A Phenomenological Study on Students’ Experiences in Learning Physics in an Online Class

Abstract

Online learning keeps on growing and being explored during this pandemic. Most of the tertiary institutions here in the Philippines have shifted from face-to-face to online instructions in all courses including physics subjects. The conduct of physics classes through virtual classrooms has its advantages and presents some challenges that is why it is important to understand the perspective and experiences of students. This study aimed to describe the experiences of students in learning physics in a virtual classroom, specifically their experiences in preparation, learning management, opportunities, and challenges they have encountered. There were four themes that emerged in this study: Technological Preparations, Self-Preparations, Challenges in Online Learning, and Learning Management and Opportunities. It was realized in this study that students were prepared to take online classes both in terms of their technological and personal aspect. Despite their preparations they encountered challenges such as network issues, time constraints, and distractions in their learning environment at home. However, students were optimistic, so, they saw opportunities in these challenges to improve their technological skills, time management, and maximized online resources for better understanding of physics concepts. It is recommended for future research to explore the experiences of teachers in teaching online physics classes.