VIRTUAL SHIFT: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF TRADITIONAL AND ONLINE ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING PREFERENCES

Abstract

This quantitative study compares BS-level students’ and English language teachers’ preferences for traditional face-to-face versus online English learning in public-affiliated colleges in Punjab, in response to instructional shifts that followed the COVID-19 pandemic. The study aimed to examine student preferences, explore teacher inclinations, and identify areas of alignment and divergence between both groups regarding effectiveness, comfort, challenges, and advantages of each mode. Data were collected through structured questionnaires administered via purposive sampling to 500 students and 14 teachers, and responses were analyzed using frequency-based descriptive statistics generated through Google Forms. The study was guided by a dual theoretical foundation adapted from Riaz et al. (2023) and Saha et al. (2022) to interpret motivations and attitudes shaping preferences. Findings show a clear split: students generally favor online learning due to flexibility, convenience, and perceived academic benefits, whereas teachers strongly prefer traditional classrooms because they enable stronger interaction, engagement, monitoring, and instructional control. Despite these differences, both groups acknowledge limitations within their preferred mode, supporting the implication that a blended approach may better integrate the strengths of traditional and online English learning.