Over half of students positive about online lectures

A majority of university and postgraduate students in Japan are willing to participate in interactive online lectures as many institutions delay the start of classes amid the coronavirus epidemic, reports Kyodo News.

A recent survey showed that while 59.2% were positive about online classes, 21% said they did not wish to take part, reflecting concerns about the quality of education that remote learning provides and finding the right environment for participating. The questionnaire was conducted earlier this month by Nihon University Professor Tetsuya Usui on 1,572 university and graduate school students via social media.

The education ministry said on Tuesday that 65.8% of state-run universities and 35.9% of private universities and junior colleges in Japan have decided to introduce remote teaching. The move came as 78.9% of nationwide higher education institutions delayed the start of their classes in the new academic year, which begins in April.
Full report on the Kyodo News site