Introduction
The research paper investigates the impact of remote learning on the mental health and social relationships of university students. The key findings reveal that remote learning has led to increased stress levels and reduced engagement in a significant portion of students, impacting their academic performance and general well-being. However, the effects are not uniform, with some students experiencing positive outcomes like improved work-life balance and convenience.
The research suggests a mixed impact of distance learning, with a general preference among students for in-person classes to enhance focus and social interaction. Readers should take away that while remote learning offers flexibility and potential benefits for some, it also poses significant challenges in terms of mental health and social connectivity for many students. This underscores the importance of tailored educational strategies that address the diverse needs of students in a remote learning environment.
Literature Review
Now, a more detailed and unified picture can be seen by applying the findings of this study to those in the current literature. As described in the literature review, there is a consensus among a substantial part of the school that long online classes lead to worsening students’ psychological state. Moreover, remote instruction is destructive to the social aspect of students’ lives (Mizani et al., 2022). This research confirms the reliability of the current mainstream perspective that remote instruction is more detrimental than beneficial to the psychological health and social functioning of learners in terms of statistics and probability.
Methodology
However, this is only one conceptual segment of central inference, which will be explained below. Just like with the entire body of collected interviews and thematic analytical tools, the results collected require narrative analysis as this is the only way rare positive connotations can be explained. Narrative methodology allows one to deeply evaluate and explore qualitative data’s fragmented meanings (McAllum et al., 2019). Its application to students’ insights separately explains the three distinctive tones of shared reflective thoughts on academic performance during distance learning, which are described in the results section. Interestingly, these tones can be found among the works of other scholars.
For example, one of them is the almost zero impact of the online teaching model on academic performance (Riley et al., 2021). The new central inference is that the choice between in-class learning activities and remote instructions is essentially a trade-off, which was mandatory during the pandemic. The student exchanges social connectedness and greater engagement for comfort and convenience; mental health and academic performance can be on both sides. The decision’s effectiveness and healthiness depend on one’s mental capacity, emotional intelligence, and personality traits.
Findings
Unexpected findings are what led to the conclusion described above. It was surprising to find a positive connotation in the conceptual linkage of mental health and distance education in the responses of some individuals. In contrast, it was expected to find negative connotations in the thematic intersection of social life and online learning since researchers have already proven this (Teng et al., 2020). New ideas were discussed thoroughly, and limitations and research suggestions needed to be explained.
Limitations
While the current study provides new data that authentically represents students’ social, cognitive, and mental dynamics under the influence of distance learning, one must be aware of some of its limitations. Only 36 people make up the group of participants questioned and surveyed. It is an insufficient number to provide validity for the discussed results and make a realistic representation of the mentioned student communities. Yet there could be more, but it was decided to prioritize the comfort and safety of the interviewees over their number.
For example, Rahal and Shaw (2022) interviewed more than 230 students in their study. In the manuscript by Wang (2023), 94 individuals constitute the sample. Other limitations include age, ethnicity, and the psychological conditions of the individuals asked, which are factors not considered. These could probably explain thematic and narrative differences in respondents’ answers, but, as mentioned, the safety and comfort of the speakers were a more important consideration in the project. The limitations described do not undermine the validity and credibility of the findings but provide direction.
Future Research
One can perceive the shortcomings of this manuscript’s framework as prospects for future research projects. For example, one might explore how mental disorders in university students correlate with changes in their perceived and actual mental health caused by distant learning. Other researchers may explore how age, namely developmental changes and gained new experience, influences the mental resilience and well-being of college learners during long-term periods of online lessons. Academicians reading this may also explore the connections between university students’ ethnic and religious affiliations and the effects of distance learning.
Conclusion
This paper reveals and highlights less-researched topics by presenting new specific knowledge. A sudden switch to long-term online education indeed caused damage to the psyche and social life of students. It can be perceived as a forced trade-off that still can positively affect one’s health with enough self-reflective skill; his study provides evidence for this idea. As Šestanović and Siddiqui (2021) argue, finding balance in life’s dimensions is the key to success, and less stress is vital for college learners. Teachers are advised to use the proposed trade-off concept to design healthier and more practical teaching online activities.
References
Kiltz, L., Fokkens-Bruinsma, M., & Jansen, E. P. W. A. (2023). Investigating how students’ learning environment, social and physical well-being influence their resilience and feelings of depression and loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Netherlands. Higher Education Research & Development, 42,1970-1985. Web.
McAllum, K., Fox, S., Simpson, M., & Unson, C. (2019). A comparative tale of two methods: How thematic and narrative analyses author the data story differently. Communication Research and Practice, 5(4), 358–375. Web.
Mizani, H., Cahyadi, A., Hendryadi, H., Salamah, S., & RetnoSari, S. (2022). Loneliness, student engagement, and academic achievement during emergency remote teaching during COVID-19: The role of the God locus of control. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 9(305), 1-9. Web.
Rahal, D., & Shaw, S. (2023). Impacts of the COVID-19 transition to remote instruction for university students. Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice, 60(1), 108-122. Web.
Riley, E., Capps, N., Ward, N., McCormack, L., & Staley, J. (2021). Maintaining academic performance and student satisfaction during the remote transition of a nursing obstetrics course to online instruction. Online Learning, 25(1), 220–229. Web.
Teng, M. F., Putra, Y. K., Ilham, M., & Pratama, W. A. Y. (2020). How much does distance learning affect social life and psychology of growing adolescent. Bulletin of Social Informatics Theory and Application, 4(2), 52-58. Web.
Šestanović, A., & Siddiqui, M. (2021). Study-life balance and mature students in higher education during the Covid-19 pandemic: The case of Oxford Business College, United Kingdom. European Journal of Education Studies, 8(11), 104-121. Web.
Wang, Y. (2023). The research on the impact of distance learning on students’ mental health. Education and Information Technologies, 28, 1–13. Web.