Social Distancing Impact on Higher Education during COVID-19 Lockdown

Abstract

During the COVID-19 pandemic, education online meant limited or no in-person interaction with professors and peers. In this article, research questions look for social distancing impact on subjects attending computer-mediated education. Educational technology factors were selected and exposed to students’ evaluation in a semi-structured questionnaire. Results confirm that online education increased students’ acceptance and positive attitude towards digital learning for 8 out of 10 subjects. On the other hand, factors that drive motivation showed diminished satisfaction with content for 4 out of 10 students and reduced capacity to stay focused for 7 out of 10 students. This research points toward factors that convert interaction with peers and instructors to such an extent that they impact basic educational fields such as motivation and satisfaction. There were interrogated social interactivity factors, as half of the subjects reported missing learner–learner and learner–instructor interaction. Results showed that up to one third of surveyed students showed diminished motivation alongside less satisfaction with content. The article concludes that digital education should multiply and adapt its own content and delivery routines and it suggests that the online education experience should serve development of computer-mediated learning as well augmenting of in-person education.