TTITUDES OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS TOWARDS AN ONLINE ENGLISH CLASS

Distance online learning has been regarded as a useful learning method, especially when we faced the big flood crisis in Thailand. To solve the lack of classrooms, our university administrators decided to implement WebEx system as an alternative to continue teaching. And, there were some relevant aspects that we needed to consider. Therefore, this study investigated students’ attitude toward WebEx system. It aimed to examine students’ attitudes toward using WebEx for an online English class, compare students’ attitudes toward WebEx system with their background and investigate the relationship between students’ computer aptitude and their attitudes towards WebEx system. The samples were 211 undergraduate students enrolled in Fundamental English course. The instrument in this study was a questionnaire. Results indicated that the levels of computer aptitude and attitudes towards WebEx system in general were moderate. There were no statistically significant differences at .05 level found in students’ attitudes toward WebEx system as classified by gender, computer ownership, and monthly allowance. As hypothesised, there was a positive relationship between students’ computer aptitude and their attitudes toward WebEx at .01 levels. Students with high computer aptitude were found to have more positive attitudes toward WebEx system than those with low computer aptitude. The research was done during the flood crisis. Thus, it is interesting to find out whether an English online class through WebEx system will be more accepted by users in the future, especially in a normal circumstance after the flood crisis. Nevertheless, the results of this study will give some ideas to institutions that plan to use online learning technologies.