Nursing undergraduates’ perceptions of and readiness for online distance learning: A descriptive cross-sectional study

Abstract Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the usual/traditional/regular learning environments of undergraduates. Undergraduates’ perceptions of online distance learning, their online experience, and their perceptions of useful and challenging elements in learning online are important for understanding the potential value of online learning. This study aimed to assess the perceptions of nursing undergraduates regarding their experience with online distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 137 nursing undergraduates in Sri Lanka from May 2021 to December 2021. A pretested validated self-administered questionnaire Google Forms was used to collect the data. The data were analyzed via descriptive and multivariate analysis of variance. Results The response rate was 91.3% (n=137). The mean age of the undergraduates was 24.18 (±3.45 SD) years. Nearly half of the participants used a smartphone to log in for online classes (51.8%), and a majority (62.8%) used mobile data to access online classes. The main challenges and barriers identified by the undergraduates were mobility restrictions due to community lockdown (85.4%), a lack of motivation due to the absence of face-to-face contact with friends and lecturers (82.5%), heavy workloads(81%), the need to fulfil responsibilities at home (79.6%), and poor internet connections (78.8%).The mean total online learning readiness score (OLRS) was 13.95 (±4.90). Only the self-directed learning and motivation for learning dimensions had scores ranging from 3.44 to 3.63. The MANOVA tests revealed that female undergraduates had a significant difference in the OLRS (F ¼ 3.932, p < 0.04; Wilks’ Lambda¼ 0.955; partial eta squared ¼ 0.028), and computer internet self-efficacy had significant differences in academic years (F ¼ 6.015, p < 0.001; Wilks’ Lambda¼ 0.808; partial eta squared ¼ 0.119). Conclusion: The emergence of the transition to online distance learning has revealed that nursing undergraduate programs need to focus on reforming their curricula while considering undergraduates’ perceptions of different learning strategies and their use of technologies.