THE EFL RURAL STUDENTS' EXSPERIENCES IN COPING WITTH ONLINE LEARNING DURING THE COVID - 19 PANDEMIC

This study aims to explore the learning experiences of the Indonesian rural students during the Covid-19 pandemic which had transitioned to online learning and solutions. A phenomenological approach was used as a research methodology using semi-structured interviews for the data collection. This study was conducted in one Islamic higher education with seven participants. The data were analyzed through thematic analysis by comparing each participant's interview result in the form of research themes. The five themes that emerged in this study are: adapting to online learning, internet access, learning environment, and learning autonomy. The findings of the study indicate that online learning is a problem for the participants who live in rural areas. These problems were caused by unfamiliarity with the online learning method, unstable internet connection, lack of parents’ support, and learning autonomy. However, all challenges can be solved by students. The findings of the study have implications for government and higher education stakeholders to provide enough facilities for online learning for rural students to participate in the learning process smoothly.