How did online learning impact the academic performance of graduate students amid the Covid-19 pandemic?: A case study of the United Arab Emirates

Abstract

Covid-19 has changed the landscape of education forever. Online education has become the new normal for many graduate students with the pandemic outbreak. While online education is more cost-effective, there is little research on how online education has impacted graduate students academically. This study aimed to assess graduate students' academic experiences who took all their courses online. A total of 240 master's and Ph.D. students participated in a questionnaire survey and shared their thoughts on the significance of online education in their academic learning and achievement. The findings revealed that the students perceived strong positive perceptions in terms of engagement, ease of communication, academic learning, and academic achievement as a result of online education. Exploratory Factor Analysis extracted four factors contributing more than 60% variation to online education's overall impact on students. To conclude, online learning provides greater flexibility and convenience, allowing students to study at their own pace and in their own time. Additionally, online learning can be tailored to the individual needs of each student, providing a more personalized learning experience.