Abstract:
The main idea of this investigation is to identify a series of challenges and opportunities
presented by telecommuting within the school system as a result of the SARS-Cov-2 pandemic. The
objective of the paper is to identify key elements which are able to provide concrete assistance in
building a sustainable online education system, with particular reference to Romania, as a system that
can be used beyond the timeframe of the current pandemic. The methodology used for our scientific
investigation is quantitative, based on an eight-item data collection instrument/questionnaire with
459 respondents (bachelor, masters, doctoral, and postdoctoral students—which makes this research
a study from the perspective of the students’ perceptions) with ages ranging from 18 to 53. In terms
of results, the eight items were evaluated on a Likert Scale from 1 to 5, leading to the formulation of
seven hypotheses (H1 to H6), of which six were accepted and one was rejected (H7) (the questionnaire
has a margin error/confidence interval of ±4.5% and a confidence level of P = 95%). We concluded
from the six validated hypotheses, coupled with the one which was invalidated, that telecommuting
to online education was not only successful but also garnered a system characterized by sustainability.
Despite the swiftness of telecommuting to online education and the perceptions of the student
population, online learning can be efficient and sustainable, in which case further government
policies can only improve a system that has already been proven to work.
