Abstract:

As the worldwide pandemic continued to attack people around the world, at our university, our university continued, with a few exceptions, to run classes either completely online or in a hybrid fashion. The authors of this article adjusted our work with our students utilizing what we had learned in the previous year. In this action research study, we surveyed our students to determine what they believed about online learning and how they think we should move forward. Students completed a survey in which they rated their experiences on a 5-point Likert scale and added comments about their ideas about their experiences and how we might help students in the coming year. Our students indicated they felt safe when they had to meet face to face, utilizing face masks and social distancing. When asked about absences from face to face classes, 53% of students indicated missing face to face classes due to work or travel issues; 7.5% indicated they were absent from class because they felt unsafe physically coming to the university. Students who attended class regularly indicated they learn better in person (28%) or wanted assistance in their learning (42%). After having a year of online learning, students indicated professors (81%) and students (75%) were more prepared in their online courses. Most students were completely or mostly online in their learning (98%) and the students found that their classmates and professors offered students and colleagues social (60%) and emotional (73%) support during and between classes. Half of the students indicated that their professors, colleagues, and they were affected by the stress of the pandemic. When asked about their preferences for the future, students (78%) indicated that as long as the pandemic remained an issue, classes should mostly be organized online. In this article we share the data and the recommendations offered by our students for the future.

Keywords:

Pandemic teaching and learning, stress, adapting to the needs of students, flexibility in teaching.