An Analysis of Student e-Learning Experience in Asia

For performing arts education, Sage-on-the-Stage and Learn from the Master’s were discontinued due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All lectures, tutorials, and other face-to-face skill-based training sections were cancelled or replaced by the online model. It is essential for educators to understand how students’ e-learning experiences were affected by these educational changes, with unprecedented challenges imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. To achieve that, assessment is useful when teachers and students have personalized reports to aid one-on-one mentoring and academic advising. In this study, students and graduates from a leading performing arts institution in Asia were surveyed to gather critical feedback on the online teaching and learning for the continuous improvement of the academic provision, especially on the use of IT technology in the education pedagogy improvement. The First-Year Student Experience Survey (FYSES) and Graduate Exit Survey (GES) are conducted at the institution to analyse students’ perceptions of social support, faculty care, mental wellbeing, and campus atmosphere for fostering student engagement, the sense of belonging, and student success, which are particularly important in difficult times of severe financial, social, and personal health challenges. This study reveals some important factors behind the students’ dissatisfaction during online learning as well as areas that they are proud of, such as identity and the opportunity to perform. This quantitative study contributes to this understudied field and provides guidance for improving online teaching and learning in performing arts education in the post-pandemic era.