Experiencing post-secondary education during a pandemic : a retrospective study amongst university students

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic caused significant changes in pedagogy and education, both in Malta and abroad. It forced schools to close down and implement social distancing measures as approaches to preventing Covid-19 infection. This study explores the impact of Covid-19 on students’ experience of Sixth Form education. When considering Sixth Form students, implications are substantial and broad and heavy since adolescents undergo a significant period of transition when the social environment is crucial for mental health, brain function and development, and identity construction (Dahl et al., 2018; Orben et al., 2020). This dissertation aims to explore the impact of Covid-19 on students’ experience of Post-Secondary education and follows a qualitative research design. Six participants were recruited through a purposive sampling method and separately interviewed using semi-structured questions. Several prevalent themes and sub-themes were generated from the interviews using thematic analysis. The findings reveal that the pandemic presented various challenges for Sixth Form students. Interaction between students, their peers, and lecturers, and participation during lectures substantially decreased during the pandemic. Participants negatively assessed online lectures and claimed to face several academic challenges. The pandemic also had a significantly negative impact on the participants’ wellbeing, specifically regarding increased loneliness, anxiety, and negative emotional states. However, the participants were particularly resilient during such detrimental circumstances. Findings also highlight the opportunities for inclusive education through the integration of new online resources and learning platforms. The study concludes with recommendations for further research.