Impact of lockdown on learning status of undergraduate and postgraduate students during COVID-19 pandemic in West Bengal, India

Lockdown fatigue among college students during the COVID-19 pandemic: Predictive role of personal resilience, coping behaviors, and health

OBJECTIVES

This study was conducted to examine the levels of lockdown-induced fatigue and its association with personal resilience, coping skills, and health in college students.

DESIGN AND METHODS

This is an online cross-sectional study involving 243 college students in the Central Philippines during the 6th month of the lockdown measure implementation.

FINDINGS

College students experience moderate levels of fatigue during the mandatory lockdown period. Increased personal resilience and coping skills were associated with lower levels of lockdown fatigue.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Lockdown fatigue may be addressed by formulating and implementing interventions to enhance personal resilience and coping skills among college students.

Impact of Covid-19 on undergraduate and residency training

BACKGROUND

The covid-19 pandemic has dramatically changed lives of residents and medical students. In particular, the learning process has undergone widely changes, especially due to the rules of social distancing which have forced universities and various institutes to modify lessons, work shifts and internships.

PURPOSE

The purpose of our review is to evaluate how the various institutes have faced the covid-19 emergency and guaranteed the perpetuation of the learning process of resident and students.

METHODS

A comprehensive search of the medical literature in PubMed and Google Scholar was performed including all the works explaining how the institutes have reorganized teaching for resident and undergraduate students.

MAIN FINDINGS

The use of internet for the dissemination of teaching material and educational meetings has built bridges, albeit virtual, between resident and teachers. New techniques for teaching and conducting exams have been introduced. The rotating team system allowed the continuation of the teaching activity in safety.

CONCLUSION

Thanks to remodulation of the teach modalities, the massive use of internet platforms, a wise distribution of work shifts, and others, universities and hospitals have not only reduced the impact on the learning process of resident and students but also turn this pandemic into a moment of personal and professional growth for the new generation of healthcare professionals.

Education system of Nepal: impacts and future perspectives of COVID-19 pandemic

The academic sectors are badly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic globally. The studies regarding the implications of COVID-19 in education in Nepal were minimal, thus, this paper aims to highlight the impacts of the pandemic on the education sector of Nepal. It is revealed that the Nepalese academia has been facing problems due to lack of adequate and appropriate sustainable infrastructure for the online system, including skilled human resources. In addition, limited internet facilities in remote and rural areas were the other challenging tasks for virtual academic activities. Therefore, the concerned stakeholders should provide necessary services and appropriate strategies for virtual means of the education system to compensate the repercussion caused by the pandemic. This study could be helpful to identify the critical needs emerged due to the pandemic at present and in future and also contribute to adopt appropriate policy for the revival of educational institutions.

Depression as Compared to Level of Physical Activity and Internet Addiction among Polish Physiotherapy Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic

OBJECTIVES

The aim of the survey was to assess the level of depression correlated with physical activity and internet addiction among physiotherapy students of Polish universities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

The survey was carried out via the internet among Polish physiotherapy students (141 respondents). The level of depression was assessed by the Beck Depression Inventory, physical activity by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) in Polish and the level of internet addiction by the Kimberly Young Questionnaire.

RESULTS

It was found that 31% of those surveyed stated that they suffered from moderate or severe depression. The overwhelming majority of the respondents (92%) considered the level of their internet addiction as low. More physical activity had a positive effect on mental health. The overuse of the internet exacerbated depressive symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of depression observed in students is mainly related to distant learning systems. Therefore, regular physical activity is recommended as it is associated with a lower level of depression. It is also advisable to provide students with necessary psychological care. Excessive use of social media is not recommended to elevate mood as it makes depression symptoms worse.

Fear of COVID-19: Psychological distress and coping among university students in Ghana

The advent of the coronavirus pandemic has impacted the psychological well-being of many people. This study examined the relationship between fear of COVID-19, psychological distress (depression, anxiety, and stress) and coping strategies adopted by undergraduate students in Ghana. A sample of 209 students were recruited to complete online surveys on fear of COVID-19, psychological distress and coping strategies between June and July 2020. Students scored between normal to mild levels of psychological distress but above average scores on fear of coronavirus (M = 19.45, SD = 6.04). Fear of COVID-19 was positively related to psychological distress. Only maladaptive coping was found to be significantly and positively associated with fear of COVID-19. However post-hoc analysis of the components of coping strategies revealed that denial (β = .17, p = .028), venting (β = .18, p = .036) and humour (β = -.18, p = .023; an adaptive coping strategy) were associated with fear of COVID-19. Finally, both adaptive coping and maladaptive coping strategies had a mediating effect on fear of COVID-19 and psychological distress. These findings emphasize the need to design and optimize institutional interventions that will assess psychological distress and fear of COVID-19 levels during this pandemic and provide psychotherapeutic support for students as they return to school.

Evaluation online learning of undergraduate students under lockdown amidst COVID-19 Pandemic: The online learning experience and students' satisfaction

This study evaluates the impact of shifting from traditional learning to online learning during COVID-19 Pandemic on undergraduate students. It also examines the positive and negative aspects of online learning from students' perspectives. We conducted two online surveys to evaluate online learning, students' satisfaction, and identify the positive and negative aspects of online learning. Data is collected in the first survey from 483 participants directly after the emergency shifting to online learning. The second survey data is collected from 853 after students' experienced online learning for three academic semesters. Both surveys' analysis results show that students had several problems with shifting to online learning during COVID-19 Pandemic such as technological, mental health, time management, and balance between life and education. The results also show that more than a third of the surveyed students are dissatisfied with the online learning experience. Further investigation is conducted to explore and identify the factors behind the students' dissatisfaction from the online learning experience during COVID-19 Pandemic in January 2021 using focus group technique. The analysis results reveal that the most important factors behind the students' dissatisfaction during online learning are a distraction and reduced focus, psychological issues, and management issues. This study proposes various solutions and recommendations to enhance the online learning experience and increase students' satisfaction.

COVID-19 impact on jobs at private schools and colleges in Northern Ethiopia

The disruptive effects of COVID-19 have impacted all sectors of our society including education. This study identified the factors influencing the private schools' and colleges' decision to reduce their teaching staff during the COVID-19 lockdown using survey data analyzed using Heckman two-step regression model. The results showed that age, accommodation level, hourly payment rate, tax grade level, money borrowed from government or banks, loan repayment suspension, tax payment deferral, the number of administrative employees, the student-to-administrative employee ratio, and the educational institution's category were the significant factors affecting teaching employee reduction during the lockdown. The results of this study can help the various education sector stakeholders to take coordinated measures to withstand COVID-19 type of shocks.

The Development and Validation of a Measure to Assess COVID-19 Stress among College Students for Sustainable Education

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on students’ personal, academic, and social life has been quite stressful. The threat to life from the virus, social isolation, and the need to shift from face-to-face learning to online mode has been challenging. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to develop and validate a self-administered tool to assess the source of COVID-19 pandemic stress among college students. The data was collected online using google forms in two phases. The data collected from 173 participants from phase one was analyzed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA). The second phase data of 216 participants were analyzed to validate the factor structure using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The standardized factor loadings, Composite Reliability (CR), and AVE of factors were assessed to determine the convergent validity of the scale. Similarly, discriminant validity and concurrent predictive validity were assessed through the HTMT ratio of correlations and ROC curves, respectively. A succession of Exploratory Factor Analysis yielded a five-factor solution, explaining 73.83 percent variance with 13 indices. CFA via maximum likelihood with bootstrapping indicated a good fit for the five-factor model (SRMR = 0.037, RMSEA = 0.049, CFI = 0.981). The standardized factor loadings, Composite Reliability (CR), and AVE of factors together suggest acceptable convergent validity. Further, the ROC curve results to assess stress indicated an acceptable AUC, with a magnitude of 0.79, p < 0.01, indicating concurrent predictive validity for the five-factor Student COVID-19 Stress Scale (SCSS). HTMT ratio of correlations <0.85 indicated discriminant validity for the factor structure. The CR > 0.70 for the dimensions indicated acceptable reliability. Thus, the SCSS can be an effective instrument to assess the source of pandemic stress among students so that tailor-made timely interventions can be provided to prevent long-term adverse effects.

Performance, Health, and Psychological Challenges Faced by Students of Physical Education in Online Learning during COVID-19 Epidemic: A Qualitative Study in China

The spread of COVID-19 has led students to take classes online (rather than face-to-face) worldwide, including in China. For this study, we conducted qualitative focus group discussions to identify the experience of and difficulties faced by online physical education students in higher education taking online classes, including the impact on their physical activity performance, as well as some health problems they face while taking online classes during the quarantine period, such as weight gain, depression, and anxiety. Finally, utilizing Mayer's learning model as a conceptual framework, we propose a method that addresses how to effectively manage an optimal future learning system for physical education students, both during and after the COVID-19 outbreak situation. During the isolation period of COVID-19, the required equipment for the participants was rarely available at home while attending the online classes, which inevitably reduced the number of physical education units that could be conveyed. This resulted in a transfer of attention from competition to underperformance, weight gain, and adverse psychological conditions. We conclude that it is important to review and systematize the methods of online physical education learning, particularly highlighting the cultural and educational characteristics of different countries, and to investigate the effectiveness of online physical education as a whole.

Promoting Service Leadership Qualities and Well-Being among University Students through an Online Course during COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic is a great challenge to leadership education in universities. Although previous findings provide support for the effectiveness of online learning, the impact of online leadership course on students' learning outcomes and well-being has not been well documented. Using objective outcome and subjective outcome evaluation strategies, the present study examined students' perceived qualities and effectiveness of an online credit-bearing service leadership course adopting asynchronous mode (primarily online learning) and synchronous mode under COVID-19. Regardless of teaching modes, the subject yielded positive impacts. Specifically, pretest-posttest (N = 228) showed that there were positive changes in students' service leadership qualities, life satisfaction and psychological well-being. For students' perception of the course (N = 219), results indicated that most students were positive in their learning experience and satisfied with course design, lecturer quality and the benefits of the course to their development. Students' changes and subjective perceptions were positively correlated, but with a low effect size. The findings reflected that online service leadership course adopting asynchronous or synchronous mode was effective, and students were positive about their learning experience.

The lonely struggle with autonomy: A case study of first-year university students' experiences during emergency online teaching

This paper explores how first-year students experienced emergency online teaching during COVID-19 and aims at understanding individual experiences related to basic psychological need satisfaction, considering different levels of contextual facilitators for learning activities involving technology in higher education derived from the C-flat model. Employing a case study approach, interviews of 15 chemistry students were qualitatively analyzed. The results show negative effects of lacking internet connectivity and concurrence of learning and home spaces but positive effects of ceased commute between home and campus. Teachers' implementation of digital learning opportunities was perceived as adequate but did not sufficiently address the overwhelming increase in students' autonomy and decrease in social relatedness. Students' self-regulation skills as well as skills to initiate and maintain social contacts for interactive learning activities and for motivational support emerged as crucial aspects. Many students were not able to cope appropriately and students' need satisfaction during emergency online teaching appeared to be related to students' prior need satisfaction resulting in five groups of students, with two being relatively resilient and three being vulnerable to the disruptions of regular onsite teaching. Implications for further research and practice are discussed.

Postgraduate Physiotherapy Training in a Quandary - Ramifications of Corona virus pandemic Lockdown: A Survey-based Study

INTRODUCTION

Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) has disrupted clinical services and postgraduate training across the world. Hence, this survey was conducted to understand the impact of pandemic on Physiotherapy post-graduate (PG) education.

METHODS

It was a cross-sectional, observational study. A total of 254 Physiotherapy PG trainees were recruited through snowball sampling from Physiotherapy colleges across the state of Maharashtra. A 34-item structured questionnaire was developed, based on available literature, to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on four domains: academic training, clinical training, research activities, and concerns faced by a PG trainee. The face validity of this questionnaire was assessed by six academicians and their suggestions were examined. Subsequently, it was piloted on five PG trainees before administering it to the participants. The validated questionnaire was then circulated via various social media platforms and personal contacts using Google form. Descriptive statistics were summarized as frequencies/ percentages. McNemar's test was used to determine the differences on a dichotomous dependent variable between the two related groups using SPSS software.

RESULTS

Overall 131 trainees provided complete responses. Although 85% (n=111) of them claimed they attended PG teaching activities through online mode, almost 67% (n=101) disagreed to have achieved their learning objectives. A vast majority (91%, n=119) of them felt that their specialty related practical training was severely affected, and 98% (n=129) reported that reduced caseload had impacted their clinical learning. Also, 70% (n=54) of final year PGs had difficulty in recruiting new participants for their dissertation. Spread of infections to family (98%), commuting in public transport (98%), uncertainty about exam dates (91%), and competency development in specialty areas (96%) were some of their concerns.

CONCLUSION

COVID-19 pandemic had impacted various domains of Physiotherapy PG program such as academic, clinical and research areas. Regulatory authorities should take serious consideration and devise strategies to overcome it.

Unpacking the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic: identifying structural domains

Background: The novel coronavirus-19 (COVID-19) pandemic is a collective crisis that imposed an abrupt and unprecedented impact on college students, as universities were closed with little warning. Paired with the challenges associated with physical distancing (e.g. economic stress, job loss, food insecurity, housing challenges) and the simultaneous need to balance continued and new academic demands, impact will be wide-ranging. It is critical to determine the structure of the impact of this heterogeneous stressor (e.g. health concerns, pandemic worry, financial concerns) for prevention and intervention planning. Objective: Through an existing recruitment pipeline we were in a unique position to study the wide-ranging reach of this pandemic in a cohort of students for whom their university experiences were like no other cohort in history. Method: Data were collected from students who were in their third year of college during the onset of the pandemic; of the N = 1,899 in the cohort who were invited to participate in this COVID-related survey, 897 (47.2%) completed measures of impact between May and July of 2020. Results: A series of confirmatory and exploratory models were fit to examine the structure of the pandemic-related domains. Following estimation of a single-factor model, a correlated five factors model, as well as two second-order factor structures, the five correlated factors (exposure, worry, housing/food instability, social media, substance use) model was found to represent the data most appropriately, while producing an interpretable solution. Conclusions: These measurement model analyses set the stage for future research to examine how these correlated factors impact psychiatric, substance, and academic outcomes in this vulnerable population.

The Perception of the Online Teaching Process during the COVID-19 Pandemic for the Students of the Physical Education and Sports Domain

The context of the COVID-19 pandemic required the implementation of special measures to ensure the continuity and quality of teaching in higher education. The study presented here aims to identify the differences of opinion between the age categories of students in the first year of the Faculty of Physical Education and Sports in Galati, Romania, regarding teaching, learning and assessment activities on online platforms. A total of 147 students divided into three age groups (under 20 years, 20–30 years and over 30 years) filled out a questionnaire composed of items with closed and free answers, structured on four factors (attractiveness, accessibility, motivation and efficiency), after participating in the online teaching and evaluation act during the first semester of the academic year 2020–2021. Multivariate and univariate tests were applied, identifying the influence of the independent age variable on the dependent variables (aspects measured by the items of the questionnaire). Values were obtained at significant thresholds of F for some of the investigated aspects: boredom induced by online activities, stress value, participation, involvement, motivation and adaptation to the online program, usefulness and quality of teaching process, value of professional training and involvement in disruptive activities. The analysis of the differences between the average scores of the items for the pairs formed by age categories highlighted insignificant values between those under 20 and those aged 20–30, but multiple significant differences between the group of those over 30 and the other two groups. The centralization of free answers by environment (rural and urban) identified the advantages perceived by the students about the online activities (increasing the amount of free time, low financial costs, high accessibility, personal learning pace), the reported disadvantages (technical problems, low concentration, poor socialization) and contradictory proposals to improve activities (continuing online, returning to classical teaching, simplifying the subject, using video materials, involving all students in activities). The paper aims to evaluate the performance of teaching activities performed in the first year of study for the students of physical education and sports, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, involving questionnaires validated by the specialty center at the university. The analysis of the results highlighted a series of extremely important aspects that have a role in the future design of activities and courses.

For the Future Sustainable Career Development of College Students: Exploring the Impact of Core Self-Evaluation and Career Calling on Career Decision-Making Difficulty

As one of the important factors to predict future sustainable development, the difficulty of career decision-making has aroused widespread concern in psychological research. Core self-evaluation and career calling have a positive impact on college students’ career development, employees’ organizational behavior, life satisfaction, and life meaning, thus promoting individual sustainable development. Based on the Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT), this study mainly discusses the positive role of core self-evaluation and career calling in overcoming college students’ career decision-making difficulties, which provides support for strengthening theory and proposing educational countermeasures. This study investigates the relationship among core self-evaluation, career calling, and career decision-making difficulties for 483 Chinese college students. The results show that core self-evaluation positively predicts career calling, while core self-evaluation and career calling negatively predict career decision-making difficulties. Accordingly, career calling plays a partial mediating role between core self-evaluation and career decision-making difficulties. Therefore, college students’ career calling can be enhanced by improving their core self-evaluation, so as to further solve the difficulties in career decision-making. In the future, effective strategies should be taken to reduce the career decision-making difficulty for students’ sustainable development.

Mental Disorders of Bangladeshi Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review

Background

The unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic has become a global burden disrupting peoples’ quality of life. Students being an important cohort of a country, their mental health during this pandemic has been recognized as a concerning issue. Therefore, the prevalence and associated risk factors of Bangladeshi students’ mental health sufferings (ie, depression, anxiety, and stress) are systematically reviewed herein for the first time.

Methods

Adhering to the PRISMA guideline, a systematic search was performed from 1 to 5 April, 2021 in several databases including PubMed; and finally, a total of 7 articles were included to this review.

Results

The prevalence rates of mild to severe symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress ranged from 46.92% to 82.4%, 26.6% to 96.82%, and 28.5% to 70.1%, respectively. The risk factors concerning mental health problems included the factors related to (i) socio-demographic (younger age, gender, lower educational grade, urban residence, family size, currently living with family/parents, and having children in the family), (ii) behavior and health (smoking status, lack of physical exercise, more internet browsing time, and dissatisfaction with sleep), (iii) COVID-19 pandemic- (COVID-19 related symptoms, COVID-19 related perceptions, and fear of COVID-19 infection), (iv) miscellaneous (losing part-time teaching job, lack of study concentration, agitation, fear of getting assaulted or humiliated on the way to the hospital or home, financial problems, academic dissatisfaction, inadequate food supply, higher exposure to COVID-19 social and mass media, engaging with more recreational activities, and performing more household chores).

Conclusion

The overall assumption of mental disorders’ prevalence rates can be regarded as problematic to this cohort. Thus, the authorities should consider setting up possible strategies to diminish the pandemic effect on students’ mental health.

Enablers and Barriers to Online Learning among Medical Students during COVID-19 Pandemic: An Explanatory Mixed-Method Study

As the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) trajectory remains unknown, online learning (OL) has replaced face-to-face teaching strategies in education institutions. Research and training focus on harnessing educators, but less is understood at the students’ ends. This study examines the OL readiness components, self-regulation, enablers, and barriers to OL at home among medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic through an explanatory mixed-method study. We conducted a cross-sectional study with 178 students and an in-depth interview with 10 students from a public medical school in Malaysia. We found that while all students owned at least one learning device, 22.5% of the students did not have a learning space at home. 21.9% students did not have Wi-Fi access, and 11.2% did not receive mobile broadband coverage at home. Despite these barriers, students had a suitable OL self-regulation level. Significantly higher self-regulation was observed among pre-clinical year students, students with higher grades, and students who had designated learning space at home. We found that high-immediacy and low-bandwidth applications such as WhatsApp and Telegram, and YouTube as the most accessible and easiest platforms to navigate in OL. Our qualitative findings yielded a conceptual model of OL enablers at learners, educators, and institution levels. This framework may serve as one of the guides in faculty development planning and policymaking, especially in promoting a more socially inclusive OL.

The Impact of COVID 19 on University Staff and Students from Iberoamerica: Online Learning and Teaching Experience

(1) Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has created a great impact on mental health in society. Considering the little attention paid by scientific studies to either students or university staff during lockdown, the current study has two aims: (a) to analyze the evolution of mental health and (b) to identify predictors of educational/professional experience and online learning/teaching experience. (2) Methods: 1084 university students and 554 staff in total from four different countries (Spain, Colombia, Chile and Nicaragua) participated in the study, affiliated with nine different universities, four of them Spanish and one of which was online. We used an online survey known as LockedDown, which consists of 82 items, analyzed with classical multiple regression analyses and machine learning techniques. (3) Results: Stress level and feelings of anxiety and depression of students and staff either increased or remained over the weeks. A better online learning experience for university students was associated with the age, perception of the experience as beneficial and support of the university. (4) Conclusions: The study has shown evidence of the emotional impact and quality of life for both students and staff. For students, the evolution of feelings of anxiety and depression, as well as the support offered by the university affected the educational experience and online learning. For staff who experienced a positive professional experience, with access to services and products, the quality-of-life levels were maintained.

Psychological Impact of COVID-19 on College Students After School Reopening: A Cross-Sectional Study Based on Machine Learning

COVID-19, the most severe public health problem to occur in the past 10 years, has greatly impacted people's mental health. Colleges in China have reopened, and how to prevent college students from suffering secondary damage due to school reopening remains elusive. This cross-sectional study was aimed to evaluate the psychological impact of COVID-19 after school reopening and explore via machine learning the factors that influence anxiety and depression among students. Among the 478 valid online questionnaires collected between September 14th and September 20th, 74 (15.5%) showed symptoms of anxiety (by the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale), and 155 (32.4%) showed symptoms of depression (by Patient Health Questionnaire-9). Descriptive analysis of basic personal characteristics indicated that students at a higher grade, having relatives or friends who have been infected, fearing being infected, and having a pessimistic attitude to COVID-19 easily experience anxiety or depression. The Synthetic Minority Oversampling Technique (SMOTE) was utilized to counteract the imbalance of retrieved data. The Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) and multivariate logistic regression were performed to explore significant influence factors. The results indicate that exercise frequency, alcohol use, school reopening, having relatives or friends who have been infected, self-quarantine, quarantine of classmates, taking temperature routinely, wearing masks routinely, sleep quality, retaining holiday, availability of package delivery, take-out availability, lockdown restriction, several areas in school closed due to COVID-19, living conditions in the school, taking the final examinations after school reopening, and the degree to which family economic status is influenced by COVID-19 are the primary influence factors for anxiety or depression. To evaluate the effect of our model, we used 5-fold cross-validation, and the average area under the curve (AUC) values of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves of anxiety and depression on the test set reached 0.885 and 0.806, respectively. To conclude, we examined the presence of anxiety and depression symptoms among Chinese college students after school reopening and explored many factors influencing students' mental health, providing reasonable school management suggestions.

Mindfulness and Other Simple Neuroscience-Based Proposals to Promote the Learning Performance and Mental Health of Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on education. The restrictions imposed have undoubtedly led to impairment of the psychological well-being of both teachers and students, and of the way they experience interpersonal relationships. As reported previously in the literature, adverse effects such as loneliness, anxiety, and stress have resulted in a decrease in the cognitive performance of school and higher education students. Therefore, the objective of this work is to present a general overview of the reported adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic which may potentially influence the learning performance of students. Some neuroscientific findings related to memory and cognition, such as neuroplasticity and long-term potentiation, are also shown. We also discuss the positive effects of the practice of mindfulness, as well as other simple recommendations based on neuroscientific findings such as restful sleep, physical activity, and nutrition, which can act on memory and cognition. Finally, we propose some practical recommendations on how to achieve more effective student learning in the context of the pandemic. The aim of this review is to provide some assistance in this changing and uncertain situation in which we all find ourselves, and we hope that some of the information could serve as a starting point for hypotheses to be tested in educational research and their association with neuroscience.

Effects of COVID-19 Pandemic on University Students’ Learning

The risk of COVID-19 in higher education has affected all its degrees and forms of training. To assess the impact of the pandemic on the learning of university students, a new reference framework for educational data processing was proposed. The framework unifies the steps of analysis of COVID-19 effects on the higher education institutions in different countries and periods of the pandemic. It comprises both classical statistical methods and modern intelligent methods: machine learning, multi-criteria decision making and big data with symmetric and asymmetric information. The new framework has been tested to analyse a dataset collected from a university students’ survey, which was conducted during the second wave of COVID-19 at the end of 2020. The main tasks of this research are as follows: (1) evaluate the attitude and the readiness of students in regard to distance learning during the lockdown; (2) clarify the difficulties, the possible changes and the future expectations from distance learning in the next few months; (3) propose recommendations and measures for improving the higher education environment. After data analysis, the conclusions are drawn and recommendations are made for enhancement of the quality of distance learning of university students.

The Psychological and Academic Effects of Studying From the Home and Host Country During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Objective: This study explored the psychological and academic effects of studying online from the home vis-à-vis host country during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in the experience of international students at the University of Warsaw, Poland. Methods: A total of 357 international students from 62 countries (236 in the host country and 121 in the home country) completed an online questionnaire survey 2 months after transition to online learning. We studied students' levels of loneliness, life and academic satisfaction, acculturative stress, academic adjustment, performance, loyalty, and perceptions of the online learning experience. Results: The country-of-residence variable had no statistically significant effects on most psychological and academic variables. Significant effects were observed only for two academic variables. Specifically, students who returned to the home country found online communication with other students more contributing to their online learning experience and exhibited higher academic adjustment than students who remained in the host country. This suggests the positive influence of (peer and familial) support on online learning experience from the home country. Furthermore, a significant difference in experiencing acculturative stress occurred for students in quarantine/self-isolation in the host country, which expands prior literature on the disruptive effects of social distancing on students' mental health. Finally, this study confirmed the expected increased levels of loneliness among self-isolating students in both countries, hence extending prior results to the home- and host-country contexts. No relationship between self-isolation and students' life or academic satisfaction was found, which is explained by the specific nature of the learning-from-home experience.

The mediating role of daytime sleepiness between problematic smartphone use and post-traumatic symptoms in COVID-19 home-refined adolescents

Background

COVID-19 was first recognized in late 2019 in China, at which time school closures forced most students to isolate at home or maintain social distance, both of which increased smartphone use, daytime sleepiness and post traumatic disorder (PTSD) risks. However, to date, no research has fully explored these behavioral risks or the consequences.

Methods

Two thousand and ninety home-confined students from two Chinese high schools participated in an online-based questionnaire battery that assessed their sociodemographic characteristics, COVID-19 related exposures, daytime sleepiness, problematic smartphone use, and PTSD. The subsequent data were subjected to mediation analysis, and structural equation models (SEM) were employed to explore the variable relationships.

Results

The problematic smartphone use, daytime sleepiness and PTSD prevalence were respectively 16.4%, 20.2% and 6.9%. The number of COVID-19 related exposure was directly associated with problematic smartphone use and PTSD symptoms. Problematic smartphone use was found to be a mediator between COVID-19 related exposure and PTSD symptoms, and daytime sleepiness was found to partially mediate the associations between problematic smartphone use and PTSD.

Conclusions

The more exposure associated with the pandemic, the more psychological and behavioral problems the adolescents had. The relatively high rate of problematic smartphone use in home isolated adolescents possibly increased the risk of daytime sleepiness and psychological problems. Therefore, targeted improvements are needed to reduce the risk of psychological problems and daytime sleepiness in adolescents.

Prevalence of anxiety and depression during COVID-19 pandemic among healthcare students in Jordan and its effect on their learning process: A national survey

RATIONAL

During pandemics, including the most recent COVID-19 pandemic, the mental health of university healthcare students' is expected to be affected negatively, impacting the students' learning process.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to assess the level of anxiety and depression of healthcare students living in Jordan, and the effect on their learning process during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted via an online survey completed by students studying a healthcare-oriented degree in a university in Jordan. Participants were recruited through social media (Facebook and WhatsApp). The validated previously published Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) questionnaire was used as a part of the online survey to assess students' anxiety/depression scores. Students' responses regarding their learning process during the COVID-19 was also assessed.

RESULTS

The mean age of participants was 21.62 (SD = 4.90), with the majority being females (67.1%). The HADs' assessment revealed that 43.8% and 40.0% of participants had normal anxiety and depression scores, while 22.4% showed borderline abnormal anxiety/depression scores (33.8%). Many students (33.8%) were classified to have abnormal anxiety scores, while a smaller proportion (26.2%) was classified to have abnormal depression scores. Smoking (p = 0.022), lower family income (p = 0.039), and use of medications (p = 0.032) were positively associated with higher (worse) anxiety scores. Ranking the learning process during COVID-19 showed that 45.8% of the participants believed it was a 'good/very good/excellent' process.

CONCLUSIONS

Anxiety and depression levels amongst university healthcare students in Jordan were found to be high when assessed during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, the learning process during the pandemic was not accepted by more than half of the students. Implementing psychological interventions for healthcare students during pandemics is strongly recommended in order to optimize students' mental health and their learning process alike.

Estimating the prevalence of stress among Indian students during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study from India

OBJECTIVE

Since December 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic has posed a substantial threat with its associated high mortality, infection, and risk of psychological stress. A large number of students are affected because of a prolonged break from academic activities and staying at home. The focus of this study is to understand the stress levels of Indian students, any psychological imbalances, and their major hurdles during the COVID-19 lockdown.

METHODS

Using a snowball sampling method, an online survey of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) was conducted on students across India. Along with their demographic details, the participants also reported their study patterns and challenges during their confinement period. The statistical scores for the responses were calculated and the demographic variables analysed. The levels indicated by the PSS were compared, and variance and regression analyses were performed.

RESULTS

We observed that students were generally stressed during lockdown and the pandemic. Females (mean = 3.03) were more stressed than males (mean = 2.61) as they were constantly under pressure because of stressful life events (OR = 0.752, 95% CI = 2.425-310.642) and apprehensive about their studies (RII = 0.67, OR = 2.168, 95% CI = 0.332-6.691).

CONCLUSION

During the pandemic, students' mental health needs to be continually monitored as they are stressed owing to fear as well as about their studies and future careers.

A multi-tiered systems of support blueprint for re-opening schools following COVID-19 shutdown

The COVID-19 pandemic will create enormous disruptions for youth and families with respect to economic and health status, social relationships, and education for years to come. The process of closing and intermittently reopening schools adds to this disruption and creates confusion for parents and school officials who must balance student educational progress with health and safety concerns. One framework that may serve as a roadmap in this regard is a multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) model. This article briefly addresses four main domains of functioning (adjustment, traumatic stress, academic status, health and safety) across three tiers of support (universal, targeted, intensive). Each section draws on existing literature bases to provide specific recommendations for school officials who must address various and changing logistical, academic, and health-based challenges. The recommendations are designed to be flexible given fluctuations in the current crisis as well as focused on maximum-value targets. An MTSS approach adapted for contemporary circumstances can also be used to help address longstanding disparities that have been laid bare by the pandemic.

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice About Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Pandemic and Its Psychological Impact on Students and Their Studies: A Cross-Sectional Study Among Pharmacy Students in Saudi Arabia

Background

Individuals’ knowledge, attitude and practice towards preventive and precautionary measures of COVID-19 are essential to control the spread of the disease. Consequently, the aims of the study were to evaluate knowledge, attitude and practice of pharmacy students towards the pandemic and to assess its psychological impact on them to provide future guidance.

Methods

A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was conducted via a web-based survey in May 2020. All pharmacy students enrolled at Unaizah College of Pharmacy, Qassim University, were invited to take part in the study.

Results

A total of 232 out of 460 students took part in the study, giving a response rate of 50.43%. The mean total knowledge score was 9.87 ± 2.04 (maximum attainable score, 12). The majority of the participants (n=163; 70.3%) believed COVID-19 is a health threat to their community in the early months of the pandemic. Moreover, the majority (93%) also believed that the lockdown at the beginning of the pandemic was necessary to contain the pandemic. Encouragingly, 86.6% reported that they did not go to any crowded places during the pandemic with more female students avoiding crowded places compared to male students (91.6% versus 78.7%, respectively, P = 0.005). The majority (91%) also reported that they were following the strategies recommended by the authorities to prevent the spread of the virus. Encouragingly, 54.3% reported that the pandemic either had no effect or just a limited effect on their studies. However, 38.5% reported that they always felt or frequently felt nervous or anxious during the pandemic.

Conclusion

The study showed that pharmacy students had good knowledge as well as positive attitudes and good practices towards COVID-19 and the preventive measures. However, during the early months, the pandemic did have a negative psychological impact on a number of students. Consequently, proactive psychological and social support services to the students should be considered during the current and future pandemics. In addition, it is important to consider and proactively address key issues that could cause stress and anxiety among students when shifting to distance learning and assessments.

Increased Screen Use on Days With Increased Perceived COVID-19-Related Confinements-A Day Level Ecological Momentary Assessment Study

Introduction: Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) quickly evolved into a global pandemic in early 2020, and most countries enforced social confinements to reduce transmission. This seems to dovetail with increasing, potentially problematic, screen use habits, such as gaming and "binge-watching." Yet, the subjective experience of the common confinements may vary not only between individuals depending on age, sex, and living conditions (i.e., living alone) but also within individuals from day to day: confinements might interfere with habitual activity schedules more strongly on some days than on others. Such dynamic confinement experience has not been studied in relation to screen use yet but might guide targeted intervention. Method: In total, 102 participants (n = 83 female, n = 80 university students) completed 14 days of ecological momentary assessment during a COVID-19-related lockdown in Germany and Austria. Each evening, they indicated the extent to which they felt restricted by confinements in their social and work lives and whether they engaged in unusually high and intense levels of television watching, social media use, news consumption, internet surfing, and gaming. They also reported on how much they experienced their day to be structured. Results: Experienced work confinements were positively associated with social media usage. Further, work confinements were positively associated with gaming in males and with news consumption, especially in individuals living alone. Social confinements were positively associated with watching television especially in younger participants and with social media consumption in younger participants. Higher experienced day structure was related to less television watching, gaming, and internet surfing but more news consumption. Discussion: Screen use behaviors increased with higher confinements within person, dependent on sex, age, and living situation. Such knowledge allows tailoring on the person level (who should be addressed?) and the time level (when should interventions be scheduled?) as the negative consequences of excessive screen use behaviors on mental and physical health are well-documented. One potential low-threshold intervention might be day-structuring.

COVID-19 and its impact on education, social life and mental health of students: A survey

The outbreak of COVID-19 affected the lives of all sections of society as people were asked to self-quarantine in their homes to prevent the spread of the virus. The lockdown had serious implications on mental health, resulting in psychological problems including frustration, stress, and depression. In order to explore the impacts of this pandemic on the lives of students, we conducted a survey of a total of 1182 individuals of different age groups from various educational institutes in Delhi - National Capital Region (NCR), India. The article identified the following as the impact of COVID-19 on the students of different age groups: time spent on online classes and self-study, medium used for learning, sleeping habits, daily fitness routine, and the subsequent effects on weight, social life, and mental health. Moreover, our research found that in order to deal with stress and anxiety, participants adopted different coping mechanisms and also sought help from their near ones. Further, the research examined the student's engagement on social media platforms among different age categories. This study suggests that public authorities should take all the necessary measures to enhance the learning experience by mitigating the negative impacts caused due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Emergency Online Learning in Low-Resource Settings: Effective Student Engagement Strategies

We aim to identify the engagement strategies that higher education students, engaging in emergency online learning in low-resource settings, perceive to be effective. We conducted a sequential mixed-methods study based on Moore’s interaction framework for distance education. We administered a questionnaire to 313 students engaging in emergency online learning in low-resource settings to examine their perceptions of different engagement strategies. Our results showed that student–content engagement strategies, e.g., screen sharing, summaries, and class recordings, are perceived as the most effective, closely followed by student–teacher strategies, e.g., Q and A sessions and reminders. Student–student strategies, e.g., group chat and collaborative work, are perceived as the least effective. The perceived effectiveness of engagement strategies varies based on the students’ gender and technology access. To support instructors, instructional designers, and researchers, we propose a 10-level guide for engaging students during emergency online classes in low-resource settings.

Students' online learning challenges during the pandemic and how they cope with them: The case of the Philippines

Recently, the education system has faced an unprecedented health crisis that has shaken up its foundation. Given today's uncertainties, it is vital to gain a nuanced understanding of students' online learning experience in times of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although many studies have investigated this area, limited information is available regarding the challenges and the specific strategies that students employ to overcome them. Thus, this study attempts to fill in the void. Using a mixed-methods approach, the findings revealed that the online learning challenges of college students varied in terms of type and extent. Their greatest challenge was linked to their learning environment at home, while their least challenge was technological literacy and competency. The findings further revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic had the greatest impact on the quality of the learning experience and students' mental health. In terms of strategies employed by students, the most frequently used were resource management and utilization, help-seeking, technical aptitude enhancement, time management, and learning environment control. Implications for classroom practice, policy-making, and future research are discussed.

Remaining motivated despite the limitations: University students' learning propensity during the COVID-19 pandemic

This study explored how university students remained motivated to learn, despite all the limitations they encountered and endured during the COVID-19 pandemic. This work was carried out in Indonesia, but the benefits are beyond a state boundary. The study examines how university students in developing countries have faced obstacles, and yet despite this, they are still trying their hardest to stay focused on achieving their personal goals during the pandemic. This research employed a qualitative phenomenological approach, involving eighty students that were studying at the Faculty of Education at a state university in Jakarta, Indonesia. As data collection techniques, students were asked to write learning log diaries and reflective essays and to participate in an online focus group discussion. The results showed that the students' motivation to remain learning during the COVID-19 pandemic fell into three key themes, each with associated sub-themes. The three themes and sub-themes described were: (a) personal, with sub-themes of challenge, curiosity, self-determination, satisfaction and religious commitment; (b) social, with sub-themes of relationships, inspiration, and well-being of self and others; and (c) environmental, with sub-themes of facilities and conditioning. The themes and sub-themes indicate the source of motivation for these university students to learn during the pandemic. This study concluded that these emerging adults were both intrinsically and extrinsically autonomously motivated and committed to their studies. Most of these students were motivated by their consequential aspirations, not by a controlled motivation, nor were they motivated by a reward, a penalty, or a rule that propelled them. By defining how the students managed to empower themselves, this study recommends the importance of preparing students to be more resilient and to enable them to cultivate the ability to remain optimistic and motivated to succeed and overcome any of life's adversities.

The reverse buffering effects of social support on the relationships between stresses and mental health: a survey of Chinese adults during the COVID-19 lockdown

BACKGROUND

People lived through different types of stresses during the COVID-19 pandemic, and stresses from different sources are believed to associate differently with mental health.

OBJECTIVES

The current study aims to examine the relationship between types of stresses and mental health among the general Chinese adult population, and further explore the moderating role of social support in these relationships.

METHODS

This study was conducted from 1 to 10 February 2020, and 2441 participants were recruited through an online cross-sectional survey from 31 provinces in China. We used multiple linear regression analyses to examine the associations among stresses' types, social support, and mental health.

RESULTS

The study revealed that all types of stresses were associated with more mental health symptoms. Stresses from lockdown policy presented stronger associations with mental health symptoms (Beta = 0.387 for depressive symptoms and Beta = 0.385 for post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS)) than stresses from pandemic fear (Beta = 0.195 for depressive symptoms and Beta = 0.221 for PTSS). Moreover, greater social support enhanced the positive associations between stresses and mental health symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

Stresses from lockdown policies during the early stage of the COVID-19 epidemic are worthy of more attention. We urge more interventions are required to reduce the side-effect of lockdown policies, and also discuss implications for mental health promotion.

Why learning space matters: a script approach to the phenomena of learning in the emergency remote learning scenario

The study focuses on how the notion of learning space is perceived and experienced by learners in the Emergency Remote Learning (ERL) scenario. In doing so, the lived experiences of remote learners who were abruptly shifted to a completely online learning space due to the pandemic COVID-19 in the Indian higher education system are documented. Online interviews were conducted with eight undergraduate and four postgraduate students of English and Cultural Studies, enrolled at a Southern Indian university, and their responses were explicated using the Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) approach. The interviews revealed that the phenomenon of ERL is shaped by dissonance informed by the absence of a familiar learning space. Often the patterns of this dissonance were marked by (1) the perception of learning and learning space, (2) the lack of intimacy in learning and learning space, (3) the negotiations made for learning and the space of learning in ERL, and (4) the challenges to cope with the responsibilities of the ERL scenario. Further, the script approach was applied to analyse the data and the analysis revealed an expansion of the existing internal scripts that were based on previous learning experiences of the learners. The study thus establishes the centrality of space in the process of learning and points out how the lack of a familiar learning space is linked to the absence of internal scripts that considerably impact learning. The study concludes by discussing the possibilities of application of script approach to effectively incorporate the aspect of learning space in new pedagogies and learning models as Blended Learning (BL) and Online Learning (OL) become the new normal worldwide.

Multi-sectoral impact assessment during the 1st wave of COVID-19 pandemic in West Bengal (India) for sustainable planning and management

With the advancement of globalisation, urbanisation and environmental change, the outbreak of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), as an infectious disease, has become a global threat. The entire world is continuously trying to adapt to the pandemic situation due to the sudden outbreak of COVID-19 and the lockdown phase, which has not been faced before. The fear of infection by such an unknown virus and the epidemic transformed the built-up environment and impacted various sectors of lives and livelihoods, which must be assessed in spatial perspectives. The objective of this research is to assess the multi-sectoral impact due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, it is designed to inspect seven essential sectors, namely, the economy, employment, education, transport, travel and tourism, health and environment sector-wise impact assessment of the West Bengal state of India. Taking the required COVID-19 data from the government website of India (http://www.covid19india.org; https://www.mygov.in/corona-data/covid19-statewise-status) and West Bengal (https://covidindia.org/west-bengal), a methodology is proposed on an integrated framework for the multi-sectoral impact assessment. The study concentrates on West Bengal, as no study exists on the multi-sectoral impact assessment due to the COVID-19 pandemic during the 1st wave, especially using the geospatial platform. The economy, employment, education, transport, health, tourism and environment multi-sectors of West Bengal are selected in this research, as these sectors have built the economic, sociocultural and environmental pillars of the state. All these sectors have been seriously affected, and the nature of the impact is diverse and large. Before the vaccine comes into the hands of the common people of West Bengal and in a broad sense in India, the awareness should be increased at the grass-root level to fight against the pandemic situation and even after the post-COVID era. The application of geospatial technology used for the mapping and analysis of COVID-19 affects the related database to tease out the multidimensional study, which aims to plan future road maps, search for answers and learn to add further security to overcome the future virus attack.

Exploring the determinants of students' academic performance at university level: The mediating role of internet usage continuance intention

This study investigates the impact of integrating essential factors on academic performance in university students' context. The proposed model examines the influence of continuance intention, satisfaction, information value, and Internet addiction on academic performance. Additionally, it investigates the mediating role of continuance intention on the relationship of satisfaction and information value on academic performance among university students. A survey questionnaire method was adopted to collect data from university students in Jordan. Data was collected from 476 voluntary participants, and the analysis was conducted using SPSS and AMOS. The analysis results show that continuance intention, satisfaction, information value have a significant positive influence on academic performance. Besides, the results show that satisfaction and information value positively and significantly influence continuance intention. While continuance intention full mediation the relationship between satisfaction and academic performance, it partial mediation the relationship between information value and academic performance. This study is the first to examine the integrating of continuance intention, satisfaction, information value, and Internet addiction on students' academic performance. Furthermore, this study is also distinguished from other studies by investigating the mediating role of continuance intention gap.

Psycho-social and behavioural impact of COVID 19 on young adults: Qualitative research comprising focused group discussion and in-depth interviews

A qualitative study comprising eight focus group discussions and two in-depth interviews were conducted to explore the social and behavioural changes in young adults during COVID pandemic. Common themes identified were changes in interpersonal and intrapersonal relationships, changes in health-related behaviour, lifestyle modifications and impact on academic and professional life.

Demographic, gadget and internet profiles as determinants of disease and consequence related COVID-19 anxiety among Filipino college students

In the context of the nationwide shift to online learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its possible effect on mental health, this study investigated the relationship between demographic, gadget and Internet profiles, and disease and consequence related COVID-19 anxiety among Filipino college students. This is a quantitative cross-sectional study. A total of 952 students participated in the online survey. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to draw insights from the data. Findings suggest that majority of the student respondents had high levels of disease and consequence related COVID-19 anxiety. Students from poorer households, who do not own laptops and desktop computers, and those with limited Internet connection exhibited higher levels of disease-related COVID-19 anxiety. Younger, poorer, female students who were enrolled in lower year levels, do not own laptops or tablets, and have limited or borrowed Internet connectivity demonstrated higher levels of consequence-related COVID-19 anxiety.

Online Teaching Experience during the COVID-19 in Pakistan: Pedagogy–Technology Balance and Student Engagement

This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of university teachers who participated in online teaching for the first time during the COVID-19 pandemic. A qualitative method of data collection and inductive thematic analysis were used. The data were collected through a semistructured interview from 11 faculty members who teach in various universities in Pakistan. The analysis presented five themes of the online teaching experience: culture and gender-related issues, teaching effectiveness, challenges in online teaching, coping strategies, and faculty’s’ post-COVID-19 perceptions. The findings reflect that the faculty prioritized to focus on immediate online instructional matters in the wake of the pandemic with a lack of emphasis on global practices for online learning. Experienced and young faculty reported disparities in striking a balance between pedagogy and technology. Moreover, despite the limitations, the experience itself prepared the faculty for a blended learning approach and increased their awareness of global and future challenges. The implications were reported based on the findings.

Musculoskeletal Pain and Non-Classroom Teaching in Times of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Analysis of the Impact on Students from Two Spanish Universities

The lockdown, due to the coronavirus, has led to a change in lifestyle and physical activity in Spanish university students. The objective of this study was to analyze the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain and changes in physical activity and self-perceived stress in the student bodies of two Spanish Universities during the lockdown. A cross-sectional study was carried out in a sample of 1198 students (70.6% women). The main instruments used for measuring were the Standardized Kuorinka Modified Nordic Questionnaire and the Perceived stress scale (the questionnaire regarding the practice of physical activity). A reduction in the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain (p < 0.001) was identified in the sample of men and women, an increase (12.5%) in the frequency of carrying out physical activity from moderate to frequent, and the preference for strength training (15.1%), especially among women, was identified. All of this may be taken into account by health institutions when implementing measures to encourage physical activity in both suitable amounts and types, which improves the quality of life of the students.

Are child and youth population at lower risk of COVID-19 fatalities? Evidences from South-East Asian and European countries

BACKGROUND

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has revealed many lacunas of public health preparedness, especially in lower and middle-income countries and fatality differentials between European and South-East Asian countries. The case fatality rate (CFR) in most of the South-East Asian countries is much lower than the European countries. The percentages of child and youth population are more in South-East countries.

OBJECTIVE

The study aims to show the impacts of age composition on fatality differentials in European and South-East Asian countries by age-structure, especially the percentage share of child and youth population.

DATA AND METHODS

This study has been done based on data provided by UNDP, WHO and worldometers. The case fatality rate (CFR) has been calculated to find out the mortality differentials of countries, and the higher fatality risk countries have been identified by the composite Z score technique.

RESULTS

It is revealed that the COVID-19 case fatality rates are substantially high in highly developed countries of the European countries compared to the South-East Asian countries. Our study shows that there is an issue of child and youth population which affects the lower CFR in SE Asian countries. In France, the CFR was 16.72% which was nearly 7 times more than India (2.31%). The COVID-19 fatality risk ratio was highest in Germany (0.77) while the lowest risk ratio was observed in Bangladesh (-0.71).

CONCLUSION

Despite of having a very high level of human development and preparedness, the current pandemic COVID-19 has revealed that there exist significant differentials among fatality status of European and South-East Asian countries. The CFR is lower in the SE Asian countries where the child and youth population are more than the older population.

Mental health outcomes during the COVID-19 and perceptions towards the pandemic: Findings from a cross sectional study among Bangladeshi students

Although the COVID-19 pandemic triggered commination on both physical and mental wellbeing since its outbreak, the impact of the pandemic on mental health difficulties among Bangladeshi students is still lack in substantial evidence. The study aimed to explore such an impact on mental health among Bangladeshi students and their perception towards the COVID-19 pandemic. A web-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 589 students from Bangladesh in between April 29th to 7th May 2020. Data was collected by using an online questionnaire on demographic status, perceptions towards COVID-19, and mental health symptoms by using the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS 21). About 26.66% and 61.97% of students reported mild to extremely severe anxiety symptoms, and depressive symptoms, respectively, and 57.05% reported mild to extremely severe levels of stress. Multivariate logistic regression reported that students' age, gender, family income, residence, and family size are associated with mental health difficulties. Negative perceptions on the effect of the pandemic on life events, mental health, disruptions in education, and health care system, existing physical health conditions, and COVID-19 like symptoms were significantly associated with poor mental outcomes. It is suggested that students' mental health difficulties should be monitored to provide adequate support and services during this ongoing pandemic.

Conventional to online education during COVID-19 pandemic: Do develop and underdeveloped nations cope alike

BACKGROUND

Educational institutes around the globe are facing challenges of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Online learning is being carried out to avoid face to face contact in emergency scenarios such as coronavirus infectious disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Students need to adapt to new roles of learning through information technology to succeed in academics amid COVID-19.

OBJECTIVE

However, access and use of online learning resources and its link with satisfaction of students amid COVID-19 are critical to explore. Therefore, in this paper, we aimed to assess and compare the access & use of online learning of Bruneians and Pakistanis amid enforced lockdown using a five-items satisfaction scale underlying existing literature.

METHOD

For this, a cross-sectional study was done in the first half of June 2020 after the pandemic situation among 320 students' across Pakistan and Brunei with a pre-defined questionnaire. Data were analyzed with statistical software package for social sciences (SPSS) 2.0.

RESULTS

The finding showed that there is a relationship between students' satisfaction and access & use of online learning. Outcomes of the survey suggest that Bruneian are more satisfied (50%) with the use of online learning amid lockdown as compared to Pakistanis (35.9%). Living in the Urban area as compared to a rural area is also a major factor contributing to satisfaction with the access and use of online learning for both Bruneian and Pakistanis. Moreover, previous experience with the use of online learning is observed prevalent among Bruneians (P = .000), while among friends and family is using online learning (P = .000) were encouraging factors contributed to satisfaction with the use of online learning among Pakistanis amid COVID-19. Correlation results suggest that access and use factors of online learning amid COVID-19 were positively associated with satisfaction among both populations amid COVID-19 pandemic. However, Bruneian is more satisfied with internet access (r = 0.437, P < .000) and affordability of gadgets (r = 0.577, P < .000) as compare to Pakistanis (r = 0.176, P < .050) and (r = 0.152, P < .050).

CONCLUSION

The study suggested that it is crucial for the government and other policymakers worldwide to address access and use of online learning resources of their populace amid pandemic.

Perceived usability evaluation of Microsoft Teams as an online learning platform during COVID-19 using system usability scale and technology acceptance model in India

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a physical shutdown of all types of educational institutes worldwide due to which the education delivery has now shifted to an "online only" exclusivity model. In this perspective, perceived usability of the online learning platforms that are currently being used is an important aspect, especially due to the absence of any physical classes. In this work Microsoft Teams is used as the reference platform for which the perceived usability is evaluated. For the evaluation purpose a dual strategy is followed by using the System Usability Scale (SUS), which is a Human Computer Interaction (HCI) based approach, and the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), which is an Information Systems (IS) based approach. Although both these instruments are popular in their respective domains, yet they have not been considered simultaneously in one work for the purpose of usability evaluation. By doing so, this work attempts to streamline and unify the process of usability evaluation. Results that are obtained from a large-scale survey of university students show the similarity and equivalency between the two methodologies, with the Perceived Ease of Use (PEOU) construct of TAM having greater similarity with SUS. Moreover, this work also considers the digital-divide aspect (mobile vs. web environment) that is prevalent particularly in developing countries like India, and whether it has any effect on the perceived usability. Results show that the consumption platform does not have any effect on the usability aspect.

Lockdown and unlock for the COVID-19 pandemic and associated residential mobility in India

BACKGROUND

As an outcome of the Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the countrywide lockdown and unlock periods altered residential mobility trends in India. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown and unlock periods on residential mobility trends, using the spatial time-series daily changes across the different states and union territories of India.

DATA AND METHODS

This study was based on time-series data of the daily percentage change in residential mobility from baseline in India. Conditional formatting techniques, box plotting, time-series trends plotting methods, and spatial kriging interpolation mapping techniques were employed to show residential mobility trends.

RESULTS

Increases in residential mobility of approximately 31.5%, 30.8%, 26.2%, 23%, 17.6%, and 18.2% from the pre-lockdown period were observed during lockdown phase 1, phase 2, phase 3, and phase 4, unlock 1.0, and unlock 2.0, respectively, in India. This was due to people moving towards home or their place of residence during the COVID-19 pandemic in India. From the time lockdown was initiated up until July 31, 2020, residential mobility increased the least in the north-eastern states of India and also the eastern and extreme northern states of India.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study could be used in public health strategies towards decreasing the spread of COVID-19.

Designing teacher professional development programs to support a rapid shift to digital

From a design perspective, this paper offers a response to the impact, value, and application of a manuscript published by Philipsen et al. (Improving teacher professional development for online and blended learning: A systematic meta-aggregative review. Educational Technology and Research Development, 67, 1145-1174. 10.1007/s11423-019-09645-8, 2019). Philipsen et al. (2019) reviewed what constitutes an effective teacher professional development program (TPD) for online and blended learning (OBL), with our response focusing on its value and application in light of an emergency shift to digital to address a global pandemic. This paper also proceeds to examine limitations in previous research into the subject and future research opportunities to investigate important components that inform the design of a resilient and scalable TPD for OBL.

Impact of "e-Learning crack-up" perception on psychological distress among college students during COVID-19 pandemic: A mediating role of "fear of academic year loss"

While literature reveals the positive perception of e-Learning, this study examined and assessed the impact of e-Learning crack-up perceptions on psychological distress among college students during COVID-19 pandemic. Kessler psychological distress scale (K10) was used to evaluate stress symptoms. This study first conducted an online focus group discussion (OFGD) with the target population to develop the scale of "e-Learning crack-up" and "fear of academic year loss". Afterward, a questionnaire was developed based on OFGD findings. An online survey was conducted amongst college students in Bangladesh using a purposive sampling technique. Results show that "e-Learning crack-up" perception has a significant positive impact on student's psychological distress, and fear of academic year loss is the crucial factor that is responsible for psychological distress during COVID-19 lockdown. This study can provide an understanding of how "e-Learning crack-up" and "Fear of academic year loss" influence college students' mental health. Theoretically, this study extends and validated the scope of Kessler's psychological distress scale with two new contexts. Practically, this study will help the government and policymakers identify the student's mental well-being and take more appropriate action to address these issues.

Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Life of Higher Education Students: A Global Perspective

The paper presents the most comprehensive and large-scale study to date on how students perceive the impacts of the first wave of COVID-19 crisis in early 2020 on various aspects of their lives on a global level. With a sample of 30,383 students from 62 countries, the study reveals that amid the worldwide lockdown and transition to online learning students were most satisfied with the support provided by teaching staff and their universities’ public relations. Still, deficient computer skills and the perception of a higher workload prevented them from perceiving their own improved performance in the new teaching environment. Students were mainly concerned about issues to do with their future professional career and studies, and experienced boredom, anxiety, and frustration. The pandemic has led to the adoption of particular hygienic behaviours (e.g., wearing masks, washing hands) and discouraged certain daily practices (e.g., leaving home, shaking hands). Students were also more satisfied with the role played by hospitals and universities during the epidemic compared to the governments and banks. The findings also show that students with certain socio-demographic characteristics (male, part-time, first-level, applied sciences, a lower living standard, from Africa or Asia) were significantly less satisfied with their academic work/life during the crisis, whereas female, full-time, first-level students and students faced with financial problems were generally affected more by the pandemic in terms of their emotional life and personal circumstances. Key factors influencing students’ satisfaction with the role of their university are also identified. Policymakers and higher education institutions around the world may benefit from these findings while formulating policy recommendations and strategies to support students during this and any future pandemics.