Short answer
When designing online learning experiences, prioritize student well-being, economic accessibility, and robust technical support to mitigate challenges, especially during periods of crisis or rapid change.
- Field
- User-Centred Design
- Source
- Studies in Learning and Teaching (2020)
- Method
- Qualitative essay analysis
- Sample
- 15 students
- Evidence
- Strong effect
During the COVID-19 pandemic, performing arts students experienced significant challenges with online learning, including increased anxiety and economic burdens, due to the rapid shift from traditional face-to-face instruction. This user-centred design research insight is drawn from a 2020 study published in Studies in Learning and Teaching. Using Qualitative essay analysis with 15 students, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: When designing online learning experiences, prioritize student well-being, economic accessibility, and robust technical support to mitigate challenges, especially during periods of crisis or rapid change.
Online learning during crises increases student anxiety and highlights economic disparities
During the COVID-19 pandemic, performing arts students experienced significant challenges with online learning, including increased anxiety and economic burdens, due to the rapid shift from traditional face-to-face instruction.
Studies in Learning and Teaching · 2020
Key Findings
- 01Students reported both positive and negative impacts of online learning.
- 02Economic conditions significantly affected students' ability to participate in online learning.
- 03Increased anxiety was a common challenge experienced by students during online learning.
- 04Students expressed concerns about user data security in online platforms.
- 05The transition from face-to-face to online learning presented difficulties.
Application
Design takeaway
When designing online learning experiences, prioritize student well-being, economic accessibility, and robust technical support to mitigate challenges, especially during periods of crisis or rapid change.
How to apply
When developing an online course, conduct pre-course surveys to assess students' access to technology and internet, and their comfort level with online tools. Offer a 'tech readiness' module and provide clear contact points for technical and emotional support. Design content that can be downloaded or accessed with minimal data.
Project actions
- 01When designing an online learning platform, include features that help students manage stress, like built-in mindfulness exercises or easy access to counseling services.
- 02Consider how students from different economic backgrounds will access your online learning materials. Offer low-bandwidth options or ways to access content offline.
- 03Always clearly explain how student data is protected in any online system you design for education.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Provides direct student perspectives through essay analysis, offering rich qualitative data.
- +Highlights critical non-academic challenges (economic, emotional) often overlooked in educational technology discussions.
- +Focuses on a specific, potentially vulnerable, student population (performing arts) during a crisis.
Limitations
The small sample size and focus on one specific field mean these findings might not apply to all students or all types of online learning. The study relies on what students chose to write in their essays, which might not cover every challenge they faced.
Reliability & validity
The reliability of this study could be enhanced by having multiple researchers independently code the essays and compare themes. Validity is strengthened by directly capturing student voices, but limited by the self-reported nature and small sample, potentially missing unarticulated challenges or broader trends.
Think critically
How might the 'positive impacts' mentioned in the findings contradict or complement the 'challenges'? What specific design elements could leverage these positive aspects while mitigating the negative ones?
Design Principles
"Empathy-driven design for educational resilience."
Students' emotional well-being and financial stability are crucial for effective learning. When these are negatively impacted by a learning modality, their ability to engage with and benefit from education is severely diminished, leading to poorer academic outcomes and overall dissatisfaction.
What This Means for Your Design
When universities quickly switched to online classes because of COVID-19, performing arts students felt more stressed and worried about money, making it harder for them to learn online.
How to use in your project
- 1.When structuring an Information Architecture for an online learning portal, ensure 'Support' or 'Help' sections are highly visible and contain links to mental health resources, financial aid information, and technical assistance, not just academic help.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
Simamora (2020) found that online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic significantly increased anxiety and highlighted economic disparities among performing arts education students, suggesting a need for more supportive and accessible online learning designs.
Source
Studies in Learning and Teaching
The Challenges of Online Learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Essay Analysis of Performing Arts Education Students
journal · 2020
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about online learning during crises increases student anxiety and highlights economic disparities?
- When designing online learning experiences, prioritize student well-being, economic accessibility, and robust technical support to mitigate challenges, especially during periods of crisis or rapid change. Evidence: Studies in Learning and Teaching (2020).
- Why does "Online learning during crises increases student anxiety and highlights economic disparities" matter for design?
- Students' emotional well-being and financial stability are crucial for effective learning. When these are negatively impacted by a learning modality, their ability to engage with and benefit from education is severely diminished, leading to poorer academic outcomes and overall dissatisfaction.
- How can designers apply this research?
- When designing online learning experiences, prioritize student well-being, economic accessibility, and robust technical support to mitigate challenges, especially during periods of crisis or rapid change.
- What were the main findings?
- Students reported both positive and negative impacts of online learning.. Economic conditions significantly affected students' ability to participate in online learning.. Increased anxiety was a common challenge experienced by students during online learning.. Students expressed concerns about user data security in online platforms.
- What research method was used?
- Qualitative essay analysis with 15 students.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2020 journal from Studies in Learning and Teaching.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When developing an online course, conduct pre-course surveys to assess students' access to technology and internet, and their comfort level with online tools. Offer a 'tech readiness' module and provide clear contact points for technical and emotional support. Design content that can be downloaded or accessed with minimal data.
- What are the limitations?
- Small sample size (15 students) from a specific discipline (performing arts education) limits generalizability to other fields or larger student populations. The study relies solely on student self-reported essays, which may not capture all challenges or objective realities.