Students’ Experience of Online University Education During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Relationships to Psychological Health

Rebecca F Slykerman,Eileen Li,Edwin A Mitchell

doi:10.5204/ssj.2023

Rebecca F Slykerman, Eileen Li + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.5204/ssj.2023

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Journal: Student Success	Publication Date: Feb 28, 2022
Citations: 4	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: University of Auckland

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the complete closure of many university campuses and a rapid shift to complete online delivery of university teaching. Understanding the student experience of online learning under these conditions is important to inform improvements and adaptations to continued online delivery of university services. The aim of this study was to examine students’ experience of online learning, studying, and assessment during the pandemic and investigate the association between these perceptions and measures of psychological health. A cohort of 391 undergraduate students completed measures of stress, anxiety and psychological wellbeing at the beginning and end of a semester during which a shift to complete remote delivery of university teaching occurred due to COVID-19 restrictions. Students also rated how stressful or difficult they found five aspects of online learning, study and assessment which was used to calculate a composite score. T-tests were used to compare stress, anxiety and psychological wellbeing scores from the beginning and end of the semester. Regression models were used to examine the relationship between online learning composite score and psychological health measures. Unexpectedly, stress and psychological wellbeing improved over the semester during which the university campus closed, and all teaching and assessments were online. Students with higher stress scores and lower psychological wellbeing scores at the beginning of the semester were more likely to experience difficulty and stress with online teaching.

Highlights

IntroductionTertiary students are at a pivotal stage in their lives as they seek to direct their future by educating themselves, often at a time of life transition and movement toward increased independence
Understanding the student experience of the rapid shift to online education delivery resulting from measures to limit the spread of COVID-19 and its relationship with psychological health is important because this has implications for student wellbeing and academic engagement
The term online learning before the COVID-19 pandemic referred to a spectrum of possible education delivery models that ranged from all course material being in electronic format for students to watch, read or download to exchange of emails

Summary

Introduction

Tertiary students are at a pivotal stage in their lives as they seek to direct their future by educating themselves, often at a time of life transition and movement toward increased independence. Understanding the student experience of the rapid shift to online education delivery resulting from measures to limit the spread of COVID-19 and its relationship with psychological health is important because this has implications for student wellbeing and academic engagement. Government restrictions to limit the spread of COVID-19 resulted in the closure of university campuses requiring teaching and assessment to be remotely delivered. A period of rapid adjustment for both teaching staff and students ensued in which delivery of written coursework, lectures, tutorials, laboratory teaching, student support services, and examinations were moved off campus for students to access remotely. Online delivery of tertiary education is not new.

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