COVID-19 Campus Closures in the United States: American Student Perceptions of Forced Transition to Remote Learning

Susan W Parker,Mary A Hansen,Carianne Bernadowski

doi:10.3390/socsci10020062

Abstract

As colleges and universities rapidly closed due to COVID-19, students and faculty were faced with unique challenges. The pandemic forced the cancellation of all campus activities, both extra-curricular and program-focused, such as student teaching experiences and nursing clinical rotations. Additionally, instructors were forced to rethink content delivery as coursework was quickly moved online and administered remotely via virtual platforms. Students were impacted as university level programs underwent a major paradigm shift within a matter of days or weeks. This study examined perspectives of undergraduate and graduate students regarding their experiences with rapid conversion from on-ground, in-person courses to remote instruction during the spring 2020 semester. The researchers employed a QUAN-QUAL descriptive mixed methods design. Using questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, the researchers examined general perspectives on in-person learning before the pandemic; initial perceptions about remote learning; and perceptions of the students about effort, engagement, needs, and ethical behavior as they engaged in totally remote learning. Results, analyzed using SPSS (QUAN) and inter-coder agreement (QUAL), indicated that initially students were engaged and satisfied with their in-person instruction, but became less satisfied and engaged during remote instruction. Undergraduate students experienced feelings of increased frustration, decreased accountability and engagement during remote learning, and turned to collaboration to earn points as they finished the semester.

Highlights

The purpose of this study was to examine American undergraduate and graduate student perspectives regarding their experiences with rapid conversion from on-ground, in-person courses to remote instruction during the spring 2020 semester
The researchers examined general perspectives on in-person learning before the pandemic; initial perceptions about remote learning; and perceptions of the students about effort, engagement, needs, and ethical behavior
I completed the vast majority of my remote course work

Summary

Introduction

Keeping students safe was the top priority for institutions of higher education (IHE), but universities had to pivot quickly to provide online and remote learning for the remainder of the spring 2020 semester. This move was made without precedent or research defining best practices to follow as higher education administration, faculty and students attempted to figure out how to organize, teach, learn, and maintain a campus atmosphere through a remote learning platform. Very little is known about the effects of COVID-19 on higher education (Chan 2020), it is a growing topic of discussion (Fischer 2020). The paucity of research in this area supports the importance of current studies such as this one addressing this topic

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