New Cluster of Readiness Affecting Perceived Usefulness of Open Distance Learning Readiness During Covıd-19 Outbreak

Abstract

During the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak, it was observed that students faced problems of readiness towards the Open Distance Learning (ODL). It could be said that these issues could reduce students’ perceptions with regards to perceived usefulness towards ODL implementations and academic performance. This study expounded a new cluster to measure the readiness with regards to perceived usefulness of ODL implementation:  1) technological readiness, 2) psychological readiness and 3) sociological readiness. The purpose of this study is to illustrate the impact of technological, psychological, and sociological readiness on perceived usefulness of ODL implementation. A survey was conducted on full time undergraduate students (n= 656) in UiTM Melaka (UiTMCM) campus. By using descriptive statistical analysis, it was found that technological and sociological readiness among undergraduate students has a strong significant predictor of perceived usefulness of ODL implementation, while psychological readiness reported no significant predictor on perceived usefulness of ODL implementation. This study has a twofold significance. Firstly, the findings are significant to higher education institutions, especially for developing countries such as Malaysia which has just experienced a full swing of the ODL implementation during the nation’s movement control order. Moreover, the findings was essential to the campus Academic Affairs unit to assist academicians and the academics department to present the best approaches in terms of ODL course design, implementation, and measurement to assist students to experience the best processes during ODL teaching and learning situations forced upon them in 2020.