E-learning under COVID-19: Interrogating the past for a brighter future

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic prompted a surge of studies focused on the limitations of distance education during lockdowns. However, there is a significant gap in research comparing students' academic achievements under normal circumstances with those in emergency remote teaching environments. Addressing this gap is crucial to identify shortcomings in e-learning during crises and to develop strategies for improving technology-mediated education. This study aims to fill this gap by comparing two groups of Moroccan university-level EFL (English as a Foreign Language) students in terms of grammar knowledge transfer to writing ability. A convenience sample of 315 students' argumentative essays was evaluated based on various measures of writing quality and grammar application. Findings indicate that students in the traditional classroom setting outperformed their peers in the e-learning group, particularly in writing quality and grammar knowledge transfer. The study attributes these differences to factors such as student psychology, teacher training, attitudes toward technology, and socio-economic challenges. The paper concludes with recommendations for enhancing the effectiveness of emergency e-learning in future crises, with a focus on better preparation, teacher support, and addressing technological barriers.

Keywords: COVID-19; e-learning; impediments; grammar transfer; writing ability