A Study of Students Perception about Virtual Learning: An Evidence from Punjab, Pakistan

This research sheds light on the importance of virtual learning in today's technological era. Virtual learning is a flexible learning environment in which students can learn according to their eases. The purpose of this research is to review the student's perception of virtual learning. For this purpose, primary data has been collected from the five districts of Punjab (Hafizabad, Faisalabad, Lahore, Jhang, and Sargodha) through a pretested questionnaire. A convenient sampling technique was used to collect the data. Descriptive statistics were used for the analysis by using SPSS. Results of the descriptive study shows that the positive perception about virtual learning is 89.0 percent. The students who have access to a computer are 74.7 percent. The number of students who can easily afford the internet are 67.3 percent. The students who positively perceive that the extra cost of getting education traditionally can be saved via virtual learning are 82.9 percent. The positive perception of students about time-saving via virtual learning is 61.7 percent. The students' positive perception that job opportunities are equal for both degree holders is 55.4 percent cumulatively, which is higher than the negative perception. The positive perception for virtual learning is due to the offensive environment of institutions or family restrictions, as students' positive percentage is 59.2 cumulatively. Students' perception about the homogeneous outcomes and achievements via both learning is positive is about 51 percent. Results also suggest that virtual learning enhances the IT skills in students, and it is considered more cost-effective by students as compared to traditional learning. The policy recommendation is that government should concentrate on the importance of virtual learning and take necessary measures for this implementation.