Impact of COVID-19 on achieving the goal of sustainable development: E-learning and educational productivity

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a thought-provoking impact on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that were approved by United Nations in the year 2015. Therefore, taking this very consideration forward, this study primarily explores the impact of COVID-19, particularly on the SDG number 4, i.e., education. Due to the COVID-19 contagion, given the unusual and never been experienced circumstances, educational institutions all over the world have been forced to establish their e-learning systems practically overnight. For this purpose, we collected the relevant data from middle school students, by using a technique known as convenience sampling. Furthermore, moving on in the same context, we also developed an integrated model with five dimensions, i.e., Learner, Design, Technology, Instructor, and Environment, in order to gauge this relationship in further detail. The empirical findings of the step-wise multiple regression analysis revealed that the learners’ attitude towards the computer, learners’ internet self-efficacy, usefulness, instructors’ response timelines, and the instructors’ attitude towards e-learning, positively and significantly tend to affect the middle school student's satisfaction with online. Whereas, learners’ computer anxiety, ease of use, system availability, internet availability, learning climate, and interactions negatively affects the middle school students’ satisfaction. These results imply that developing countries could possibly achieve goal number 4 (Education) of the Sustainable Development Goals, by improving the learner satisfaction, and further strengthening the implementation of their E-Learning practices.