Learning during (or despite) COVID-19: business students' perceptions of online learning

Purpose: In March 2020, higher education institutions (HEIs) were obliged to complete the semester online because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the semesters that followed, HEIs reopened and closed again because of new waves of the pandemic. While flexibility was lauded, previous literature cited student problems such as lack of motivation and social contact. This study aims to explore students' perceptions of learning during four exceptional semesters. Design/methodology/approach: Five surveys were conducted via the program LimeSurvey during the online courses at one business school in Switzerland: April 2020, June 2020, December 2020, June 2021 and December 2021. The participation varied between 56% (April and June 2020), 52% (December 2020), 47.5% (June 2021) and 42.4% (December 2021). Findings: The results of this longitudinal study were analyzed to examine the consequences of "forced” online learning. The analysis reveals that although the students appreciate the usefulness of the learning experience, their motivation decreased. The historic crisis has underlined sudden technological changes in the learning programs that have had multiple (adverse) effects on students' learning. Originality/value: Based on the results, this study concludes that students have mixed perceptions regarding the learning environments (traditional, hybrid or blended) moving forward. Whatever the choice, HEIs must carefully plan the most effective teaching/learning environment to ensure that students remain engaged. This study reveals the links and interconnections in this complex online setting called "learning” based on four semesters of urgent remote learning and one semester of hybrid face-to-face courses. © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Learning during (or despite) COVID-19: business students’ perceptions of online learning

Purpose: In March 2020, higher education institutions (HEIs) were obliged to complete the semester online because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the semesters that followed, HEIs reopened and closed again because of new waves of the pandemic. While flexibility was lauded, previous literature cited student problems such as lack of motivation and social contact. This study aims to explore students' perceptions of learning during four exceptional semesters. Design/methodology/approach: Five surveys were conducted via the program LimeSurvey during the online courses at one business school in Switzerland: April 2020, June 2020, December 2020, June 2021 and December 2021. The participation varied between 56% (April and June 2020), 52% (December 2020), 47.5% (June 2021) and 42.4% (December 2021). Findings: The results of this longitudinal study were analyzed to examine the consequences of “forced” online learning. The analysis reveals that although the students appreciate the usefulness of the learning experience, their motivation decreased. The historic crisis has underlined sudden technological changes in the learning programs that have had multiple (adverse) effects on students' learning. Originality/value: Based on the results, this study concludes that students have mixed perceptions regarding the learning environments (traditional, hybrid or blended) moving forward. Whatever the choice, HEIs must carefully plan the most effective teaching/learning environment to ensure that students remain engaged. This study reveals the links and interconnections in this complex online setting called “learning” based on four semesters of urgent remote learning and one semester of hybrid face-to-face courses. © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Teaching during COVD-19: faculty members’ perceptions during and after an “exceptional” semester

Purpose: With the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe in March 2020, higher education institutions (HEIs) worldwide were confronted with creating online courses to complete the semester. While emphasizing positive elements such as flexibility and innovative solutions, the literature focused on numerous faculty problems such as online fatigue, emotional well-being and stress. This paper aims to explore faculty perceptions of teaching during the exceptional circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic. Design/methodology/approach: Two surveys, in the first week and at the end of the semester, were conducted at a business school in Switzerland via the program Lima. A total of 19 faculty members participated in the survey. Of the participants, 56.7% responded in the first survey and 70.9% responded in the second. Findings: The findings revealed that the faculty’s impressions of their online courses remained positive. The most significant issue cited was time. According to faculty estimations, more than ten additional hours per week were spent preparing for online courses. Nonetheless, many faculty members reported interest in continuing online practices in their future courses. Practical implications: The COVID-19 pandemic pushed HEIs to embrace the digital revolution while teaching in a competence-oriented mode. However, moving forward, HEIs must mitigate the long-term effects by careful planning and evaluating their digital readiness as an institution and offering training for their faculty and students when necessary. Originality/value: The study contributes to the existing literature by analyzing one stakeholder group, i.e. faculty members, and their perceptions of teaching during a worldwide pandemic. © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited.