employed in Table 5 to compare the CG pre- and posttest results. There is no statistically significant difference between the CG posttest and pretest since Sig (0.09) is bigger than 0.05. In other words, the second paired sample t-test findings demonstrate that Sig (0.00) is less than 0.05, which means that the EG difference between the pretest and posttest is significant.Table 5
Mean
Std. deviation
Std. error mean
t
d
f
Sig. (2-tailed)
Pair 1
CG pre/post
0.44
0.65
0.13
-3.38
24
0.09
Pair 2
EG pre/post
4.08
1.50
0.30
-13.32
24
0.00As indicated in Table6, the statistic T value is 53.07, df=14, and the significance level is 0.00, which is less than 0.05. This shows that Iranian EFL learners had positive attitudes towards e-learning.Table 6
One-sample test of the questionnaire.
T
d
f
Sig. (2-tailed)
Mean difference
53.07
14
0.00
3.84


## 4.2. Qualitative Results

In this part, the data of the interviews were analyzed qualitatively, and the challenges and the problems of e-learning were mentioned. After interviewing the participants, most of them appreciated the application of e-learning in the EFL context, but they also mentioned some issues in using e-learning. For example, they said that the need for providing a computer, sufficient software, constant electricity, and high-bandwidth Internet is relatively a considerable demand. Digital literacy was the other problem that the students mentioned. They stated that learning proficiently via online instruction requires much digital literacy and knowledge. They also asserted that “students need to understand online communication etiquette and know each other’s rights and responsibilities in the online learning environments.” Inability to focus on the screen for a long time was another challenge based on the participants of this study. They stated that focusing on the screen for an extended time is tedious and difficult. The other problems were lack of an exemplary mobile and lack of accessibility to high-speed Internet. Students’ and instructors’ learning may suffer if they do not have a reliable Internet connection. The students also noted that there are fewer physical connections between students and instructors in online courses than in traditional classrooms. Learners are often left feeling lonely as a result of this.


## 5. Discussion and Conclusion

To answer the first research question, “Does using online instruction develop Iranian high school students’ general English learning significantly?”, the researchers used paired samplet-test and independent sample t-test. The findings showed that the students who received the treatment through online instruction had better performance on their posttest than the CG. In other words, the results statistically revealed that the EG outperformed the CG on the posttest.The findings of this research are reinforced by Mahmoudi [38], who evaluated the impact of online learning through smartphones on the grammatical accuracy improvement of Iranian EFL learners. The data revealed that there were substantial disparities between the EG and the CGs, with the EG who used online classrooms doing better. This research is also supported by Shen and Suwanthep [48], who demonstrated that e-learning constructive role plays improved students’ speaking skills. They also revealed that the participants had favorable opinions regarding the deployment of constructive e-learning role plays.Furthermore, the current study results are corroborated by Alhabbash et al. [49], who investigated the effects of classroom and online discussion on the speaking skills of the 12th-grade students. Their findings revealed statistically significant variations in the degree of speaking skill between students who learned via online discussion and those who learned through conventional methods, with the online discussion group outperforming the traditional technique. Our research is supported by activity theory, which focuses on relationships between students and computers. Furthermore, the outcomes of this research are supported by sociocultural theory and constructivism. According to these beliefs, language acquisition may be achieved via online learning, cooperative learning, and the relevance of social integration in online social learning settings.Regarding the second research question, “What are Iranian high school students’ attitudes towards e-learning?”, the findings indicated that Iranian EFL learners presented positive attitudes toward e-learning in education during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study is in line with Shahi [50], who examined the impact of e-learning on progressing Iranian EFL learners’ language skills and indicated that 86% of students in his research enjoyed learning English through e-learning. In addition, the results of this part are in accordance with [51]), who disclosed that the respondents of their study stated that online learning is the best way of education during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, our study gives support to Cabangcala et al. [47], who examined the college learners’ attitudes towards online learning. Their outcomes revealed that the participants’ attitude was positive about online learning. Furthermore, the current study’s results are consistent with those of Anwar and Wahid [43], who conducted a study to determine participants’ impressions of online training. Their findings suggested that students were satisfied with the educational management and implementation of online teaching. Erarslan and Zehir Topkaya [36] advocated our study, who indicated that L2 learners presented positive attitudes towards e-learning.Some students may feel nervous when learning a foreign language in a face-to-face fashion since they do not like to face the teacher directly. Therefore, using e-learning teaching may reduce their learning anxiety. The other reason why the participants held positive attitudes toward the quality of e-learning is that they were studying at the center of the city; the speed of the net was good, and all the participants had smartphones. In fact, all the participants had access to personal computers, the net, and smartphones. The current research findings are compatible with Erfani and Ghapanchi’s [37] results who examined the students’ attitudes toward e-learning at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. They proved that the overall attitudes of students toward e-learning were positive.One reason for this study’s results is that e-learning can save a large amount of money, time, and energy. Through e-learning, students do not have to use public transportation, and saving fuel costs can be substantial if they do not have to commute. Enrolled participants at virtual institutions do not have to worry about dealing with the hassles of travel and transportation since online lessons may be completed from the comfort of one’s own home.One of the most significant facilities of e-learning is the recording of all online classes and presenting them to the students. Some students might miss the fortune to be online at the particular time or might not fully understand the lecture, and they can easily use the recorded files of the classes several times in order to learn effectively, while in traditional learning, students can only benefit from the classroom once and they do not have the second chance in their absence. Participants may attend courses from any place of their choosing while enrolled in an online program. As a result, schools may reach out to a more comprehensive network of pupils rather than being constrained by physical limits. Extra features include recording online lectures and preserving them for future reference. Learners are required to access the learning materials at a time that is convenient for them.The positive features mentioned above for e-learning can be why EFL learners presented positive attitudes towards e-learning. They are the reasons why the EG outperformed the CG on the posttest. The results of the current study are in line with other studies such as Rhema and Miliszewska [52], Pilli et al. [53], Liaw and Huang 2011 [54], and Yaghoubi et al. [55], who announced the positive attitudes of students toward e-learning.This study examined the effects of online learning on Iranian EFL learners’ general English. Moreover, the current study investigated Iranian EFL learners’ perspectives about e-learning in education during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings of the present study indicated that the use of e-learning in teaching and learning can produce positive results. In addition, the results showed that Iranian EFL learners had positive attitudes towards e-learning.We may state that e-learning is an essential tool that should be used in conjunction with face-to-face EFL lessons to complement the curriculum. It contains a variety of activities and materials that, if utilized by students and supervised by the instructor, have the potential to improve the students’ language competency in the target language. As the world evolves, we must make use of technology and adapt our lives to keep up with the pace of change. Regarding the significance of e-learning, it is suggested that instructors and material designers use e-learning in their lessons in order to assist learners in developing foreign languages more effectively.In today’s ever-demanding educational environment, online courses are a fantastic option for students to increase their educational choices while still remaining competitive in their field. Students pursuing a higher education via online courses must be self-motivated, autonomous, and conscientious students in order to be successful. Students will be able to assess more appropriately whether online learning is a good fit for them if they first understand their own learning style and abilities. In addition, teachers and course developers will benefit from having a better grasp of the features of a course that boost participants’ learning and involvement.In order to successfully integrate Internet technologies into language education, both instructors and students must have a basic understanding of online media literacy. This leads to the conclusion that instructors must first get comfortable with online learning tools before devoting a portion of their class time to instructing students in these strategies. A teacher may also encourage students to utilize more productive and effective online tools while discouraging them from using unproductive or less productive ones based on the goals of the learning activity. Teachers may find the conclusions of this research useful in deciding whether to employ an e-learning technique or a conventional method in their classrooms. Online learning can help teachers to compensate for reduced access to teaching information and time dedicated to tracking students’ progress.The findings of this research may be used to motivate students to learn lessons via the use of e-learning programs. Students who are shy might benefit from online learning to enhance their English language skills. Students may work at a convenient location for them and their learning requirements while using online learning resources. Online courses can provide additional opportunities for learners from small, rural, or poor socioeconomic school districts to enroll in courses that would otherwise not be available in their local school system. In today’s ever-demanding educational environment, online courses are a fantastic option for students to increase their educational choices while remaining competitive in their field. Because online courses may be completed from the comfort of one’s own home or any other place of one’s choosing, students are less likely to miss out on important information. The findings of this study are advantageous for the students since online learning allows them to work at a time and in a place that is compatible with their learning needs.The outcomes of the current study can make the syllabus developers cognizant of the importance of e-learning in learning English language. Material developers are recommended to implement more online materials into the syllabus. In addition, this study can broaden the horizons of those who are willing to conduct research in the domain of online education. In other words, the findings of this study can pave the way for future researchers. This study’s results can support the implementation of useful online tools and new materials into Iran curriculum. This study can enrich the related literature and be a valid reference for other researchers.There are several drawbacks to this research, including the fact that only 50 subjects were included in it. We are unable to extrapolate the results to a large number of college students. The participants in this research were all male students; female students were not included in this investigation. The second drawback is that the therapy was completed in a very short amount of time. The research was confined to Iranian English as a foreign language student, but it might be replicated in other nations. Since the present study was conducted on Iranian intermediate English as a foreign language learner, its findings cannot be applied to all language learners at all levels in various educational environments. The study’s second problem is that it was only done on urban pupils, and no rural kids were included in the research. The first recommendation for future research is to involve more individuals in order to get more comprehensive results. In terms of future research, the second advice is to focus on various language skill levels, such as preintermediate, upper-intermediate, and advanced. The third recommendation for future research on a comparable issue is to take gender into consideration, which means that both female and male learners should be included. According to the fourth proposal, future research should examine if the medication is similarly successful over a wide range of demographics and across different geographical regions. The final recommendation for future research is to look at the impact of online teaching on students from remote communities.



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*Source: 9103862-2022-03-28.xml*