Evolving Dimensions of Learning: Study of students' attitude towards Online Learning with special reference to Latur city

This study investigates higher-education students’ attitudes toward e-learning in Latur city by applying the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework, which conceptualizes online learning through social, cognitive and teaching presences. Using a cross-sectional survey design, data were collected from 93 students through a structured questionnaire containing socio-demographic variables and Likert-type items measuring Social Presence, Cognitive Presence, Teaching Presence and Overall Attitude. Descriptive statistics indicated moderate levels of all three presences, with Cognitive Presence reporting the highest mean score. Normality tests (Shapiro–Wilk) revealed that the data were not normally distributed, necessitating the use of non-parametric statistical techniques for hypothesis testing. Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis H tests were employed to examine differences across gender, stream of study, education level and daily hours of online learning. The findings revealed no statistically significant group differences, although a few results approached the conventional significance threshold, suggesting weak trends rather than definitive effects. Item-level responses indicated that while students perceive online learning as stimulating curiosity, they express concerns regarding limited application, problem-solving and higher-order engagement. The study concludes that although e-learning ensures accessibility and initial engagement, its pedagogical effectiveness depends on strengthening instructional design, interactivity and learner support mechanisms.