{"id":66018,"date":"2022-11-25T01:27:23","date_gmt":"2022-11-25T06:27:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/world.edu\/?p=66018"},"modified":"2022-11-25T01:27:23","modified_gmt":"2022-11-25T06:27:23","slug":"in-2020-universities-shifted-to-online-learning-three-lessons-from-students-experiences","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/world.edu\/in-2020-universities-shifted-to-online-learning-three-lessons-from-students-experiences\/","title":{"rendered":"In 2020, universities shifted to online learning \u2013 three lessons from students\u2019 experiences"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"
\nFor young people who were in university at the height of the COVID pandemic, the university experience was suddenly\u00a0radically different<\/a>\u00a0to what they had expected.<\/p>\n

Teaching moved quickly online, with students forced to adjust to using\u00a0digital tools<\/a>\u00a0to complete their learning at home. Those looking forward to life on campus instead saw social and extra-curricular activities curtailed. Meanwhile, opportunities for internships and placements were often lost.<\/p>\n

It became and continues to be important to understand the implications of these changes on university students. In\u00a0my research<\/a>\u00a0during the pandemic, I\u2019ve explored the effects of this shift to\u00a0virtual learning<\/a>\u00a0on the student experience.<\/p>\n

Here are three key insights from my research, in which I surveyed 349 university students from across the UK.<\/p>\n

1. Students want interactive online learning<\/strong><\/h4>\n

One theme that came through from several participants is that online teaching should be more interactive. According to one respondent:
\nIt is not sufficient to simply place lecture materials onto a VLE [virtual learning environment] and assume that this is a suitable replacement for a taught experience.<\/em>
\nAnother said educators should \u201cbe more interactive with students outside of just providing digital lectures\u201d, noting this could incorporate online communication tools or video conferencing applications \u201cto ensure there [are] still some sort of personal connections being made\u201d.<\/p>\n

Similarly, another student flagged creating \u201cmore opportunities for student interactions\u201d and \u201ca better online community\u201d.<\/p>\n

Recent research has shown there can be a\u00a0lack of motivation<\/a>\u00a0among students when studying online. To address this, lecturers could use real-time polling tools such as\u00a0Mentimeter<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Kahoot!<\/a>, which can make online learning more engaging and interactive.<\/p>\n

2. Digital education must be inclusive<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Some female students\u00a0faced greater challenges<\/a>\u00a0than their male counterparts with the shift to virtual learning. Mature female students were affected the most, with many noting that additional responsibilities, such as caring for children or disabled family members, made things more difficult.<\/p>\n

One respondent talked about the difficulty of \u201cfinding the time to do university work in a full, busy and noisy household\u201d. Another said:
\nThe university hasn\u2019t been very good with students who have a family. I had exams with a toddler hanging off my hip. It would have been fine if I was a student with no children, but I feel like nobody really addressed the challenges we faced as students with a young family at home.<\/em>
\nSome mature female students also didn\u2019t feel properly equipped for using online learning tools, commenting, for example, that \u201cthe older generation needs to be better prepared technology-wise\u201d.<\/p>\n

Another student highlighted the cost of devices, and noted that \u201cit seems if you don\u2019t have a laptop you will struggle to pass\u201d.<\/p>\n

Instead of presuming that everyone will be properly equipped, universities should ensure that students have the necessary knowledge, support and digital resources for online learning and assessments. Making sure students have adequate hardware and software, as well as internet access, is essential.<\/p>\n

Access to technology<\/a>\u00a0must be distributed equitably, with particular consideration given to students from\u00a0disadvantaged backgrounds<\/a>\u00a0and international students.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, universities not already doing so should consider offering flexible learning opportunities, such as the option to attend virtual lectures live or to listen to pre-recorded lectures.<\/p>\n

3. International students may need extra attention<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The pandemic-induced changes to the university experience were particularly hard on\u00a0students from overseas<\/a>.<\/p>\n

International students mentioned problems such as a lack of access to suitable study areas, not knowing where to go for mental health support, feeling confined and isolated, struggling to focus, a lack of direction, and the difficulty of being away from their families at home affected by COVID. Comments included:
\nBeing away from my family caused me so much stress and depression, I can\u2019t focus clearly on my studies.<\/p>\n

We paid tuition for the assistance, not to \u201cfigure it out alone\u201d.<\/em>
\nWhile universities did endeavour to communicate with international students during this period, my research suggests that in many cases these messages were lost in translation and the support was not adequate.<\/p>\n

In times of crisis, university communication with overseas students must improve. Universities have a duty of care and a responsibility to international students, which should include helping them to adjust to the academic requirements, as well as prioritising their mental health and wellbeing.<\/p>\n

The way forward<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Some students wanted to\u00a0continue with online learning<\/a>, or at least saw potential benefits in the digital model.
\nIn general, it has been rather enjoyable not being on campus as not only did it cut out the hours of train journeys \u2026 I am someone who much prefers to work alone, so not having other people as a distraction was good.<\/em>
\nStudents who reported having some level of social anxiety, for example, also preferred the digital model.<\/p>\n

But a number of students felt the on-campus experience was preferable to online learning. One commented that \u201chuman relationships and face-to-face interaction remain the unique trait which the online world cannot reach\u201d. Others said:
\nGoing fully online would not benefit many students otherwise we wouldn\u2019t have chosen the option to come to a traditional university.<\/p>\n

I like the social aspect of going to university and the face-to-face teaching. [With online learning] I feel like I\u2019m not learning anything, just memorising information.<\/em>
\nUniversities have now resumed face-to-face teaching. Some may fully return to on-campus learning, while many may proceed with a hybrid model. Which is best\u00a0is difficult to know<\/a>. It\u2019s clear from my research and\u00a0others\u2019<\/a>\u00a0that different students have different preferences.<\/p>\n

Nonetheless, these insights will hopefully be useful for universities continuing to teach fully or partially online. More broadly, findings about university students\u2019 experiences during the pandemic could help universities to better navigate any crises in the future.<\/p>\n

Author Bio:<\/strong> Muzammal Ahmad Khan is a Lecturer in Business and Management at the University of the West of Scotland<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For young people who were in university at the height of the COVID pandemic, the university experience was suddenly\u00a0radically different\u00a0to what they had expected. Teaching moved quickly online, with students forced to adjust to using\u00a0digital tools\u00a0to complete their learning at home. Those looking forward to life on campus instead saw social and extra-curricular activities curtailed. […]\n… learn more→<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[9317],"coauthors":[11733],"class_list":["post-66018","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-online-learning-2"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nIn 2020, universities shifted to online learning \u2013 three lessons from students\u2019 experiences - World leading higher education information and services<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/world.edu\/in-2020-universities-shifted-to-online-learning-three-lessons-from-students-experiences\/\" class=\"yoast-seo-meta-tag\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" class=\"yoast-seo-meta-tag\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" class=\"yoast-seo-meta-tag\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"In 2020, universities shifted to online learning \u2013 three lessons from students\u2019 experiences - World leading higher education information and services\" class=\"yoast-seo-meta-tag\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"For young people who were in university at the height of the COVID pandemic, the university experience was suddenly\u00a0radically different\u00a0to what they had expected. 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