







































Children and Teenagers 
ISSN 2576-3709 (Print) ISSN 2576-3717 (Online) 

Vol. 4, No. 3, 2021 
www.scholink.org/ojs/index.php/ct 

18 
 

Original Paper 

The Effectiveness of Online Learning in the Conditions of the 

Covid-19 Pandemic in Senior High School 
Ratu Wardarita1* & Hairun Nisak2 

1 University of PGRI Palembang, Indonesia 
2 State Senior High School 1, Palembang, Indonesia 
* Ratu Wardarita, University of PGRI Palembang, Indonesia 

 

Received: May 30, 2021           Accepted: June 18, 2021         Online Published: July 26, 2021 

doi:10.22158/ct.v4n3p18                             URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.22158/ct.v4n3p18 

 

Abstract 

Pandemic covid-19 has disrupted the conventional learning process. So a solution is needed to answer 

these problems. Online learning is an alternative that can solve this problem. The research objective 

was to obtain an overview of the implementation of online learning at State Senior High School 1 

Palembang, as an effort to reduce the spread of covid-19 in schools. The research subjects were 

students of class X IPA1 until X IPA6 (100 students). Data were collected by an interview via zoom cloud 

meeting. Data analysis was performed using interactive analysis techniques by Miles & Huberman. 

The results showed that: (1) students already have the basic facilities needed to take part in online 

learning, (2) online learning has flexibility in its implementation and can encourage independent 

learning and motivation to be more active in learning, and (3) distance learning encourages the 

emergence of social distancing behavior and minimizes the appearance of student crowds so that it is 

considered to reduce the potential for the spread of Covid-19 in the school environment. Weak 

supervision of students, unstable mobile device signal, and high quota fees are challenges in online 

learning. Increasing independent learning, interest and motivation, courage to present ideas and 

questions are other advantages of online learning. 

Keywords 

online learning, covid-19 pandemic, social distancing 

 

1. Introduction 

The development of information and communication technology in the Industrial 4.0 era has had a 

major influence on the teaching and learning process. Ease of access to technology has been used by 

teachers to facilitate the learning process. Access to technology can also improve the quality of 



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education. Since the discovery of internet technology, almost anything has been possible in the world of 

education. Currently students can learn not only anywhere but at the same time and anytime with the 

existing online learning facilities. Online learning is increasingly recognized as a way to solve 

education and training problems, both in developed countries and developing countries, especially 

Indonesia. Many people use different terms for online learning, but in principle, online learning is 

learning using gadgets as learning media. 

Currently, not only in Indonesia, but even in various countries the Covid-19, epidemic of a disease is 

very worried because this epidemic of a disease which originated in the city of Wuhan, China’s Ubei 

Province around December 2019 began to spread and even hit all corners of the world very quickly, so 

WHO on March 11 2020 set this epidemic of a disease as a global pandemic. 

According to Hidayat (1986) effectiveness is a measure that states how far the target (quantity, quality 

and time) has been achieved. Where the greater the percentage of targets achieved, the higher the 

effectiveness. Meanwhile, Handoko (1997) explains that effectiveness is the ability to choose the right 

goals or the right equipment to achieve the goals set. The effectiveness level of the ability to achieve 

goals appropriately and well (Devung, 1988). 

Steers (1985) explains that effectiveness is the range of efforts of a program as a system with certain 

resources and means to meet its goals and objectives without paralyzing the means and resources and 

without putting undue pressure on its implementation. In learning, careful planning is needed, making 

learning tools, choosing strategies, media, techniques, learning models, and evaluating learning, all of 

which are mutually sustainable. It is necessary to use effective and innovative learning models so that 

learning can be more varied and run smoothly. The use of the learning model is also adjusted to the 

material to be taught so that the suitability between the two and all components becomes appropriate. 

One indicator of the effectiveness of learning is the achievement of a learning goal. Learning objectives 

are achieved maximally, it can be said that learning reaches its effectiveness. In addition, active student 

involvement shows the efficiency of learning. The teaching and learning process is said to be effective 

if the learning can achieve the expected goals and students can absorb the subject matter and practice it. 

Learning methods and strategies are now experiencing a shift leading to a shift in the educational 

paradigm. This affects the function of educators as facilitators, mediators and motivators in the learning 

process. The teacher has always been considered the center of learning, but now it has turned into 

students as learning itself. One of the reasons, among others, is that the rapid progress of information 

technology requires a paradigm shift in the learning process carried out by all students. 

According to Koran (2001) E-learning is any teaching and learning that uses electronic circuits (LAN, 

WAN, or the internet) to convey the content of learning, interaction, or guidance. Darin E. Hartley 

(2011) explains that e-learning is a type of teaching and learning that allows teaching materials to be 

delivered to students using the internet, intranet or other computer network media. Rosenberg (2001) 

emphasizes that E-learning refers to the use of internet technology to deliver a series of solutions that 



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can increase knowledge and skills. 

E-learning has shortened learning time and made study costs more economical. E-learning facilitates 

interaction between students with material or subject matter, students and teachers or instructors and 

fellow students. Students can share information with each other and can access learning materials at 

any time and repeatedly, with such conditions students can further strengthen their mastery of learning 

material. In E-learning, the teacher’s role is computers and guides—electronic guides designed by 

contents writers, E-learning designers and computer programmers. 

Learning from home is still maximized because through the online system students can take part in 

learning with various existing applications. As stated by Keengwe & Georgina in their research, it has 

been stated that technological developments provide changes to the implementation of teaching and 

learning (Keengwe & Georgina, 2012). Information technology can be accepted as a medium in 

carrying out the educational process, including helping the teaching and learning process, which also 

involves finding references and sources of information (Wekke & Hamid, 2013). 

The Corona Covid-19 virus currently has an impact on all people and the world of education in 

Indonesia. This global Covid-19 pandemic can also increase student stress in addition to reducing 

students’ thinking power as well as disrupted eating patterns so learning will be hampered (Beisser & 

Gillespie, 2021). Up to 300 million students have been disrupted by teaching and learning activities in 

schools because of this pandemic, which was recognized by UNESCO on Thursday (5/3). The public is 

encouraged to carry out activities outside the home with activities inside the home or social distancing 

to prevent the spread of the Corona Virus. 

Since the implementation of social distancing has had an impact on education. Minister of Education 

and Culture (Mendikbud) Nadiem Makarim supports the local government policy to allow students to 

study from home because the spread of this virus is increasingly worrying. Using lessons learned from 

the Covid-19 pandemic will serve us well in how we address our need to be prepared for future 

emergencies (Wilson & Ankrum, 2021) 

The delivery of material through online can be interactive so that learning participants can interact with 

computer as their learning media. As one example of students using learning using gadgets as learning 

media or establishing relationships (browsing, chatting, video calling) through electronic media, in this 

case, computers and the internet will later get more effective and better learning outcomes than 

conventional learning. 

The use of instructional media in the teaching and learning process is an effort to increase the 

effectiveness and quality of the learning process which in turn can improve the quality of student 

learning outcomes. The use of instructional media in the teaching and learning process has several 

benefits including: (1) teaching will attract students’ attention so that it can foster student learning 

motivation, (2) the teaching material will be clearer so that students can understand and master the 

teaching objectives well, (3) teaching methods will be more varied, (4) students will interact more in 



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learning activities because they do not only listen to teacher explanations but also other activities such 

as observing, demonstrating and others. 

With research on the effectiveness of online learning in the conditions of the Covid-19 pandemic in 

senior high schools, the problems that exist in class X IPA1 - X IPA6 students in State Senior High 

School 1 Palembang, South Sumatera, namely the effectiveness of online learning can be improved 

even better in teaching. and the use of learning media through online learning. 

Based on the description above, a study was conducted with the title “The Effectiveness of Online 

Learning in the Conditions of the Covid-19 Pandemic in High Schools”. This study aims to determine 

the effectiveness of online learning during the Covid-19 pandemic. 

 
2. Method 

2.1 Research Methods 

This type of research is qualitative research. The purpose of this study was to describe online learning 

held at State Senior High School 1 Palembang, Indonesia as an effort to suppress the chain of Covid-19 

spread in the school environment. Online learning referred to in this research is learning that uses 

learning media that can be accessed using internet services. The research was conducted by first 

conducting surveying students regarding the application of online learning. The survey is distributed 

using a Google form given to students via WhatsApp messages. There are 100 subjects who have 

responded to the distributed survey. The results of the survey were then grouped into three categories of 

student responses: (1) Agree with the application of online learning; (2) Disagree with the application 

of online learning; (3) Doubt about the implementation of online learning. 

2.2 Research Subject 

The research subjects were students of class X IPA1 - X IPA6 students in State Senior High School 1 

Palembang who had carried out online learning and were grouped based on the response of the research 

subject. 100 research subjects were obtained from class X IPA1 - X IPA6. 

2.3 Data Collection Technique 

Data collection was carried out through interviews via zoom cloud meetings or distributing 

questionnaires to Google form. The aspects that are asked in the interview are: (1) the facilities and 

infrastructure owned by the students to carry out online learning; (2) student responses regarding the 

effectiveness of online learning; (3) implementation of online learning in breaking the chain of 

spreading Covid-19 in the school environment. 

2.4 Data Analysis Technique 

Analysis of research data was carried out using the analysis model of Miles and Huberman (1994) 

which consists of three stages, namely data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing and 

verification. 

 



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Figure 1. Stages of Research Data Analysis 

 

Analysis of research data, the data reduction stage is the stage of collecting all the information needed 

from the interview results and then grouping the data. The data display stage is the exposure of data 

that is needed in research and which does not need to be discarded. The withdrawal and conclusion 

verification stage is the stage of interpreting research data to draw conclusions based on the phenomena 

obtained (Miles & Huberman, 1994). 

 

3. Research Results 

Researchers conducted interviews with research subjects related to their experiences about online 

effectiveness in learning. The result was 44 out of 100 respondents felt that online learning was more 

effective and 56 respondents stated that face-to-face learning was felt to be more effective. They feel 

that the application of online learning that they get is only focused on giving assignments, the ratio of 

giving material is very small. In addition, access to questions is not as extensive as during face-to-face 

learning, both asking questions of teachers and friends. 

 

Tabel 1. The Results of Effectiveness of Online Learning in the Conditions of the Covid-19 

Pandemic 

The Effectiveness of Online Learning The Results 

Face-to-face learning is more effective 56% 

Online learning is more effective 44% 

 

 

Figure 2. The Effectiveness of Online Learning 

 

Based on the results of research on the delivery of teaching in Online Learning, it shows that 12% of 

respondents answered very well with their understanding, 18% of respondents answered well, 15% of 

Data  

Reduction 

Data  

Display 

Withdrawal and 

Verify Conclusions 

 
 



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respondents answered sufficiently, then 55% of respondents answered lack of understanding. This 

proves that during online learning, the teaching delivered by the teacher cannot be understood as a 

whole by students. This can occur because the delivery of teaching is not good in using learning media, 

and cannot interact directly with student complaints. This is natural because generally each subject only 

takes one hour every week. 

 

Tabel 2. Teaching Results on Online Learning 

Teaching Results on Online Learning The Results 

Very good understanding 12% 

Good understanding 18 % 

Quite understanding 15 % 

Lack understanding 55% 

 

 
Figure 3. Teaching Results on Online Learning 

 

4. Discussion 

Researchers conducted interviews with research subjects related to their experiences about online 

effectiveness in learning. The result was 44 out of 100 respondents felt that online learning was more 

effective and 56 respondents stated that face-to-face learning was felt to be more effective. They feel 

that the application of online learning that they get is only focused on giving assignments, the ratio of 

giving material is very small. In addition, access to questions is not as extensive as during face-to-face 

learning, both asking questions of teachers and friends. 

Based on the results of research on the delivery of teaching in Online Learning, it shows that 12% of 

respondents answered very well with their understanding, 18% of respondents answered well, 15% of 

respondents answered sufficiently, then 55% of respondents answered lack of understanding. This 

proves that during online learning, the teaching delivered by the teacher cannot be understood as a 



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whole by students. This can occur because the delivery of teaching is not good in using learning media, 

and cannot interact directly with student complaints. This is natural because generally each subject only 

takes one hour every week.  

Researchers conducted interviews with research subjects regarding their experiences about the 

advantages and disadvantages of online-based learning. The experiences students feel about the 

advantages and disadvantages of online are very varied. 

The advantages; Students feel more relaxed and happy, have more time at home with their families, 

have more time to rest and relax, and students do not have to wear full uniforms and come to school 

early. 

Disadvantages; Students feel wasteful because the quota runs out quickly, it is more difficult to 

understand the material presented by the teacher, sad because the pocket money they get is reduced, 

and students feel that social activities with their friends are hampered. 

Researchers conducted interviews with research subjects regarding their experiences about the 

atmosphere they felt during online-based learning. The result was 44 respondents stated that online 

learning was not fun; they felt several obstacles such as signal interference during learning. Meanwhile, 

56 other respondents stated that online learning was more enjoyable; they felt that online learning was 

more efficient to implement. 

Researchers conducted interviews with research subjects regarding their experiences regarding 

improvements that should be made during online application so that online-based learning can be 

better.  

The suggestions that the respondents gave were varied, such as: 

Explanation of learning materials:  

Students expect teachers to continue to provide explanations for learning materials. Students 

recommend explaining the material through video, they feel the material is easy to accept and 

understand. 

Follow the trend of technological advances:  

Students hope that teachers will be able to follow the trend of technological advances, namely by 

utilizing applications/social media that are being liked by students so that students feel more 

enthusiastic, enthusiastic, and not easily bored. Students recommend that occasional learning can be 

done with Google Cloud/Zoom, Telegram, Google Classroom, WhatsApp Group, they feel happy and 

when conducting a question and answer session they feel made easier. 

 

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