A Study on the Pre- and Post-Pandemic Media of Instruction and Learning Effectiveness in Information Systems Courses

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic caused almost all educational institutions worldwide to adopt a variety of online technology enhanced and hybrid modes to ensure effective course delivery while practicing social distancing and quarantine during the pandemic (Easop, 2021; Viner et al., 2020). The modes of course delivery were as follows: a) completely asynchronous online where the instructor and students may be separated by location as well as time and the instruction happens via the internet using audio, video, and other online tools; b) synchronous online where the instructor and the students meet at a fixed time, but separated by location, and use technology such as such as Zoom, Skype, or Google Meet etc. as the medium of communication; and c) modified face to face classes which involved classroom meetings with social distancing, masking, and such safeguards appropriate during the pandemic period dictated by health guidelines. The mode of delivery was determined by various factors such as class size, course level such as introductory, intermediate, or advanced level, or graduate vs. undergraduate level, and the nature of the individual courses—conceptual, hands-on programming, lab, etc.

These technology enhanced online instruction methods have benefits as well as challenges (Bandi, 2021). Flexibility and adaptability have been one of the main advantages that online learning brings both to the faculty as well as the students (Ilgaz & Gulbahar, 2017; Zawacki-Richter & Naidu, 2016). However, past research on student readiness for online education suggests that the students may be ready for using the technology, but may not be completely ready for learning the course content online (Parkes et al., 2015). Other studies found that a blended form of learning combining both online and face to face mode of delivery, also known as virtual hybrid mode (virtual hybrid henceforth) is more effective than mere online education (Ma & Lee, 2021). Further, it is not just the online or face to face mode of delivery but the nature of the course, implementation, and learner characteristics that contribute to student learning (Ryan et al., 2015). The objective of this study is to understand whether the online or virtual hybrid modes of course delivery effectively communicate the course content to the students and help them perform well.