A Survey on Sense of Classroom Community and Perceived Learning in On-Campus Vs. Off-Campus Mode among DPT Students During Covid-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Background: Owing to post COVID-19 global situation, online students learning at various levels has been advanced as being more convenient, useful & practical. This study aimed to compare the level of Sense of classroom community and perceived learning in on-campus vs. off-campus mode among DPT students during COVID-19. Methodology: This study was conducted at the Department of Allied Health Sciences, University of South Asia Lahore among DPT students from April 2021 to June 2021. The study design was observational/cross-sectional and a non-probability convenient sampling technique was used. A total of 357 Male and female DPT students were enrolled in this study who participated in online study courses/programs were included in the study (One semester/6months). New admission first-semester students were excluded from the study due to non-exposure to online learning mode. Data was collected with the help of self-administered questionnaires (CAP Perceived Learning Scale and Classroom community scale). Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare the mean score of sense of classroom community and perceived learning among DPT students. Results: The score of Perceived learning in the offline mode of learning was higher (M=33.10, ±SD=7.540) as compared to Perceived learning in the online mode of learning (M=27.03, ±SD=7.365) while the sense of classroom community was strong in offline mode of learning (M=44.03, ±SD=7.921) than in the online mode of learning (M=39.91, ±SD=7.945) among DPT students. Conclusion: Perceived learning and the sense of classroom community were found to be significantly higher in the on-campus mode of learning as compared to the off-campus mode of learning among DPT students.