Higher education students' experiences and opinion about distance learning during the Covid-19 pandemic

Background: The Covid-19 pandemic has created significant challenges for the global
higher education community. Understanding of students' perception has important
implications for the quality of the learning process, as it affects students' engagement
in learning, helps educators rethink the principles of the learning design and further
improve the developed programs.
Objectives: Understanding of how rapid and necessary changes of learning caused
by the pandemic are related to students' intrinsic motivation and awareness.
Methods: There were 832 participants in this study. Quantitative and qualitative
research methods employing relevant statistical techniques were used to research
students' opinions regarding the distance learning process.
Results and Conclusions: Our analysis showed that first-year students were significantly
less motivated during the learning process than older students, they saw distance
learning as less valuable and less interesting than the others. Our research
found several positive consequences of the pandemic: working according to students'
own schedule in a relaxed environment, looking at the lecture again if necessary, feeling
free to ask questions and communicate with teachers and saving travel time.
Implications: Teachers should have more understanding for the first-year students
who are threatened when it comes to developing motivation to learn and help them
cope with learning anxieties, encourage their self-belief and give them extra support
during the learning process.