An investigation into Bhutanese students’ perception of the use of Google Classroom as an online learning platform amid the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

In response to the COVID-19 school closures and the emergency transition to online teaching and learning, for the first time, Bhutanese students embraced Google Classroom as tools for teaching and learning.From this perspective, this study aims to investigate the students’ perception of the efficacy of Google Classroom and identify the challenges and opportunities in implementation of Google classroom. We employed the embedded mixed method design with 100 students from Gongzim Ugyen Dorji Central School. Survey questionnaires and structured interview were used to collect the data. Findings indicated that Google Classroom is useful online learning management system. Concerning the challenges and opportunities the students of less affluent family may deprive to attend online classes because of cost of digital devices, data plans and poor network connectivity. However, embracing Google Classroom as online learning platform will create new opportunities for the use digital tools to meet the needs of the on-going COVID and future online deliveries.

Keywords

• Google Classroom
• online teaching and learning
• COVID-19