THE IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON THE EDUCATION QUALITY: RESULTS OF FOREIGN STUDENTS SURVEY

Abstract

Mostly students (65.3 %) believes that the COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on learning according to the results of our survey. Also, mostly students (79.2 %) agree that distance learning was the only way out in current conditions. Students (84.8 %) positively evaluate the organization of distance learning at the university. However, males evaluate distance learning generally better than females (χ2=9.263, df=3, p=0.026). Online lectures received the most positive feedback (95.1 %). It is noteworthy that 85.4 % of respondents believe that most lectures can be online even after quarantine. Conducting practical classes, especially in clinical disciplines, received less positive feedback from students. The main reason for low grades is the inability to master practical skills in full online. An important aspect of the university activity in the pandemic era was to establish communication with students. According to the results of the survey, half of the students had enough information about the organization of education in the new environment. At the same time, a third of respondents indicated that the information was insufficient. Positive, in our opinion, is the high level of student satisfaction with communication with teachers. Thus, more than 20 % of respondents positively assessed the interaction with teachers during distance learning. In the conditions of distance learning the number of missed classes has decreased. The way of missed classes reworking was understandable for half of the students (49.3 %). However, a quarter of respondents indicated that they had difficulty completing the passes - more often male respondents (30.1 % vs 17.1 % among women, χ2=12.17, df=3, p=0.001). Another difficult task for teachers was to conduct final module assessment in online format. Students mostly (68.1 %) positively evaluated such classes, especially male respondents (74.8 % vs 512 % among female respondents). However, a third of respondents (30.6 %) believe that teachers conducted modules in different ways, more often female respondents (46.3 % vs 243 % among male respondents, χ2=7.517, df=2, p=0.023). Among the advantages of distance learning is the introduction of the Microsoft Teams training platform. Mostly respondents (87.8 %) consider the platform easy to use. In addition, most respondents (75.7 %) believe that we should continue to use the platform after the quarantine. During quarantine, students began to use the university’s website more actively to obtain educational information. Most of respondents (72.2 %) find our website easy to use. Except answering the questionnaire, we asked students how we can improve online classes. Most students (69.4 %) gave us a feedback. Most students are concerned about the practical skills acquisition and often they have written about the need for greater use of video materials demonstrating various practical skills. Another common answer was to increase the time to prepare for the “Krok 1” exam, which they must take at the end of the semester.