Perception Study of an Online Electricity and Magnetism Course for Working Students

Teaching basic sciences to engineering students online, specifically for "working students," presents a unique challenge. It is contentious whether the conventional method of instruction employed in traditional daytime undergraduate programs is the most suitable for such a diverse group of students. Working students have limited time and energy due to work and family commitments, weak mathematical and conceptual foundations, and, for most of them, no plans for postgraduate studies or scientific research. This study analyzed students' perceptions regarding developing a quarterly electricity and magnetism course for an engineering program tailored to working students and delivered online. This was achieved through a perception survey across various parallel sections of the same course. This research gathered evidence on the factors and elements that could enhance students' perception and interest in the subject. These findings could serve as input and a precedent for a future reformulation of this and similar courses, transitioning from their current format-a "compressed" version of the analogous course in the traditional daytime undergraduate program-to one that considers the interests and needs of working students and is better adapted to their realities.