Student Experiences and Equity during Emergency Remote Teaching in U.S. Higher Institutions: A Literature Review

Öz

In response to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, educational institutions worldwide broadened their use of online delivery modalities to maintain continuity of instruction. This article provides an overview of research that explores students’ experiences of emergency remote education (ERT) in the context of U.S. higher institutions and sheds light on students’ perspective of ERT, the opportunities and challenges it brought, and its impact on educational equity. It also offers insight into measures institutions could pursue to deal with the challenges they encountered. Findings indicate that ERT transcended time and geographical limitations and afforded students’ flexibility and convenience to schedule their learning. In general, students perceived colleges to be supportive, particularly their instructors. However, being forced to study online with limited access to university resources (e.g., financial aid, academic advising, and mental health), less contact with instructors and peers, and experiencing increased mental burden, made the learning experiences largely unpleasurable. The rushed digitalization of education put the vulnerable student population in a more disadvantageous position. Recommendations such as improving technology infrastructure, preparing educators for online teaching, cultivating an inclusive pedagogy, facilitating social interactions, and teaching with care and empathy are also summarized.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• emergency remote teaching
• COVID-19
• equity
• online learning
• higher education

ABD’deki Yüksek Öğretim Kurumlarındaki Olağanüstü Durumlarda Uzaktan Eğitim Dönemindeki Öğrenci Deneyimleri ve Fırsat Eşitliği

Öz

COVID-19 salgınının yayılmasına karşılık olarak dünyanın dört bir yanındaki eğitim kurumları eğitimin devam edebilmesi adına çevrimiçi eğitim öğretim araçlarının kullanımını genişletti. Bu makale, öğrencilerin ABD’deki yüksek eğitim kurumları bağlamında olağanüstü durumlarda uzaktan eğitim deneyimlerini inceleyen, öğrencilerin olağanüstü durumdaki uzaktan eğitime bakış açılarına, uzaktan eğitimin getirdiği zorluklara ve eğitimde fırsat eşitliğine ışık tutan bir araştırmanın özeti niteliğindedir. Bu makale ayrıca eğitim kurumlarının karşılaştıkları zorluklarla mücadele etmek için alabilecekleri önlemler konusunda bir görüş sunmaktadır. Edinilen bulgulara göre Olağanüstü Durumlarda Uzaktan Eğitim zaman faktörünün, coğrafi kısıtlamaların ötesine geçmiş ve öğrencilerin esnekliklerine ve öğrenme süreçlerini planlama elverişliliği açısından yeterli olmuştur. Genel olarak öğrenciler üniversiteleri ve özellikle de üniversitelerdeki öğretim görevlilerini kendileri için destekleyici figürler olarak görmüşlerdir. Ancak, üniversite kaynaklarına kısıtlı bir erişimle çevrimiçi olarak çalışma zorunluluğu (örn, finansal yardım, akademik danışmanlık ve mental sağlık), öğretim görevlileri ve akranlarıyla iletişim kısıtlılığı ve artan ruhsal yükler öğrenme tecrübelerini çok büyük oranda olumsuz etkilemiştir. Eğitimin hızlı bir şekilde dijitalleştirme çabası öğrenme konusunda zorluk çeken öğrenci nüfusunu daha da dezavantajlı bir konuma getirmiştir. Bu noktada teknolojik altyapıya önem verme, öğretim elemanlarını çevrimiçi eğitim için hazırlama, eğitime dahil bir pedagoji oluşturma, sosyal etkileşimleri teşvik etme, konuları ilgi ve şefkatle empati kurarak öğretme gibi öneriler makale içeriğinde özetlenmektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• olağanüstü durumlarda uzaktan eğitim
• COVID-19
• eşitlik
• çevrimiçi öğrenme
• yüksek öğretim

Kaynakça

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