ATTITUDES OF UNIVERSITY OF OSIJEK'S STUDENTS TOWARDS ONLINE LEARNING DURING LOCKDOWN DUE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Due to COVID-19 pandemic caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2, in the spring of 2020 Republic of Croatia imposed a lockdown, which included a measure of transferring the educational process on all educational levels from classroom to distance education. Characteristics of learning in higher education during the lockdown were identical to those pertaining to online learning. Aiming to determine the attitudes of students of Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek towards online learning and the factors affecting their attitudes, we have conducted a quantitative research. In so doing, we have collected the data using the surveying method on a convenient sample (N = 327) via Internet. The results have shown that students have a slightly negative attitude towards online learning, provided that students who have used online learning tools more frequently before the pandemic have a more positive attitude towards it. By applying the technology acceptance model (TAM), we have confirmed the indirect correlation between the perceived ease of use of online learning tools and the attitude towards online learning with a strong mediation effect of perceived usefulness of online learning.