HEQCO study examines the experiences of the first cohort to enter studies during pandemic

A new Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO) study examines the experiences of students who began their postsecondary studies in the 2020-21 school year. These students, who were the first cohort to enter postsecondary during the COVID-19 pandemic, encountered a variety of challenges. The study found that studying remotely impacted students’ academic integration, engagement, satisfaction, and mental and physical health. Students, especially those in STEM and with lower GPAs, felt that learning in a fully online environment negatively affected their learning. Based on these findings, HEQCO made recommendations to institutions that included helping students to develop online learning skills, integrating Universal Design for Learning principles into their offerings, and monitoring student success by collecting data. HEQCO Note: Archived stories may contain dead links or be missing source links.