Abstract:

Introduction:
During the pandemic suffered by COVID-19, the Spanish Government ordained a lockdown that affected several essential activities. Teaching was one of the suspended activities, which was forced to reinvent itself by changing from face-to-face to virtual teaching. The aim of this study was, firstly to describe the effects of virtual teaching during lockdown among students enrolled in Physical, Primary and Early Childhood Education degrees of the Faculty of Education and Sports Sciences of the University of Vigo. Secondly, to analyze the differences in study habits during virtual teaching and, thirdly, to assess the material, methodological and evaluation aspects of virtual teaching during confinement.

Methods:
A non-probabilistic convenience sampling was used and a questionnaire composed of 35 questions was administered to students through different technological resources. The questionnaire was sent to the second and third years of the Early Childhood and Primary Degree (an average of 60 students per course), and to the first, third and fourth years of Physical Activity and Sports Sciences (about 90 students per course). 107 students from the Faculty of Education and Sports Sciences of Pontevedra participated in this study, 31 students from the Early Childhood Degree, 36 students from the Primary Degree and 40 students from the Physical Activity and Sports Sciences Degree. 70.1% were women and 29.9% men.

Results:
The 83% of the student recruited reported no problems organizing their academic assignments, expressing a preference for studying in the morning compared to the afternoon. During the lockdown, students reported perceiving a fewer lectures than before the pandemic, particularly when 63% preferred to receive virtual classes with interaction with the teacher. Besides, 64% of the students prefer to do work weekly or fortnightly. Finally, 89% of students indicated that virtual assessments were unfair compared to face-to-face assessments and that supposed a greater workload. Accordingly, they prefer being assessed through essays or assignments instead of virtual exams.

Keywords:

On line education, COVID-19, new technologies, education, study habits.