ASSESSING THE CHALLENGES OF ONLINE LEARNING AMID COVID-19 IN SOUTH EAST NIGERIAN COLLEGES OF EDUCATION

Abstract

The abrupt shift from traditional classrooms to e-learning during the COVID-19 pandemic exposed significant infrastructural and technical challenges in tertiary institutions. This study examines the challenges of e-learning in colleges of education in South-East Nigeria during the pandemic. Guided by one research question, the study employed a descriptive survey design. The population comprised 2,184 lecturers, with a stratified proportionate sample of 437. Data were collected using a validated questionnaire with a Cronbach Alpha reliability coefficient of 0.83 and analyzed using mean and standard deviation. Findings revealed major challenges, including unreliable power supply, high costs of electronic devices and ICT maintenance, poor internet connectivity, insufficient software, limited lecturer incentives, restricted student access to internet facilities, inadequate technical support, and high data costs for e-learning platforms. The study concludes that, given these challenges, e-learning could not fully achieve desired instructional outcomes as an alternative teaching platform during the COVID-19 pandemic in South-East Nigerian colleges of education