Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Students' Expectations and Experiences of Academic and Clinical Experiences of Online Learning

In the wake of COVID-19, higher education institutions deviated towards online learning for undergraduate courses to decrease the spread of the virus and ensure that learning continues. This deviation also affected the Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology (SLPA) undergraduate degrees. This paper determines the SLPA students' academic and clinical experiences of online and blended learning. Quantitative and descriptive design methods were employed using an adapted questionnaire. Convenience sampling methods were used to select the 41 participants from a higher education institution in Tshwane, Gauteng. With online learning, the majority (51%) perceived the workload to be greater than that of contact classes, resulting in a significant number (10%) not coping. Negative aspects of online learning included lack of adequate devices and unstable internet connectivity. In contrast, positive aspects included the convenience of online learning in terms of recorded lectures and room for flexibility. Online clinicals were not preferred as students felt that they did not acquire enough clinical skills, clinical competence was taken away because they didn't partake in face-to-face clinicals. In summary, most students were in favor of blended learning as a measure of getting optimal theoretical and clinical experiences; theoretical work can be done online, whereas clinicals can be done on a face-to-face platform-consideration of students' demographics when designing blended-learning models, especially in universities serving the most previously disadvantaged students.