A COMPARISON STUDY ON STUDENT SATISFACTION BETWEEN STUDENTS

PURSUING ONLINE UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE VERSUS PURSUING

TRADITIONAL METHOD OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Introduction

Learning is a process of acquiring knowledge or skills provided by teachers. According to Slavin

(1996), learning is a change in a person's personality as a result of his experience. Humans began

to learn since he was born and all of these learning were related to the experience. In the process

of teaching and learning, teachers need to plan their teaching systematically with teaching methods

and techniques that fit the student's ability to acquire knowledge and master the necessary skills.

Education in Malaysia is a long-term investment to provide generation who will take risk on the

challenges ahead. Actually, education is connected with continuous effort and looking at the face

of the day. If we are not willing to equip our children to face their future, our education system

will fail. Hence, various preparations must be made to provide them with the future to adapt to

changing circumstances in the new economic system and in the field of industry. The world is now

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so sophisticated in the era of cyber and technology. The world community, including the growing

Malaysian society, is pursuing technological advancement by applying every sophisticated

equipment available in their environment. We need to acknowledge that mastering and excellence

in education is a prerequisite for our country to advance in particular in a world that leads to

information technology orientation.

Many learning institutions throughout Malaysia use traditional methods in teaching and learning

sessions. This traditional method allows students to study passively. They only knew memorizing

and remembering all the information that these learning institutions delivered passively. In this

method, educator plays an important role in teaching and learning sessions. This means learning

is centered on educators/teachers.

1.2 Research Background

It is undeniable that information technology advances have penetrated various aspects of life, one

of which is in the field of education which is commonly referred to as online learning. In this paper

we will discuss the comparison between online learning methods and traditional learning methods

in students of higher education institutions.

Havice (1999) classifies that teaching traditionally involves the use of textbooks and the method

of conferencing only. Stinson & Claus (2000) states that traditional classroom equipment is

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equipped with chairs and tables along with the chalkboard in front of them. According to Neo &

Rafi (2007), traditional teaching and learning are 'lime and talk' method or method of using

transperance (OHP), while media used are printed books. In this study, traditional-based teaching

is the method of teacher presentation for any subject to students, using the equipment commonly

available in all schools such as blackboard, chalk and textbooks.

While online learning embraces the use of multiedia as a facilitator of teaching and learning. In

general, multimedia uses various media formats to present information (Hede and Hede 2002;

Havice 1999). Many educators see that multimedia is part of a combination of technology

resources, including media elements such as text, graphics, animation, video, sound, teaching

systems and computer based support systems (Neo and Rafi, 2007).

Current technological advancements offer a new way of doing the learning process in the world of

education. Not only done traditionally, namely face to face in class but can be done using

technology, namely can the learning process be done remotely. The process of distance learning is

commonly referred to as e-learning, where e-learning is an innovative approach to the world of

education where the delivery of information using electronic media will increase the knowledge,

skills and performance of students. One of the characteristics of eLearning is the teaching and

learning process that uses an internet technology, so there are some differences from the traditional

learning process and e-learning.

For traditional learning, usually the teacher talks more than the students. Students speak more or

more than the teacher. The learning process is carried out with the participation of the whole class,

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almost no study groups or individual learning. E learning also involves students talking more or

more than the teacher. Learning also occurs in the division of learning groups or learning done

individually.

1.3 Problem Statement

Low achievement is often associated with risky students where they cannot directly reach the

educational program goals (Solon Community School District, 2003). According to the Education

Development Resources 2001-2010, one of the causes of this problem is that the majority of

teachers are still using traditional teaching methods and lack of Information and Communication

Technology (ICT) to attract and not be able to stimulate student learning process in the subjects

(Ministry of Education Malaysia 2001). Even this teaching strategy is also identified as the cause

of academic weak students or at risk of being less motivated towards traditionally controlled

lessons (Zaidatol Akmaliah 2005).

However, claims that teaching and learning based on multimedia are effective, in fact, not

comprehensive to all levels of students including poor academic achievers labeled as risk students.

This is because, in the context of Malaysian studies, many multimedia-based teaching and learning

studies focus only on students in Bestari schools who are aware that the school is based on ICT

and multimedia (Shiung & Ling 2005). In fact, a wide range of studies have been extended despite

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the fact that many students are well-versed in classrooms who already know that they have no

problems in academic achievement.

Al-Mikhlafi (2006), states that the effect of multimedia use on learning is not necessarily effective

and consistent as obtained from the findings of past studies because of its effectiveness as well,

depending on the group of students using it. Hence, the findings on the use of multimedia in the

classroom are better than the traditional methods of student achievement and attitudes, the fact is

still unclear and incomplete as most of the previous research findings.

Based on these problems, this study was conducted to illustrate the comparison between online

learning based on technology and learning through traditional methods to see the extent of its

impact on achievement and attitudes particularly for students in tertiary institutions.

1.4 Research Objectives

After identifying the research problem, the research objectives for this study is as below:

1.4.1 To identified online learning application among undergraduate student.

1.4.2 To identified traditional learning application among undergraduate student.

1.4.3 To identified the level of student satisfaction towards online learning methods.

1.4.4 To identified the level of student satisfaction towards traditional learning methods.

1.5 Research Question

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The research question for this study is as follow:

1.5.1 How was online learning applied by undergraduate student?

1.5.2 How was traditional learning applied by undergraduate student?

1.5.3 What is the level of student satisfaction towards online learning methods?

1.5.4 What is the level of student satisfaction towards traditional learning methods?

1.6 Significance of Research

1.7 Scope of the Study