Online Learning: Students’ Perception and Students’ Learning Success

Abstract

This study looks at 74 first-semester students at 17 Agustus 1945 (Untag) Semarang from the 2021/2022 academic year, all of whom graduated from various high schools across Indonesia. Using a qualitative approach, data were gathered through questionnaires to understand their experiences with online learning during the pandemic, something they had been doing since the second year of high school, with their entire third year conducted online. The findings show that only 23% of students felt satisfied with online learning. When facing difficulties, most (59.5%) turned to the internet for answers, but this approach didn't seem to help much. In fact, just 10.8% expressed a genuine liking for online learning, mainly because they missed interacting with peers, struggled to communicate directly with lecturers, and dealt with recurring signal issues. These insights might serve as a useful reference for future research exploring what makes online learning work or not for students.