The Effects of the Sudden Switch to Remote Learning Due to Covid-19 on HBCU Students and Faculty

ABSTRACT

The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic had wide-reaching effects on the education system. The general response of schools and universities was to shut down non-essential campus operations, as learning and instruction became remote. The switch to remote learning protected against the spread of Covid-19, but it also had secondary effects, like the closure of university labs and libraries. This study seeks to understand if students and faculty had the tools and workspace conditions to continue to teach and learn effectively. The sudden switch to remote learning had the most significant impact on participants whose home environment does not provide for a private workspace. There was a clear trend to engage less. Participants overall find video lectures less engaging. Some participants struggle learning materials. Others changed their approach to academic learning to rely more on self-learning. © 2021, Springer Nature Switzerland AG.