Considering the Return to the Classroom

In this two-part series we share the results of our latest StudentVu study focused on the impact COVID-19 is having on the postsecondary decisions of applicants and current students. We designed this study to assess the influence of COVID-19 on postsecondary choices and better understand applicant and student concerns. It is our hope that the findings will help institutions make more informed decisions at this time of great uncertainty.

This article focuses on the perspectives of current postsecondary students.

Earlier this week, we shared findings from our StudentVu study looking at how prospective students’ decision-making is being impacted by COVID-19. Now we turn to the perspectives of current postsecondary students.

When the pandemic hit partway through the 2019-2020 school year, it resulted in a high-speed pivot unlike anything seen before in Canadian higher ed. With no precedent to compare to and varied communications to rely on, students experienced the end of a year unlike any other. That transition was top of mind for many as they considered the year ahead.

Moving Forward: The 2020-21 School Year

With the term coming to a close, students are uncertain about what their school year would look like in 2020-2021. Similar to the prospective students we surveyed, almost one-third of current students who had previously been planning to return in the Fall are now unsure whether they will enroll. 61% say they will still attend in September, while 10% say they will not.

University students are far more likely than their college and polytechnic counterparts to say they will attend in the Fall if classes are only available online (65% vs 49%), suggesting that colleges will have a harder time ensuring enrolment is maintained in the coming school year.

Plan to attend in the Fall if Classes are Fully Online

College Students

Part of this reticence appears to be due to a lack of experience with online education. Prior to COVID-19, only half of all surveyed students had participated in any form of online or distance education (50%), a figure that was slightly higher among university students than college students (53% vs 44%). In short, the move to online learning this term was the first experience many students, especially college students, had with online education.

Students’ concerns about taking classes online are largely related to whether they feel they can learn online and whether their institution will be able to provide the same quality of education online. Many students say they are concerned about staying focused or motivated (72%), the quality of learning they will receive (64%), staying on top of course readings and assignments (56%), understanding course content (49%), and communicating with their instructors (37%).

While these concerns didn’t differ greatly between college and university students, we noticed a marked difference between those who had participated in online learning in the past and those who had not.

Concerns by Past Online Learning Experience

Students’ advice for postsecondary institutions

To address some of these concerns if postsecondary education continues online, students offered advice to faculty and staff at their institutions.

Most prominently, students noted the importance of flexibility and accessibility when it comes to an online education. Many shared challenges they had faced with the move to online learning this semester, including technological issues at home, increased demands for their time and attention from children or parents, and increased workloads and stresses for those who work in essential service jobs. Reflecting on these challenges, students noted the importance of flexible assignments and asynchronous lectures for classes, as well as accommodations and after-hours access to supports.

“Understand that not all students have a stable and strong internet connection, or have a working microphone or webcam to participate.”

“Flexibility really is key here. There are still students working, they are essential workers; there are students caring for and worried about immuno-compromised parents and other family members. … Not everyone has tons of time to dedicate to our schooling right now with all the changes.”

“Don’t set up ‘times’ or if you do, allow alternatives. Online learning is about embracing flexibility. As a student who has taken online education for over a decade, having timed lectures and having students be required to sign in on certain time frames defeats the purpose.”

“ My institution became quite lenient with deadlines and made as much accommodations as possible to help students with their academics and minimize any trouble that we might run into.”

“[I appreciated that] my university offered a quick response and arrangement of alternatives for exams. It also allowed free extension of course deadlines to accommodate student illness or the need to care for ill people.”

Turning to their instructors, some students acknowledged that they’d noticed a difference between what worked for in-class lecturing and for online lecturing. They noted that faculty that are more comfortable with in-person lecturing may need to adapt their pedagogical methods and teaching habits to better suit the online space.

“While the crisis happened suddenly, I think there's opportunity to employ different types of learning technology. I've had guest lecturers and group presentations through Zoom that's worked really well. While most students turn off their camera, maybe there should be dedicated times when it's required to turn on for group discussions, etc.”

“For those teachers that are prone to pacing back and forth, I think it's best to wear a microphone so your voice does not get very quiet then loud and again throughout the lecture.”

“Take it slow, and expect to have to spend more time explaining things. It is harder for students to focus and learn when they are not face to face.”

Finally, several students pointed to examples of faculty and staff who had been proactive in communicating on both an academic level about what would happen in their course, an administrative level about their files and finances, and on a personal level, acknowledging the challenging situation that students were now in:

“Keeping in touch with students as regularly as possible (through whatever medium you've chosen) I think is the best way to keep students engaged and active in your course.”

“It remains incredibly important to not only be available, but communicate the impression that you are available; a lot of that has to do with being diligent about student communications like emails, and being willing to schedule Zoom calls, etc.”

“Please keep us informed whenever there are updates/adjustments to syllabi and help us feel connected to the class - maybe hold virtual office hours.”

Concluding Thoughts

Students generally expressed hope for the year to come, but many held reservations about what it would look like and whether they would be able or interested in attending if courses were offering online. Their sentiment largely aligned with that of the prospective students: A desire for the 2020-21 school year to look like the school years of the past, and uncertainty about what the upcoming school year would look like.

As institutions continue to plan for the Fall, all student-facing roles will have a part to play in addressing student uncertainties. A proactive approach to communications and a plan for the year to come that addresses student concerns will help to convert those uncertain students into registered students.

Recognizing that students’ plans will continue to evolve as the summer progresses, we’ll be checking in with current and prospective students on a monthly basis to see how their perspectives change over time. Stay tuned for the results!

If you’re interested in knowing how your applicants’ decisions are being impacted by COVID-19, we have updated the University College Applicant Study (UCAS) for 2020 to help guide institutional decisions and identify specific strategies institutions can employ to help convert and retain students. For more information about the 2020 UCAS, please contact Bruce Thompson at bruce@academica.ca.

Method Notes

The COVID-19 Student Survey was conducted April 6th to 13th, 2020 with Academica’s proprietary StudentVu Panel. A total of 1,133 current postsecondary students and 390 prospective students from across Canada participated. This article focuses solely on those current postsecondary students.