Open AccessOn-Campus Students Moving Online During COVID-19 University Closures: Barriers and Enablers
Author(s) -
Katherine Attree
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
student success
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.34
H-Index - 4
ISSN - 2205-0795
DOI - 10.5204/ssj.1780
Subject(s) - covid-19 , online learning , psychology , medical education , pedagogy , medicine , computer science , multimedia , disease , pathology , virology , outbreak , infectious disease (medical specialty)
This practice report shares the experiences of on-campus students enrolled in their second or third year of undergraduate business studies at Charles Sturt University, Australia as they moved to online study during the COVID-19 shutdowns. It details both the barriers and enablers to successful study the students identified. Barriers included loss of support networks, online fatigue, and technology connectivity. Enablers for success included empathic and understanding staff; clear directions; and, engaging, interactive delivery of the online learning activity. The report concludes with recommendations for future practice in assisting on-campus learners with the transition from a physical to a virtual learning environment. In particular, a strong teacher presence is recommended to foster the development of an engaged learning community where student-to-student interactions are facilitated and students feel supported and connected.