Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE)

Sociology
Internal Assessment (IA)

The positive and negative impacts of online learning on

students in 6th form St Benedict’s College.

Name: Brandon Robinson

School: St. Benedict’s College
Centre Number: 160058
Student number: 1600580863
Teacher: Mrs. Jaleel
Due Date:
Table of Contents
Title Page No.
Acknowledgements 2
Section 1 3
Introduction:
(a) (i) Background
(ii) Definition of the Research Problem
(b) Aims and Objectives of the study
(c) Literature Review
Section 2 7
Research Design:
(a) The Research Design/Plan
(b) Sociological Perspective
(c) The Sample/Selection of subjects to be studied
(d) Data Collection Instruments/Techniques
Section 3 9
Presentation and Analysis of Data
(a) Presentation of Findings
(b) Analysis of Findings
Section 4 17
Discussion of Findings and conclusion
(a) Discussion of Findings
(b) Conclusion
(c) Bibliography
Appendix 1: Sample of Data Collection Instruments 22

Acknowledgements
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Firstly, I would like to thank God for without him this wouldn’t have been possible. Secondly, I
would like to express my deepest thanks of gratitude to my teacher Mrs. Jaleel who gave me the
opportunity to do this impactful research on this topic, which also helped me in expanding my
views of online education with great amounts of tiresome research. Lastly, but not least, I would
like to thank the participants, my friends and family who helped me a lot in finalizing this
research within the limited time frame.

Section 1

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Introduction
(a) (i) Background to the Problem
Online Learning is usually referred to as E-Learning and it is a form of education which takes
place over the Internet. A couple of the earliest software made to accommodate online courses
were developed in Canada, such as the CoSy at the University of the Guelph according to
Harasim, (2000) cited by Lora Cheryl Woodall (2007). A new sociological study finds that
students, who study online, perceive that they have learned less in comparison to students who
attend face-to-face lectures as stated by Dr Zuleyka Zevallos (2013). Her observations can be
deemed accurate as many other studies, such as the 2014 “Online-Learning and Its Utility to
Higher Education in the Anglophone Caribbean” has shown that Caribbean societies are very
much oriented toward communities and growth through each other and that these cultural ways
of being, knowing, and doing have probably contributed toward the preference of Caribbean
peoples for the in person, direct interaction of face-to-face modalities. It also stated that because
the fact of most Caribbean societies being generally low tech in nature it contributes to the slow
advancement of online learning in secondary schools as compared to Tertiary level education.
Within my time at St. Benedict’s College on which this topic is based has shown the many
shortcomings as well as benefits to online learning in 6th form. The school is located in the
southern parts of Trinidad in the community of La Romaine. Many of the students come from
diverse racial, ethnic, religious and class backgrounds. It is a Roman Catholic denominational
school and despite its religious inclination, students of diverse religious backgrounds make up
part of the school’s population. Many children are unable to access online learning not out of a
cultural resistance per say; but because of a plethora of issues such as economics, internet
connectivity as well as privacy and space to which to learn from. Within this research some of
the independent variables will be used to assess the impact of online learning on student in 6th
form at St. Benedicts College. Many students are disadvantage by this new thrust to learning and
this has also created a number of problems for individual students. This topic was chosen as the
COVID-19 pandemic has put a halt on Caribbean education where physical teaching took place
and instead forced all classes to be had online. This tended to be problematic on teaching and
learning and as such I felt it necessary to conduct my research on said topic.

(ii) Definition of the Research Problem

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 The Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in the new normal with regards to the dissemination of
education remotely. Students, teachers and others were thrown into a dilemma in completing a
set curriculum where the students were to be least disadvantaged. This therefore resulted in the
adaption to the use of online teaching and learning from the confines of individual’s personal
spaces. This has resulted in some remarkable advantages where the hustle and mundane routines
of school were confined and where individuals experienced some comforts from learning in their
own homes and within their comfortable thresholds. Many students who had access to devices
and internet services benefited from the new learning experiences however, many students who
were less fortunate with these were placed at a disadvantaged academically. As such within this
research the researcher will attempt to unravel the impact of online learning; it’s positive and
negative impacts on the students at my College.
Problem Statement: How are 6th form students at St. Benedict’s College coping with on line
learning; positively/negatively?

(b) Aims and Objectives of the Study

The aims of this study are:

 To get a general idea/sense of purpose as to the real problems of online learning

on students in 6th form, at St. Benedict’s College.

 To provide valuable data to the Ministry of Education on this important insight so

that policies can be ratified/implemented to address the shortcomings of this new
approach to learning and teaching.

The Objectives of this Study are:

 To investigate the advantages and disadvantages of online learning on students in
6th form and its accompanying repercussions.

 To examine critically the factors which influence the outcomes of online learning
and its implications on the scholarly goals of some students at the College.

 To identify whether there is a relationship with social class and online learning.

 To assess the determinants of culture and its resistance to online learning among
students in 6th form, St. Benedict’s College

(c) Literature Review

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 The purpose of this study is to seek out and find the problems students of St. Benedict’s
College 6th form tend to face during their online classes whether common or not while outlining
all major causes for said problems. It will be conducted according to the previously mentioned
aims and objectives and thrive to develop better methods or ways of dealing with these possible
issues within the school’s online education venture.
According to the observations by Dr Zuleyka Zevallos (2013) and the studies of “Online-
Learning and Its Utility to Higher Education in the Anglophone Caribbean”, students learn better
through face to face or direct contact as compared to online learning such as in the Caribbean
where this method of distance teaching is not as popular especially in secondary schools. Face to
face learning is therefore culturally determined and this was embedded within the psyche of
individuals as a result of the historical experiences of Caribbean people. Face to face learning
was the only medium of the transmission of knowledge and persons were therefore encouraged
to attend school regularly since aspects of the hidden curriculum was also transmitted this way
(Haralambos and Holborn 2008). Through face to face learning students were instructed how to
be passive individuals and this prepared them for their adult roles in the workplace.
On a more international scale Barbara Means, Yukie Toyama, Robert Murphy, Marianne
Bakia and Karla Jones (2009) provided a meta-analysis stating that on average, students in online
learning conditions performed better than those receiving face-to-face instruction. They are
privately situated and therefore are not distracted easily as opposed in a formal classroom
situation. Many of them can concentrate better due to proper furniture. At their disposal is the
easy access to food, drinks and air conditioning and this creates the cozy and ideal learning
environment for those who have access to such resources. Hence, the positive outcome from
online learning is therefore associated with class and occupational status of parents (Mudassir
2015). Parents who are working in stable and professional occupations have the resources to
provide the necessary comforts for their child’s academic performance. These are therefore the
students who tend to perform better than their working-class counterparts.
Student who were not as fortunate to have a private space were met with serious
disadvantages in the learning process. In fact, today, up to 46,000 children in Trinidad are not
able to benefit from the online teaching and learning because of the lack of access to devices and
those who may have a device will have to share it with siblings (James 2021). The access to
internet may also be a factor preventing many who wish to learn and provides a disadvantage
when they lose out of the learning experience. In parts of Trinidad especially in rural areas there
are no internet services and hence children are forced to either walk miles from their home to get
access whilst many may not bother because it is quite burdensome. In this regard many students
are not poised to perform well academically. These problems are further compounded with the
lack of privacy to do online work. The environment may be one of abuse. Many students prefer
not to log on to classes because they are embarrassed for others to see where they live when they
are forced to turn on their cameras. Many feel depressed since they are not able to socialize with
their friends, also they may feel depressed and some may contemplate suicide whilst others feel
alienated from their friends and teachers.
Other Studies have shown that student–student and teacher–teacher interactions allow
both students and teachers to benefit from peer review and membership within a professional
learning community Anderson (2011) as cited by Laila N. Boiselle (2014). This brought about
the conclusion by Laila N. Boisselle (2014) that most instructors in the Caribbean have been
found to view teacher–student and student-student interactions as a must and should be the same
in regards to high-quality online-learning, however students opinions towards increasing these

5|Page
types of interactions varies, apparently due to their personality and learning style Cantrell et al.
(2008) as cited by Laila N. Boisselle (2014). This shows that students tend to learn at their own
pace and the sudden change to online classes in the secondary sector can be overwhelming for
both teachers and students involved if not done right.
As stated by Dr. Zuleyka Zevallos (2013) no matter what, it is a discipline centrally
concerned with social interaction, culture and dialogue which is where the Caribbean is strongest
especially in its culture where face-to-face teaching is looked upon as being the ideal form of
learning for its students Laila N. Boisselle (2014). Suggestions for improvement of online
education courses mentioned by Laila N. Boiselle (2014), Lora Cheryl Woodall (2007) and Dr.
Zuleyka Zevallos (2013) will be considered. The only shortcoming of these sources are they are
all mostly international based and look to resolve these types of issues in the US. Despite this the
sources still prove to be viable, as those recommendations may very well coincide with those of
the Caribbean.

Section 2
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Research Design
(a) The Research Design/Plan
Research is defined as the systematic investigation into a specific problem and the study of
materials and its use of sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions. In this
research, the impact of online learning is guided by the theory of social pathology and morphed
into becoming a social problem worthy of study especially with the impact of Covid-19 and its
displacement of the education system from the public space to the private domain.
Both primary and secondary sources were incorporated in the research process. The main
instrument used to collect statistical data was a questionnaire. The questionnaire as a primary
source is aligned to the quantitative and methodological approach which is practical. It is
supported by the Positivist who believes the best way to collect empirical data is to utilize the
theories and methods of the Natural Sciences. The questionnaire is advantageous as it can target
a larger percentage of the population in a short space of time; it is less costly and less time
consuming. Data collected can be easily quantifiable using mathematical formulas which can
generate statistical data graphically. The disadvantages are; it doesn’t capture the feelings and
unique experiences of individuals due to generalizations; persons may be omitted from the
survey due to the data collection method. Data attained tend to be lower in validity and
statistical data can be misleading
The questionnaire consisted of a total of 19 questions. Both open and close ended questions
were included in the questionnaire. There were 5 open-ended questions and this allowed
participants to express their knowledge, feeling, and understanding. There were 14 close-ended
questions and this allowed for survey responses to select a response from that which is provided
by the researcher.
A total of 40 questionnaires were administered via email to 6th form students at St Benedicts’
College on the 14th February 2021. Participants were given approximately 3 weeks to complete
and return to me, as my email address was enclosed. All email addresses were sourced from the
6th form Dean and those who were contacted and agreed to participate were then emailed a
questionnaire with the appropriate instructions.
Secondary sources by various prominent researchers were used as these contributed to the basis
for the questionnaires. They not only validated the information but in turn helped the researcher
to formulate the necessary questions. Through the review of mentioned sources, credibility,
validly and reliability was attained.

(b) The Sociological Perspective

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 The sociological theory of Positivism was used in this research design. The basic principle of
Positivism is that all factual knowledge is based on the "positive" information gained from
observable experience, and that any ideas beyond this realm of demonstrable fact are
metaphysical. It should also be noted that for a Positivist, this approach can be applied to the
social sciences with just as much success as it is to the natural sciences.
The Positivist is supported by the Functionalist such as Herbert Spencer, Auguste Comte,
Durkheim and Parsons, just to name a few and the Marxist such as Karl Marx and the Neo-
Marxist. The Positivist believes that the only way to collect data was through the quantitative
approach. In this regard data collected and presented is valid, reliable and credible. Statistical
data attained can be used to create new theories and/or test existing hypotheses. The perspective
enables the researcher to see that like the natural sciences, human behavior can be measured
quantitatively and objectively. Casual links or correlations among variables can be arrived at to
explain the occurrence of a phenomenon.

(c) The Sample

A sample is small group of people drawn from the survey population. It tends to be a popular
choice among researchers as it saves time and money when conducting research. The simple
random strategy of sampling was selected due to the fact that it was faster in getting a sample
and being more convenient for the researcher to distribute the questionnaires in a timely and safe
manner electronically. With a simple random sample, there is an equal chance (probability) of
selecting each unit from the population being studied when creating the sample. In this way
persons of diverse socio-economic backgrounds and across geographical locations will have an
equal chance of being selected for this survey. Gender was not a factor here as the students of
St. Benedict’s College were all males. A total of 40 questionnaires were distributed
electronically to 6th form students of St. Benedict’s within the age range of 17-20 years, in doing
so the sample size included 40 individuals to represent the whole. All email data was attained
from the 6th form dean at the College.
The electronic questionnaires were administered on the 14th February 2021 and the completion
and submission to the researcher was within 3 weeks on the 7th March 2021. The unit sample was
students in 6th form St. Benedict’s College.

(d) Data collection instrument/Technique

See Appendix 1 copy of the cover letter and copy of the questionnaire

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 Section 3
Presentation and Analysis of Data
(a) Presentation of Findings
A total of 40 questionnaires were distributed to form six students of St. Benedict’s College out of
which all 40 were returned. This is the data being represented.

Fig.1: In your opinion, do you benefit more from online learning than physical
school? A column chart showing students opinion on if they find they benefit more
from online learning as compared to physical school.

70.00%

60.00%

50.00%

40.00%

30.00%

20.00%

10.00%

0.00%

Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree

Fig.1

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Fig.2: What problems do you usually face during online classes? A bar chart
showing the problems students usually face during online classes.

12.5%
57.5%
7.5%
0.225
0.00% 10.00% 20.00% 30.00% 40.00% 50.00% 60.00% 70.00%

Other Lack of Focus Faulty Device Bad Connection

Fig.2

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Fig.3: Would you say that you learn more efficiently at physical school or
online? A pie chart showing whether students learn more efficiently at physical or
online school.

22.50%

77.50%

Physical Online

Fig.3

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Fig.4: In your opinion, does the change from physical to online affect your
performance? A table showing whether the change from physical to online affects
students’ performance.

Choices Respondent Respondent Percent

Strongly Agree - -

Agree 20 50%

Disagree 18 45%

Strongly Disagree 2 5%

Tab.1

Fig.5: How would you say your performance is now through online classes? A
pie chart showing the rate of students’ performance now via online classes.
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 Excellent
5%

Fair Good
53% 43%

Excellent Good Fair Poor

Fig.5

Fig.6: Would you say online learning affects your peer to peer interactions
greatly? A column chart showing whether online learning has greatly affected
students’ peer to peer interactions.

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 90.00%

80.00%

70.00%

60.00%

50.00%

40.00%

30.00%

20.00%

10.00%

0.00%

Yes No

Fig.6

Fig.7: Do you believe that online learning should be a full-time or part time
style of teaching? A pictograph showing students’ opinion on if online learning
should be a full-time or part time style of teaching.
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 90.00%

80.00%

70.00%

60.00%

50.00%

40.00%

30.00%

20.00%

10.00%

0.00%
Part-Time Full-Time .

Fig.7

(b) Analysis of Findings

Many students do not find themselves as benefitting more from online teaching than from
physical school as seen in figure one where 65% of the students disagreed. This is so because

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many of the students grew up in a community and household where going to a physical
classroom for teaching is necessary. This can also be backed by Laila N. Boiselle (2014) which
in her studies found that most instructors in the Caribbean have been found to view teacher–
student and student-student interactions as a must.
Students may also feel this way about online learning due to the problems that may occur with
it, which as seen in figure two, 57.5% of students find that their biggest problem is their lack of
focus. This lack of focus mainly deals with the fact that students of form six in the Caribbean are
not accustomed with trying to learn through a screen for at least eight hours a day when the
majority of their learning happened in physical classrooms.
In figure three it is seen that students tend to learn more efficiently at physical school 77.5%
than during online classes 22.5%. This is due fact as mentioned before that they are accustomed
to physical teaching with proper face to face interactions. However, this drastic shift of teaching
style which was caused by the pandemic has left quite a few students feeling stressed or
overwhelmed. These feelings tend to cause a hinder in academic performances as seen in figure
four where 50% of students find that the shift from physical to online has affected their usual
performance.
In figure five it is seen that the majority of students 53% find that their performance tends to be
fair now via online classes. In some students’ cases this may have been a drop in their usual
academic performance as quite a few stated before that they don’t learn as efficiently during the
online classes when compared to physical teaching. However, some students have stated 42%
that their performance is good with only 2% reporting excellent academic performance still via
online classes.
Figure six continues to prove the fact that students may feel this need for student-student
interactions just as much as teacher-student interactions for a proper learning/teaching
environment. As seen in this figure where 82.5% of students agree that the practice of online
learning has affected their peer to peer interactions greatly. This can either lead some students to
a state of depression or a feeling of being insecure/feeling left out in regards to social ventures in
the future. This then leads into the final figure which the majority of students 82.5% agree that
online learning should only be a part-time style of teaching instead of full-time which is its
current state. This is so because students of form six have always been used to proper face to
face teaching in a physical classroom growing up and would rather online classes be integrated
into the education system at a slower pace instead of being fully thrusted into this style of
teaching without warning.

Section 4
Discussion of Findings and conclusion

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(a) Discussion of Findings
The main purpose of this study was to identify the different positive and negative impacts of
online learning on students of sixth form St Benedicts’ College. Using the findings and results
gathered via the questionnaire it can safely be said that the negatives greatly outweigh the
positives as there are many challenges associated with online learning for students in sixth form
St. Benedict’s College.
In regards to research objective 1 which is: To investigate the advantages and disadvantages
of online learning on students in 6th form and its accompanying repercussions has been achieved.
This is due to the many instances where the negative aspects of online learning for students far
exceeded the positive aspects. One of the main advantages of online learning students tend to
state was the fact that they were at home. Dr Zuleyka Zevallos (2013) and the studies of “Online-
Learning and Its Utility to Higher Education in the Anglophone Caribbean”, stated that students
learn better through face to face or direct contact as compared to online learning such as in the
Caribbean where this method of distance teaching is not as popular especially in the secondary
sector. This was found to be one of the main underlying factors that contributed to the students’
main problem of a lack of focus which can also be seem as repercussion. These views are clearly
represented in both Fig.1 and Fig. 2. It was also found to be true that the majority of form six
students preferred physical school rather than online classes due to the fact that they found
themselves to be learning more efficiently in school instead of through a screen which is
supported by Fig.3. The studies also stated that face to face learning was very much culturally
determined and that it was embedded within the psyche of individuals as a result of the historical
experiences of Caribbean people. There was quite a similar case in this research as the form six
students currently participating in online classes grew up within a household and community
where going to a physical classroom was the ideal form of learning.
For objective 2 which seeks: To examine critically the factors which influence the outcomes
of online learning and its implications on the scholarly goals of some students at the College.
This objective was achieved as many factors such as not yet being accustomed to online classes
or being in an inadequate learning environment was claimed by many students to affect their
academic performance. A meta-analysis provided by Barbara Means, Yukie Toyama, Robert
Murphy, Marianne Bakia and Karla Jones (2009) stated that on average, students in online
learning conditions performed better than those receiving face-to-face instruction. The study was
conducted on a more international scale and as such its results varied quite a bit as the majority
of sixth form St Benedict’s College students, in the Caribbean have stated that their performance
to only be about fair, via online classes. These views can also clearly be seen represented in
Tab.1 and Fig.5. In some cases, this current fair performance may have been a drop in their usual
academic performance from physical school. The study continued to state that this was so for the
students because they are privately situated and therefore are not distracted easily as opposed to
being in a formal classroom situation. While this may be true for some, this was not the case for
the majority of the form sixes. The greatest problem form six students seemed to face was the
aforementioned lack of focus during online classes. This can be due to the fact that they were
thrusted into this new style of teaching because of the current pandemic and with little to no prior

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experience, have yet to adjust to it. Their studies went on to state that many students can
concentrate better due to proper furniture, having easy access to food, drinks and even air
conditioning, creating this cozy and ideal learning environment for those who have access to
such resources.
Hence, this now brings me to objective three which is: To identify whether there is a
relationship with social class and online learning which in fact there is, according to the research
conducted. The study by Mudassir (2015) states that positive outcomes from online learning is
therefore associated with class and occupational status of parents. This was found to be true as
many of the form six students who didn’t have access to such resources was so due either to their
current class/financial situation. This can also be a seen as a contributing factor to their lack of
focus during online sessions. In an article written by James (2021) he stated that students who
were not as fortunate to have a private space were met with serious disadvantages in the learning
process. He stated today, up to 46,000 children in Trinidad are not able to benefit from the online
teaching and learning because of the lack of access to devices and those who may have a device
will have to share it with siblings James (2021). This was thoroughly examined in the research
and it was found that only a minority of students claimed to have only have one or a sometimes-
faulty device, as seen in Fig.2, whereas the majority of form six students had two well working
and capable devices for attending their online classes. He also stated that the access to internet
may also be a factor preventing many from learning. This was found to be a probable cause of
such, as it was the second major problem form six students faced since they all didn’t live in
places where connection to the internet was very reliable. This may be due to either their
aforementioned class or financial situation.
Last but not least, in regards to the final objective which is: To assess the determinants of
culture and its resistance to online learning among students in sixth form, St. Benedict’s College
it can be seen in studies conducted by Anderson (2011) as cited by Laila N. Boiselle (2014) show
that student–student and teacher–teacher interactions in person is inherently a Caribbean staple
due to our past and resistance is met when a change of this big a nature takes place as this form
of teaching was the same for generations and became a custom. The study continues stating that
it allows both students and teachers to benefit from peer review and membership within a
professional learning community. This was found to be true because as stated before, the
majority of form six students claimed that the sudden change from the usual physical to online
learning has affected their usual academic performance. This then brought about the conclusion
by Laila N. Boisselle (2014) which states that most instructors in the Caribbean have been found
to view teacher–student and student-student interactions in person, as a must. This can be seen as
the culture which developed in the past, such as in the plantation society and is now showing
resistance against the change in something so important which is also probable cause for why the
majority of students of sixth form would prefer that online classes be only a part-time style of
teaching, as seen in Fig.7. The studies also showed that education should be the same in regards
to high-quality online-learning, however students’ opinions towards increasing these types of
interactions varies, apparently due to their personality and learning style Cantrell et al. (2008) as
cited by Laila N. Boisselle (2014). This too was examined and it can be seen that for the majority
of form six students, their peer to peer interactions were greatly affected as seen in Fig 6. This

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just shows that students tend to learn at their own pace and this sudden change to online classes
in the secondary educational branch can and is overwhelming for both teachers and students
involved if not done right.
The majority of solutions to help with improving online education submitted by respondents
involved teachers having shorter periods to teach while the students receive extended breaks
between each period. This is so because as some stated and as mentioned before teachers tend to
cover more work during classes than in physical school. This can lead to an overwhelming
amount of work being piled up students causing stress and anxiety to complete assignments in
time. Studies by Dr Zuleyka Zevallos, Laila N. Boisselle (2014) and Lora Cheryl Woodall
(2011) solutions differ quite a bit as they deal mostly with the improvement of communications
for online sessions. They suggest that should schools/institutions should begin to seek
mechanisms by which to provide seamless, synchronous online communication during online
classes however that may be very costly and the technology for such feats to take place in a wide
range has not been developed. A more practical and cheaper method provided by a respondent
was to help students and teachers alike understand and appreciate the inherent delay in online
communication in its current state and have teachers be timelier and more effective in their
responses. Lora Cheryl Woodall (2011) also suggest that students be richly informed about the
major differences between face-to-face and online classes before they begin online courses in
order to be more accepting of online education. In this case however the form six students
currently participating in online classes are not participating by their own choice but as it the
only way for teaching to go on safely due to the current pandemic.

(b) Conclusion
In conclusion, the negative impacts clearly outweigh the positive impact of online learning for
students of sixth form, St Benedict’s College. Students are faced with many challenges which

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include a severe lack of focus due to the sudden change in the style of teaching because of the
Covid-19 pandemic and due to the lack of resources to improve one’s environment for learning
to take place at home. They are constantly battling with the overwhelming stress and anxiety that
may arise because of their current situations. Internet access is also sometimes troublesome to
attain and their device may not be up to mark, causing them to lose out on precious learning time
and affecting interaction with peers, making group projects that much more difficult. Therefore,
online had a negative impact on their usual academic performance the majority of which was
above average. However, there are some positives, though minor where form six students liked it
for that fact that it is at home but still prefer physical classes because it is the better form of
learning for them and they can take things at much slower pace rather than being hounded by
work during online sessions which tends to cover more material in a shorter amount of time.

(c) Bibliography
Books

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Haralambos, Michael and Martin Holborn. 2008. Sociology Themes and Perspectives 7th
(seventh) Edition. Collins Educational.
Means, Babara, Yukie Toyama, Robert Murphy, Marianne Bakia and Karla Jones. 2009.
Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning. A Meta-Analysis and Review of
Online Learning Studies. Center of Learning.
Mudassir Ibrahim Usaini. 2015. The Impact of parents’ occupation on academic performance of
secondary school students in Kuala Terengganu, in Multilingual Academic Journal of Education
and Social Sciences 3 (1), 112-120.

Websites and Articles

Boisselle, Laila N. 2014. Online-Learning and Its Utility to Higher Education in the Anglophone
Caribbean. Sage Journals. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2158244014555118.
James, Paul. 2021. The Trinidad Express Newspaper.
Woodall, Lora Cheryl. 2011. Transitioning to Online Education in the Caribbean: The UWI
Open Campus.
https://tspace.library.utoronto.ca/bitstream/1807/29938/1/Woodall_Lora_C_20117_PhD_thesis.p
df.
Zevallos, Zuleyka. 2013. Adapting Sociological Teaching and Learning for Online
Environments. Other Sociologists. https://othersociologist.com/2013/08/23/sociology-teaching-
online-learning/

Appendix
Cover Letter
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Dear Participant,
I invite you to participate in a research study entitled “The Positive and Negative Impacts of
Online Learning on students in sixth form St Benedict’s College”. I am currently a form sixth
student studying Sociology at St Benedict’s College, Southern Main Road, La Romain and am in
the process of conducting my Sociology IA for Cape. The purpose of the research is to determine
and analyze the positive and negative impacts online learning has on current form six students
and to find the determinants for some of the major problems associated with online
teaching/learning.
The enclosed questionnaire has been designed to collect information regarding the issue at hand
and to help me with my analysis of the current state of online learning.
Your participation in this research project is completely voluntary. You may decline altogether,
or leave blank any questions you don’t wish to answer. There are no known risks to participation
beyond those encountered in everyday life. Your responses will remain confidential and
anonymous. Data from this research will be kept under lock and key and reported only as a
collective combined total. No one other than the researchers will know your individual answers
to this questionnaire.
If you agree to participate in this project, please answer the questions on the questionnaire as best
you can. It should take approximately 15-20 minutes to complete. Please return the questionnaire
as soon as possible in an enclosed envelope to the sender’s address.
If you have any questions about this project, feel free to contact me at Brandon Robinson 1-868-
300-4554 or email [email protected].).
Thank you for your assistance in this important endeavor.
Sincerely yours,
Main Investigator

Questionnaire
Good Day, I am a sixth form student of St Benedict’s college. I am currently carrying out an
investigation into the topic of Online Education and its impact on students of form six for my
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Sociology Internal Assessment and I have chosen our school to be a part of my investigation. I
humbly and kindly ask for your assistance in responding to the following questions to the best of
your ability. Please keep in mind that all your responses will be kept strictly confidential.

1. To which ethnicity to do you belong?

African Descent Caucasian Descent
Indian Descent Chinese Descent

2. Which class would you say you belong to currently?

Working Class Middle Class Upper Class

3. What is your religion?

Christian Muslim Other
Hindu Anglican (Please Specify)

4. How many devices do you own?

1 2 3 4

5. What kind of device do you use for online learning?

Laptop Phone Tablet/iPad Other
(Please Specify)

6. Is there proper/reliable internet access where you reside?

Yes No

7. How would you say online learning impacts you financially?

8. In your opinion, do you benefit more from online learning than physical school?
Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree

9. Why would you say so?

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 10. What problems do you usually face during online classes?
Bad Connection Faulty Device Lack of Focus
Other
(Please Specify)

11. Would you say that you learn more efficiently at physical school or online?
Physical Online

12. In your opinion, does the change from physical to online affect your performance?
Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree

13. How would you rate your performance now via online classes?
Excellent Good Fair Poor

14. Would you say online learning affects your peer to peer interactions greatly?
Yes No

15. Do you enjoy online classes?

Yes No

16. Why would you say so?

17. Do you believe that online learning should be a full-time or part time style of teaching?
Full Time Part Time

18. Do you think enough is being done by our school to improve online classes?
Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree

19. What recommendations could you give that would improve online learning?

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