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American Journal of Public Health Research
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Anne Lanham, Lillian Mwanri

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How COVID-19 Affected a Select Group of Higher Education Students’ Academics?

Delia Robinson Richards

Department of Education, Health and Social Work, University of the District of Columbia, Washington, DC 20008 USA

Abstract: This is a cross-sectional, exploratory study that was conducted to explore how COVID-19 affected the academics of twelve (12) undergraduate education students who were enrolled in the Play Activities & Materials course at the University of the District of Columbia. An Electronic questionnaire was disseminated to each student that was enrolled in the course. The students completed the anonymous questionnaire that was composed of nine (9) questions. The students ranged in ages from eighteen (18) to forty-nine (49) years of age. The group of students consisted of Black, White and other students who did not disclosed their race. Overall, the students indicated the challenges that they encountered during COVID-19, the dedication and support of their professors, and the difficult task of focusing on their academics. In spite of these barriers, the students continue to meet their academic goals.

Keywords: Coronavirus, COVID-19, academically, teaching strategies, online learning

Received November 01, 2022; Revised December 05, 2022; Accepted December 16, 2022

Citation: Delia Robinson Richards, How COVID-19 Affected a Select Group of Higher Education Students’ Academics?. American Journal of Educational Research, 10 (12). 678-681. January 2022. doi:10.12691/education-10-12-4

1. Introduction

Twelve (12) undergraduate students, enrolled in the Teacher Education Program at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) in Washington DC, USA, were registered for the Play Activities & Material course which is a required course for early childhood education majors at the University.

In December 2021, the students in the Play course were asked to complete an anonymous questionnaire that was composed of nine (9) questions discussing how the Pandemic affected their education at UDC. The students ranged from ages eighteen (18) to twenty-five (25) years-old and forty-two (42) to forty-nine (49) years of age. The group consisted of six (6) Black students, three (3) white students, and three (3) other students who did not designate their race.

The students’ classifications were as follows: three (3) students were seniors and attended college from four (4) to five (5) years; seven (7) of the students were juniors and attended college for two (2) to four (4) years; one (1) students was a sophomore and attended college for two (2) years; and one student was a freshman and attended college for one (1) year.

The main objectives of this research project included:

1. Stating the academic challenges for students.

2. Describing supports for students, in addition to teaching strategies that worked.

3. Meeting academic goals and changes if need be, to meet academic goals for the future.

4. Discussing the number of people who were known to the students who had contacted Covid-19.

2. Materials and Methods

This is a cross-sectional, exploratory study that was conducted to determine how the twelve (12) students perceived their academics during the pressures of the Covid-19 pandemic. The questionnaires were disseminated to the students electronically and instructions were included on the questionnaires and discussed in the virtual classroom instructions as well.

The questionnaire included demographic information in addition to the nine (9) questions as followed:

1. Has it been difficult to focus academically?

2. What has been the biggest challenge academically?

3. What can professors do to support students during this time?

4. Do you know anyone who has contacted Covid-19?

5. This semester do you feel you have met your academic goals?

6. Academically, what would you do differently next semester?

7. How would you describe the learning environment atmosphere during the Pandemic?

8. What teaching strategies have professors used this semester that were helpful for you to learn the course information?

9. What can professors do to make online learning more conducive and compatible to your learning style?

3. Results

The tables below are examples of how the twelve (12) students responded to the questions that were asked.

1. Has it been difficult to focus academically?

2. What has been the biggest challenge academically?

3. What can professors do to support students during this time?

4. Do you know anyone who has Covid-19?

5. This semester, do you feel you have met your academic goals?

6. Academically, what will you do differently next semester?

7. How would you describe the learning environment atmosphere during Covid-19?

8. What teaching strategies have professors used this semester that were helpful for you to learn the course information?

9. What can professors do to make online learning more conducive and compatible to your learning styles?

4. Discussion

Forty-two percent (42%) of the students expressed that it was difficult to focus academically. Fifty (50%) of the students felt sometimes it was difficult to focus academically. The biggest challenges that students had: (1) being at home with their children; (2) managing time with work and with school being virtual; (3) finding time to complete all assignments and (4) adapting to new technologies.

Students felt professors needed to be flexible and understanding; whereas, one student expressed how supportive professors were and that they needed to continue teaching as they always do.

When asked if they knew anyone with COVID-19, four (4) students did not know anyone with COVID-19 and five (5) students knew people who had COVID-19. One (1) student knew a lot of people including teammates and herself.

Seventy-five percent (75%) of the students met their academic goals. Whereas, twenty-five percent (25%) of the students expressed they somewhat met their academic goals and one (1) student felt they did not meet their goals.

In order to be more on target the following semester (Spring 2022) several students will be more organized and will try to be more focused. Time management and new online tools were significant to some students.

In describing the learning environment during COVID-19, stressful was expressed by many students.

Students felt the teaching strategies were most helpful when there was open discussion, presentations, group assignments, brainstorming, and any kind of engagement. Avila, Garcia, & Genio’s [1] study in the Philippines indicated that the university students can be motivated in online learning despite the obstacles that they encountered.

Students felt teachers had worked to make online learning conducive to the different learning styles of the students.

5. Conclusion

The twelve (12) students responding to the questions demonstrated perseverance to continue their education in spite of the challenges that they had encountered during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Students expressed managing time, staying focus, and stress were major factors that they had to continuously experience. Although students experienced these challenges, overall the support, flexibility, and understanding from professors was extremely helpful in allowing them to pursue their academic goals. The students gave no indication that the Pandemic was going to dissuade them from their academic pursuits. In addition, when Saidi, Criffield, and Kraci [2] reported five (5) studies of undergraduate and graduate students moving from face to face to remote learning, the online survey that the students completed indicated resilence on the part of the students and instructors. The remote learning (synchronous, asynchronous, or blended) did not have an effect on students’ satisfaction. The perseverance that the students showed was similar to Rahiem’s study in Indonesia. These university students in developing countries remained focused and motivated to learn too, despite challenges that they were experiencing.

Acknowledgements & Disclosures

I would like to thank the education students who participated in this Coronavirus study.

Statement of Competing Interests

There are no competing interests.

List of Abbreviations

COVID-19-Coronavirus

UDC-University of the District of Columbia

References

[1]   | Avila, Ernie C. & Gracia J. Genio, Ana Maria. (2020). Motivation and learning strategies of education students in online learning during pandemic. Psychology and Education 57 (9), 1608-1614.
[2]   | Ghazi-Saidi, L., Criffield, A., Kracl, C.L., McKelvey, M., & Phu Vu, S.N. (2020). Moving from face-to-face to remote instruction in a higher education institution during a pandemic: multiple case studies. International Journal of Technology in Education and Science (IJTES), 4 (4), 370-383.
[3]   | Rahiem, M.D.H. (2021). Remaining motivated despite the limitations: University students’ learning propensity during the COVID-19 pandemic.
[4]   | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov.