Nearly 60% of students believe their university made improvements to the learning experience during the pandemic. However, 49% think more must be done to provide mental health support and lower the prices of learning materials this academic year.
26 October 2021 - LONDON - Almost six in 10 students (58%) felt their university made improvements to their learning experience as they navigated the pandemic, however almost half are calling for more to be done when it comes to mental health and the cost of learning materials (both 49%), according to new research from learning enablement technology provider, BibliU.
While the majority of students agreed that their university made improvements to the learning experience during the pandemic, one in five students (21%) somewhat or strongly disagreed. The findings suggest universities need to look at further improvements for the forthcoming academic year, taking students’ feedback on board for which areas will help most.
The findings come from research conducted by BibliU in collaboration with Censuswide, which surveyed 1,000 UK university students between 30 September and 7 October 2021.
Among degree types, students experienced varied learning experiences during the pandemic too, suggesting inconsistencies between fields of study in their approach to the pandemic. Those studying information technology (70%), engineering (68%) and music (65%) were most likely to agree that their universities had made improvements to their learning experience in the past two years. However, those studying physics (39%), economics (35%) and history (31%) were more likely to disagree, believing that their university had not made sufficient improvements to their learning experience throughout the pandemic.
When asked what could be done to improve the quality of learning, students’ top responses were: lower prices for learning materials (49%), mental health support (49%), and more face-time with lecturers/tutors (41%). For male students, lower prices for learning materials (45%) was the top priority, while female students believe greater mental health, wellbeing, and financial support (51%) will have the most impact on the quality of their learning experience.
Depending on the area of study, the top priorities to improve the quality of learning for students vary:
Commenting on the findings, Dave Sherwood, CEO of BibliU, said: “Universities have worked hard to navigate the pandemic, switching to remote learning overnight while still offering the expected high standard of education found within our great UK institutions. It is positive to see students acknowledging this when calling for changes that will help cement the UK’s education offering as a world leader for years to come.
“However we simply can’t ignore the factors still pricing some out of further education and the importance of mental health, wellbeing, and financial support when preparing students for their futures. As a combined result of greater societal changes and the pandemic, removing the stigma around mental health and offering a greater variety of support is a leading priority for many universities. In tandem, democratising learning resources by offering access to digital textbooks through the current university fees is one important way both universities and textbook providers can work together to reimagine the future of education to offer students better support and opportunities.”
EdTech innovator BibliU is defining the future of higher education by democratizing content accessibility. Designed to address the unique requirements of students, faculty, libraries, and publishers, BibliU’s learning enablement solution features digital content management, workflow automation, and analytics. With BibliU, colleges and universities can finally deliver on the promise of digitalization, guaranteeing all students have first-day access to the learning content they need. More information is available at www.bibliu.com.
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More than a third of students (35%) said they couldn’t afford to buy their textbooks, while a further 32% could afford them but felt the purchase would be a waste of money.
