Teaching in the Time of COVID:

What Makes a Difference?

Barbara Means
Presentation for the ASU REMOTE Summit
July 13-14, 2020
Research Questions

§ How did students access their courses post-COVID?

§ How do students’ experiences with their courses “post-COVID” compare
with experiences prior to the move to remote learning?
§ Which challenges to learning online are more prevalent among low-
income, underrepresented minority, and rural students compared to other
students?
§ What online instruction practices do students perceive as contributing to
their engagement and learning?
§ To what extent do different types of prior digital learning experiences or
other variables mitigate the challenges associated with the transition to
remote learning?
Student Perceptions of Remote Teaching and Learning

National survey of 1,008 undergraduates who were taking

college courses that began with in-class meetings and
transitioned to entirely remote instruction.

• Student sample obtained from the Ipsos Knowledge Panel

with 65,000 registrants
• Panel construction and sampling provide nationally
representative data and support valid statistical comparisons

• Survey conducted May 13 – June 1

• Survey respondents about 30% from 2-year institutions and
70% from 4-year
Common Features of Post-COVID Instruction

Used pre-recorded videos from other - Recordings of the instructors’ lectures

55% sources (e.g., YouTube, digital materials

coming with textbook) 60% - Instructor lecturing in synchronous
sessions

50% 100%
~66%
- Included synchronous
sessions where
students could ask
questions and hold
discussions

- Offered liberal pass/fail

or credit/no credit
option after COVID
Challenges
Students
Reported
Severity of Challenges Post-COVID
Staying motivated to do well 42% 37% 20%
in the course

Finding a quiet place where 20% 35% 44%

you could do the course online

Fitting the course in with 17% 37% 45%

your home/family resposnsibilities Major problem
Minor problem
Not knowing where to get help Not a problem
16% 38% 45%
with the course

Feeling too unwell, physically 14% 31% 54%

or emotionally, to participate

Fitting the course in with your work 8% 23% 68%

schedule, if you work for pay

0 25 50 75 100
Percent of Students
Severity of Challenges Post-COVID
Staying motivated to do well 42% 37% 20%
in the course

Finding a quiet place where 20% 35% 44%

you could do the course online

Fitting the course in with 17% 37% 45%

your home/family resposnsibilities Major problem
Minor problem
Not knowing where to get help Not a problem
16% 38% 45%
with the course

Feeling too unwell, physically Higher proportions of Hispanic students

14% 31% 54%
or emotionally, to participate than of non-Hispanic White students
cited each of these challenges
Fitting the course in with your work 8% 23% EXCEPT 68%staying motivated.
schedule, if you work for pay

0 25 50 75 100
Percent of Students
Frequency of Serious Technology Issues
Internet Connectivity Issues Hardware or Software Issues

Very often
Often
2% 6% 15% 33% 42%
6% 10% 29% 36% 20% Occasionally
Rarely
Never

0 25 50 75 100
0 25 50 75 100
Percent of Students Percent of Students

Survey Items: “In accessing this course after it moved online, how often, if at all, did you experience
serious internet connectivity problems that interfered with your ability to attend or participate?”

“In accessing this course after it moved online, how often, if at all, did you experience serious
hardware or software problems that interfered with your ability to attend or participate?”
Frequency of Serious Technology Issues
Internet Connectivity Issues Hardware or Software Issues

Very often
Often
2% 6% 15% 33% 42%
6% 10% 29% 36% 20% Occasionally
Rarely
Never

0 25 50 75 100
0 25 50 75 100
Percent of Students Percent of Students

Internet connectivity issues were experienced

Often or Very Often by a larger proportion of
Hispanic students (23%) than of non-Hispanic
White students (12%).
Student Satisfaction
Course Satisfaction Dropped After COVID

Before 51% 36% 9% 3%

Very Satisfied
Somewhat Satisfied
Somewhat Dissatisfied
Very Dissatisfied
After 19% 40% 27% 13%

0 25 50 75 100
Percent of Students
Satisfaction with Various Aspects of the Course

Instructor’s preparation 37% 39% 17% 7% 7%

Quality of course content 29% 42% 22% 6% Very Satisfied

6%
Somewhat Satisfied
Somewhat Dissatisfied
28% 40% 21% 10% Very Dissatisfied
Quality of instruction

Your learning overall 17% 40% 27% 15%

0 25 50 75 100
Percent of Students
Many Course Experiences Were Poorer Online
Practices that
Enhanced
Student
Satisfaction
Online Instruction Practices
Content & Assessment
Interaction
Activities Practices
Live sessions in which Breaking up class activities Frequent quizzes or other
students can ask questions into shorter pieces than in assessments
and participate in an in-person course
discussions Assignments having
Using examples from the students express what they
“Breakout groups” during a real world to illustrate have learned and what they
live class course content still need to learn

Assignments to work on
Personal messages to group projects separately
individual students about from the course meeting
how they are doing in the
course or to make sure
they can access course
materials
Use of Instructional Practices and Student Satisfaction

Number of instructional practices

6-8 35% 39%

Satisfaction with
Course Post-COVID
3-5 19% 42%
Very Satisfied
Somewhat Satisfied

0-2 8% 35%

0 20 40 60 80
Percent of Students
Use of Instructional Practices and Student Satisfaction

Number of instructional practices

6-8 35% 39%

Satisfaction
Individual practices with
with the strongest
Course
relationship to course Post-COVID
satisfaction were
3-5 19% 42%
• Using real-world Very
examples to illustrate
Satisfied
course content
Somewhat Satisfied
• Sending personal messages to students
0-2 8% 35% and
• Assignments requiring students to reflect
on their own learning
0 20 40 60 80
Percent of Students
Other Predictors of Course Satisfaction Post-COVID

- Satisfaction with
course before Smaller class size Fewer challenges Fewer tech problems
COVID

- Having taken 2 or
more online courses
previously
Satisfaction

Larger class size More challenges More tech problems

Learner Experiences
Get the First Student Survey Report

https://www.everylearnereverywhere.org/resources
What We’re Learning from Every Learner Partners

Previous Support & Support and experience using technology for learning
Experience BEFORE the pandemic made a big difference for
students and instructors.

Separate Sample from

Courses Using Adaptive Satisfaction
100 of 4-year Public IHE Students with Quality of Instruction
90
Courseware 80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
National Sample ELE Sample
Thank you!

22