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Challenges and Opportunities for Telecommuting in the School System: Building a Sustainable Online Education in the Context of the SARS-Cov-2 Pandemic

Author

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  • Corneliu C. Simuț

    (Department of Historical and Systematic Theology, Faculty of Theology and Religion, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0028, South Africa)

  • Laurențiu Petrila

    (Doctoral School of Sociology, University of Oradea, 410610 Oradea, Romania
    Faculty/Department of Juridical and Administrative Sciences, Agora University of Oradea, 410610 Oradea, Romania)

  • Felix-Angel Popescu

    (Faculty/Department of Juridical and Administrative Sciences, Agora University of Oradea, 410610 Oradea, Romania
    Doctoral School of Economic Sciences, University of Oradea, 410610 Oradea, Romania)

  • Ionuț Mihai Oprea

    (Department of Sociology and Social Assistance, Faculty of Socio-Humanistic Sciences, University of Oradea, 410610 Oradea, Romania)

Abstract

The main idea of this investigation is to identify a series of challenges and opportunities presented by telecommuting within the school system as a result of the SARS-Cov-2 pandemic. The objective of the paper is to identify key elements which are able to provide concrete assistance in building a sustainable online education system, with particular reference to Romania, as a system that can be used beyond the timeframe of the current pandemic. The methodology used for our scientific investigation is quantitative, based on an eight-item data collection instrument/questionnaire with 459 respondents (bachelor, masters, doctoral, and postdoctoral students—which makes this research a study from the perspective of the students’ perceptions) with ages ranging from 18 to 53. In terms of results, the eight items were evaluated on a Likert Scale from 1 to 5, leading to the formulation of seven hypotheses (H1 to H6), of which six were accepted and one was rejected (H7) (the questionnaire has a margin error/confidence interval of ±4.5% and a confidence level of P = 95%). We concluded from the six validated hypotheses, coupled with the one which was invalidated, that telecommuting to online education was not only successful but also garnered a system characterized by sustainability. Despite the swiftness of telecommuting to online education and the perceptions of the student population, online learning can be efficient and sustainable, in which case further government policies can only improve a system that has already been proven to work.

Suggested Citation

  • Corneliu C. Simuț & Laurențiu Petrila & Felix-Angel Popescu & Ionuț Mihai Oprea, 2021. "Challenges and Opportunities for Telecommuting in the School System: Building a Sustainable Online Education in the Context of the SARS-Cov-2 Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-21, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:18:p:10296-:d:635850
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Azza Abouhashem & Rana Magdy Abdou & Jolly Bhadra & Malavika Santhosh & Zubair Ahmad & Noora Jabor Al-Thani, 2021. "A Distinctive Method of Online Interactive Learning in STEM Education," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(24), pages 1-17, December.
    2. Laurențiu Petrila & Gabriela Goudenhooft & Beáta Fatime Gyarmati & Felix-Angel Popescu & Corneliu Simuț & Alina-Carmen Brihan, 2022. "Effective Teaching during the COVID-19 Pandemic? Distance Learning and Sustainable Communication in Romania," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-26, June.

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