Student Success (Nov 2021)

Supporting Student Experience During the Pandemic and Beyond

  • Rebecca Sanderson,
  • Rachel Spacey,
  • Xiaotong Zhu,
  • Rhianne-Ebony Sterling-Morris

DOI
https://doi.org/10.5204/ssj.1847
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 3
pp. 96 – 105

Abstract

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This article reports the findings from a small-scale, qualitative and phenomenological institutional research project, undertaken during the COVID-19 pandemic, on the experiences of undergraduate students from groups who are traditionally under-represented in higher education in the United Kingdom. Documenting the first two phases of a longitudinal study carried out at one university in England, the over-arching research question investigated here using semi-structured interviews was: How has the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic impacted student experiences and learning at university? Key themes identified included worry, a sense of loss, feelings of connection and support, a sense of a new geography of campus life and students' need to feel "in the loop". Evidence of changes with longer-term implications were also found, namely, an evolution in the relationship between students and their institution. A series of suggestions are presented based on the findings aimed at mitigating some of the ongoing negative effects of the pandemic on students.

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