Students' Perceptions of Online Lectures in Mechanical Engineering Vocational Education

Abstract

Online lectures have remained relevant beyond the emergency conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic; however, their effectiveness depends on students' access to technology, opportunities for interaction, comprehension of learning materials, and learning motivation. This phenomenological study explored students' perceptions of online lectures in the Mechanical Engineering Vocational Education Study Program at Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa University, focusing on adaptation to online learning, social interaction, comprehension of instructional materials, and learning motivation. The study involved 15 students who were purposively selected based on their previous experience with online lectures. Data were collected through semistructured interviews, observations, and document analysis and were analyzed through data reduction, data display, conclusion drawing and verification, and the identification and organization of phenomenological meaning units. The findings revealed that students appreciated the flexibility of online lectures in terms of time and location, accessibility, and convenience when attending in-person classes was difficult. Google Meet, Zoom, Google Classroom, and WhatsApp were the most frequently reported platforms used for online learning. However, students generally experienced greater difficulty understanding instructional materials because of limited opportunities for direct clarification and peer interaction. Unstable internet connections, inadequate technological devices, unfavorable learning environments, and reduced social interaction negatively affected students' concentration and learning motivation. Online interactions were perceived as more structured but less personally engaging than face-to-face interactions. Furthermore, practice-oriented courses presented particular challenges when hands-on training was replaced by theoretical instruction. These findings suggested that effective online learning in mechanical engineering vocational education required reliable technological infrastructure, interactive instructional strategies, accessible learning materials, lecturers' digital competencies, and sustained academic and social support.