Social Distancing Impact on Higher Education during COVID-19 Lockdown

During the COVID-19 pandemic, education online meant limited or no in-person interaction with professors and peers. In this article, research questions look for social distancing impact on subjects attending computer-mediated education. Educational technology factors were selected and exposed to stu...

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Main Author: Ionel N. Sava
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-09-01
Series:Social Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/11/9/419
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author Ionel N. Sava
author_facet Ionel N. Sava
author_sort Ionel N. Sava
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description During the COVID-19 pandemic, education online meant limited or no in-person interaction with professors and peers. In this article, research questions look for social distancing impact on subjects attending computer-mediated education. Educational technology factors were selected and exposed to students’ evaluation in a semi-structured questionnaire. Results confirm that online education increased students’ acceptance and positive attitude towards digital learning for 8 out of 10 subjects. On the other hand, factors that drive motivation showed diminished satisfaction with content for 4 out of 10 students and reduced capacity to stay focused for 7 out of 10 students. This research points toward factors that convert interaction with peers and instructors to such an extent that they impact basic educational fields such as motivation and satisfaction. There were interrogated social interactivity factors, as half of the subjects reported missing learner–learner and learner–instructor interaction. Results showed that up to one third of surveyed students showed diminished motivation alongside less satisfaction with content. The article concludes that digital education should multiply and adapt its own content and delivery routines and it suggests that the online education experience should serve development of computer-mediated learning as well augmenting of in-person education.
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spelling doaj.art-55689e3b894e4b6abf33c2459786def42023-11-23T18:56:26ZengMDPI AGSocial Sciences2076-07602022-09-0111941910.3390/socsci11090419Social Distancing Impact on Higher Education during COVID-19 LockdownIonel N. Sava0Department of Sociology, University of Bucharest, 050663 Bucharest, RomaniaDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, education online meant limited or no in-person interaction with professors and peers. In this article, research questions look for social distancing impact on subjects attending computer-mediated education. Educational technology factors were selected and exposed to students’ evaluation in a semi-structured questionnaire. Results confirm that online education increased students’ acceptance and positive attitude towards digital learning for 8 out of 10 subjects. On the other hand, factors that drive motivation showed diminished satisfaction with content for 4 out of 10 students and reduced capacity to stay focused for 7 out of 10 students. This research points toward factors that convert interaction with peers and instructors to such an extent that they impact basic educational fields such as motivation and satisfaction. There were interrogated social interactivity factors, as half of the subjects reported missing learner–learner and learner–instructor interaction. Results showed that up to one third of surveyed students showed diminished motivation alongside less satisfaction with content. The article concludes that digital education should multiply and adapt its own content and delivery routines and it suggests that the online education experience should serve development of computer-mediated learning as well augmenting of in-person education.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/11/9/419COVID-19social distancingonline teachinginteractivity; higher education
spellingShingle Ionel N. Sava
Social Distancing Impact on Higher Education during COVID-19 Lockdown
Social Sciences
COVID-19
social distancing
online teaching
interactivity; higher education
title Social Distancing Impact on Higher Education during COVID-19 Lockdown
title_full Social Distancing Impact on Higher Education during COVID-19 Lockdown
title_fullStr Social Distancing Impact on Higher Education during COVID-19 Lockdown
title_full_unstemmed Social Distancing Impact on Higher Education during COVID-19 Lockdown
title_short Social Distancing Impact on Higher Education during COVID-19 Lockdown
title_sort social distancing impact on higher education during covid 19 lockdown
topic COVID-19
social distancing
online teaching
interactivity; higher education
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/11/9/419
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