The coronavirus pandemic and associated move to online learning for students in higher education has been disruptive and challenging. In this FLANZ webinar, Dr Michael Cameron reports on the New Zealand arm of an international survey of higher education students (n = 147). Using quantitative and qualitative data from the survey, they found that students coped reasonably well with the disruption to their studies and were generally satisfied with how their lecturers and institutions responded to unanticipated lockdowns.

In comparison with the global sample, New Zealand students demonstrated a higher level of satisfaction. New Zealand students reported the highest satisfaction with recorded video lectures, whereas the global sample preferred real-time teaching. Many New Zealand students felt that their studies were negatively affected, and vulnerable groups such as students with low financial resources were the most severely affected. Moreover, students reported a range of negative emotions during lockdown that suggest mental health impacts may be a concern.

The results indicate that clear communication from authorities, reducing the uncertainty for students, and ensuring that vulnerable groups are appropriately supported, may be the best avenues to reduce negative impacts on students during future significant disruptions to study, whether pandemic-related or otherwise.

This webinar is based on the JOFDL article by Michael Cameron, Barbara Fogarty-Perry, and Gemma Piercy and gives you the opportunity to ask your own questions and learn more about this study.

Presenter

Dr Michael Cameron is Professor of Economics in the School of Accounting, Finance and Economics (SAFE) at the University of Waikato. He is also a Research Associate in Te Ngira - Institute for Population Research. Michael's current research interests include a range of topics in population economics, financial literacy, and economics education.

Feature image by Maxime on Unsplash of a woman and a man, both wearing a surgical mask, performing an elbow greeting.