Investigating the Impact of Online Learning Barriers on Soft Skills Development among TVET Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Malaysian Perspective

Abstract

This quantitative, descriptive study aims to investigate the impact of online learning barriers on the acquisition of soft skills in technical and vocational education and training (TVET) students. Specifically, it aims to assess the extent of these barriers and the mastery of soft skills among TVET students and to examine the relationship between these two factors. The study involved 1,140 students — 462 women and 678 men — enrolled in the first to fifth semesters of the Session I 2022/2023 diploma programme. The response rate for the online survey was 76.1%. Pearson's correlation analysis was conducted to analyse the correlation between online learning barriers and the development of soft skills. Preliminary results, indicated by Cronbach's alpha values of .937 and .963 for the two sections of the survey, suggest a nuanced impact of online barriers on soft skills learning, particularly in ethics, responsibility, leadership, and communication. Despite the presence of barriers at various levels, their impact on the development of soft skills in TVET students appears to be minimal. Nevertheless, the results suggest that entrepreneurial skills need to be more integrated into online learning platforms.