Submission Type

Poster

Start Date

4-21-2022

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic caused many colleges across the US to abruptly change their instructional modes from in-person learning to hybrid and online formats, and many students had difficulties with this transition. The extent of the disruptions to learning and transitioning back to in-person learning for SUNY Geneseo students is not fully known. Our research examines how students viewed their academic experiences during the pandemic semesters from Spring 2020 to Spring 2021, compared to Fall 2021. For these semesters, we created a voluntary and anonymous survey asking Biology majors and related minors to compare their perceptions of course difficulty, ways they received help, and academic confidence. We analyzed their responses using Chi-Squared and Fisher’s Exact tests of independence. Through our statistical analysis, we were surprised to detect only one association, between course difficulty and confidence in one’s grade. However, most students who had higher grade confidence typically rated course difficulty neutral or difficult. Our results also showed that students did perceive courses to be more difficult from Spring 2020 to Spring 2021, and many students did not favor the option of receiving help from their professors. To help us further understand the learning disruptions experienced by the pandemic, we have created another survey for the Fall 2021 semester asking similar questions about student self-efficacy, however we have added a new focus on student mental health.

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Sponsored by Suann Yang

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Apr 21st, 12:00 AM

235 -- Academic Experiences of SUNY Geneseo Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic caused many colleges across the US to abruptly change their instructional modes from in-person learning to hybrid and online formats, and many students had difficulties with this transition. The extent of the disruptions to learning and transitioning back to in-person learning for SUNY Geneseo students is not fully known. Our research examines how students viewed their academic experiences during the pandemic semesters from Spring 2020 to Spring 2021, compared to Fall 2021. For these semesters, we created a voluntary and anonymous survey asking Biology majors and related minors to compare their perceptions of course difficulty, ways they received help, and academic confidence. We analyzed their responses using Chi-Squared and Fisher’s Exact tests of independence. Through our statistical analysis, we were surprised to detect only one association, between course difficulty and confidence in one’s grade. However, most students who had higher grade confidence typically rated course difficulty neutral or difficult. Our results also showed that students did perceive courses to be more difficult from Spring 2020 to Spring 2021, and many students did not favor the option of receiving help from their professors. To help us further understand the learning disruptions experienced by the pandemic, we have created another survey for the Fall 2021 semester asking similar questions about student self-efficacy, however we have added a new focus on student mental health.

 

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