Demographics
The findings concluded with 1804 (23.42%) of the 7792 students choosing different universities from both sectors i.e., public and private and different majors to participate in the study. Of the enrolled students, 35 percent were graduates (Political Science, Business Administration and Education, Law, Natural Sciences, Public Administration), while 43 percent were undergraduates (Pakistan Studies, Islamyat, Urdu/Sindhi/English, Physical Education, Microbiology), while postgraduates consisted of 22 percent of the sample. The majority (73 percent) of students are recognized as women while 23 percent of sample comprised of male students (Table 1).
Table 1. Participants’ descriptive characters
Variables
|
Sample Size N
|
Percentage (%)
|
A. Demographics: Academic Status
|
Graduates
|
631
|
35
|
Undergraduates
|
773
|
43
|
Postgraduates
|
400
|
22
|
Total
|
1804
|
100%
|
Gender
|
Male
|
487
|
27
|
Female
|
1312
|
73
|
Total
|
1804
|
100%
|
B. Telecommunication
|
Students used devices at home for online classes/homework
|
Faculty Computers
|
11
|
0.64
|
Laptop/other
|
149
|
8.3
|
iPad/Tablet
|
250
|
13.9
|
Smartphone
|
1389
|
77
|
Total
|
1804
|
100%
|
Internet access at home
|
Broadband
|
230
|
12.74
|
Digital Subscriber Line
|
460
|
25.50
|
Cellular Phones
|
874
|
48.44
|
No Internet access
|
235
|
13.02
|
Total
|
1804
|
100%
|
C. Job/Work Type
|
Daily wages
|
390
|
21.6
|
Contractual Work
|
567
|
31.4
|
Permanent
|
112
|
6.20
|
Part Time
|
270
|
15
|
Unemployed
|
562
|
31.15
|
Total
|
1804
|
100%
|
D. The Internet Facility Provided by University at Home
|
|
|
Did not Use/Access
|
1149
|
63.7
|
Use it
|
655
|
36.3
|
Total
|
1804
|
100%
|
Use more than 3 Hours/Day
|
458/655
|
70
|
Logging in Successfully (Graduates)
|
1036.5
|
57.45
|
Undergraduates
|
667.5
|
36.93
|
Postgraduates
|
100
|
5.54
|
Total
|
1804
|
100%
|
E. Students’ Online Teaching Style Preferences
|
|
|
Asynchronous vs. Synchronous
|
|
|
Asynchronous
|
1425
|
78.9
|
Synchronous
|
379
|
21.1
|
F. Students’ Academic tasks
|
|
|
Additional Academic tasks
|
1380
|
76.5
|
Same Academic tasks (No Increase)
|
424
|
23.5
|
G. Teaching Faculty Routines
|
|
|
Faculty Provided the Adjusted Syllabi before Transition to Online Classes
|
|
|
Yes
|
974
|
53.9
|
No
|
830
|
46.1
|
Availability of Faculty in their offices during online Classes
|
216
|
11.7
|
Faculty Communication
|
361
|
20
|
Availability of Recorded Lessons/material
|
794
|
44
|
H. Students’ Motivation to Learn
|
|
|
Motivated
|
812
|
45
|
Difficult to be Motivated
|
992
|
55
|
Remembered to Login to Online Classes
|
920
|
50
|
Online Quizzes
|
920
|
51
|
Communicate with each other
|
1398
|
77.5
|
Creating Time for Online Tasks
|
920
|
51.1
|
I. Social and Financial Impacts
|
|
|
Concerned about Infected with Virus
|
1263
|
70
|
Concerned about the Health of Family/Close Friends
|
1443
|
80.1
|
Virus has had Financial Impact
|
|
|
Yes
|
956
|
53.4
|
No
|
848
|
46.6
|
Lost their Jobs
|
963
|
53.4
|
Working at Slowed Business Area
|
541
|
29.9
|
Change in Working Hours
|
|
|
Yes
|
469
|
26
|
No
|
1334
|
74
|
Working for Longer Hours
|
211
|
11.7
|
Change in Daily Life
|
1028
|
56.8
|
Caretaking Responsibilities
|
277
|
15.4
|
Overall Change in Life
|
1010
|
56
|
Telecommunication
Students indicated they have various devices when asked whether they used the internet at home for academic work. According to Table 1, only 0.64 percent of all students have faculty computers, 8.3 percent have a laptop/other, 77 percent have smart phones, and 13.9 percent had an iPad or tablet. In terms of home online access, 12.74 percent of students sought Broadband internet, 25.50 percent sought Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), and 48.44 percent sought help through their phones. Only 13.02 percent of students did not have access to the internet at home. Although universities gave students web areas of interest to use at home, 63.7 percent of students could not access or use them. 70.2 percent of undergraduates (out of 655) who had access to the internet at home used it for three hours or more each day. Despite the fact that 63.07% of undergraduates and 20% of graduates were unsuccessful or only partially successful in signing up for online classes. The asynchronous style of teaching was preferred by the majority of the students (78.9 percent). Not being able to manage specialized concerns (n=198), and adaptability in online class planning were among the reasons they provided (n = 147) and 100 reactions, etc, and the way that they could learn at their speed.
Student’s response:
“Because my internet connection is unreliable, I'm unable to access the Internet. Unfortunately, my Zong 4G device is frequently unreliable. The situation is the same as in the previous example. This version of Net is incompatible with my package. As a result, my mobile hotspots don't function very well. It is impossible for me to miss anything now that I have recorded the lectures that I can watch at my leisure. Because I have multiple opportunities to listen to pre-recorded lectures, I enjoy doing so. Whenever I am unsure, I take notes or look up information. This allows me to watch them at my own pace, as they are less intrusive and can be viewed when they are most useful. So I'm able to plan other aspects of my life with this tool!".
(An Undergraduate student)
Students’ preferences on Web-based Instruction
Asked why they preferred synchronous classes, students (n = 381) listed everything from their ability to connect with teachers and peers (221 reflections) to the fact that they were less likely to skip classes (12 reflections). They also cited the fact that synchronous classes help them stay aware of lectures, provide structure and persuade and hold them accountable (n = 382).
One of them said:
"My learning is enhanced by being able to communicate with my instructor during the online class. A question or concern about the subject can be discussed right away with my educator, rather than having to wait and hope they will get to it or understand what I am saying. When compared to classroom teaching, asynchronous teaching does not allow for the same level of interaction or exploration. My motivation to complete the project has increased as a result. It's more organized, but I'd be more relaxed if I could watch lectures at my leisure. According to students (n=205) who were asked why they preferred one style of online class over the other, both styles worked equally well, they concluded”.
(A graduate student)
University Students’ Academic tasks during Pandemic
Web-based courses have increased the academic tasks for the majority of students (76.5%), as shown in Table 1. Computer composing notes (46.8%) and discussion penal (22.2%) were the two most common types of appraisals assigned. There was no increase in the course academic tasks for the remaining students (23.5%).
Teaching Routines
With regard to teaching faculty routines, 53.9% of students revealed that they (faculty) provided the adjusted syllabi of the courses before the transition of web-based teaching, while 46.1% provided a changed course prospectus prior to the completion of online courses for the remainder of the academic year of 2020-2021 sessions. Around 20% of students claimed faculty talked to them about what to expect from online classes, but only 3.4 percent indicated they didn't. According to the students who took part in the study, 44.3 percent of teaching faculty provided instruction in online sessions, 11.7 percent were available in their offices throughout the transition to online classes, and 44 percent put their recorded talks on the LMS (Table 1).
Motivation to Learn
Whereas in the fall 2020 semester, most (65 percent) respondents have online classes that they are able to remain convinced and complete their tasks on time, regardless of the challenges of the unexpected change. Only 35 percent of students felt it was difficult to stay motivated to learn. A slight majority of the students 50 percent polled made sure to sign in to complete scheduled quizzes online, and 77.5 percent had the opportunity to confer with their classmates on a number of course assignments. Only 51.1 percent of students said they had the choice to save time so they could focus on and finish their studies.
Social and Financial Effect
Table 1 online classes that 70% of students were concerned that the infection of COVID-19, whereas 24.7% and 05.3% were modestly or surprisingly concerned that the infection is occurring. Despite this, the majority of students (80.1%) were concerned about the health of family and close friends due to Coronavirus. Students have suffered financial losses as a result of the Coronavirus. 53.4% of students reported they had lost their jobs as a result of the Coronavirus. Fulltime teaching faculty accounted for 10% of the total, while 29.9% claimed they were working in regions where business had slowed. The global trade rate circumstances were one area in which an international student demonstrated that Coronavirus had been monetized. The student stated, "As an international student, the online classes have altered my financial security." Another problem brought up by a graduate student was the lack of income from the participation property. Almost 61% of students said the Coronavirus had a financial impact on them. 26% had changed their working hours, 11,9% maintained the same hours and yet different schedules were given, 24,4% required more hours and 33,8% did not change at all. Changes or obligations in the working environment were mentioned in the comments:
"I'm an education specialist, so I'm exhausted as of now." "As so many people are leaving my job, I'm currently working on over time. Seven days, I'm working for six days; including 11-hour shifts in three days." "I'm fortunate enough to have the option to keep at home."
Because of Coronavirus, majority of the undergraduates', graduates’ and postgraduates’ taking care of responsibilities have changed,--15.4 percent had to take care of a child, and 29% had to take care of a sickly loved one. In general, 56.8% of students said the pandemic had a significant influence on their daily life, 35.9 percent said it had a moderate impact, and 5.2 percent said it had no impact.
Students’ Perceptions about Distance Education
While the shift of traditional classes to distance education which was unplanned, quick, and uncertain, many students have learned to use of the internet and other devices and how to get benefit of learning from this situation, they have reported certain effects. Over 46% of students (n = 830) said they didn't face as much difficulty as it was perceived, hence they saved money. They said:
"I don't have to come to campus," they continued, "which would take up around two hours out of my day on a regular basis." "I won't have to wait an hour for university points." "I don't have to drive or pay for gas or fuel charges right now."
Other benefits mentioned included students having more time to work on activities and spend time with loved ones (n=292)
“There’s additional time and chances for me to complete tasks now that my classes are taught online."
A number of students were aware of how to handle their time (899 reactions).
"I think some teachers have online classes real flexibility and a strong desire to help our class to keep things as simple and easy as they can,"
And some have adaptability and can therefore supervise courses at their own speed (417 reactions). Just a little level of students (100 reactions) announced no sure outcomes.
Undergraduates, Graduates and Postgraduates’ Suggestions
In order to develop further the distance-learning experience, which has been grouped in twelve themes, the students reacted on 165 perceptional statements: 1) improve teaching faculty accessibility, communication, teaching (more engaging), and care (211 reflections); 2) response properly the circumstances, be merciful with scores and grading, and acknowledge the understand students’ needs, (101 reflections); 3) application of tailored assessments and academic tasks (201 reflections); 4) showing satisfaction with their efforts, well done (51 reflections); 5) telecommunication, availability and access to required devices, application software, and the internet (250 reflections); 6) resourceful and trained teaching faculty provisions for all (200 reflections); 7) provisions of manageable tuition fees structure (90 reflections); 8) digital libraries on demand (110 reflections); 9) national or international seminars on corona and other diseases (216 reflections); 10) scholarships and financial benefits (100 reflections); 11) access to digital libraries (174 reflections); and 12) availability of laptops and other devices for students (100 reflections).
Descriptive and Inferential Analysis
The independent variables of this study are: 1) social and financial factors, 2) teaching faculty routines, 3) academic tasks, and 4) telecommunication, while 1) motivation to learn, 2) job related factor, 3) online teaching style preferences, and 4) study related academic tasks are the dependent variables. In addition, “how COVID-19 affecting graduates and postgraduates academic life” is chosen as the key independent variable in our multivariate design, and “motivation to learn and completion of academic tasks on time” are the major dependent variable. To study the relationship between independent and dependent variables, researcher applied a linear regression analysis. Researcher set alpha = 0.001 as a significance level of all the motivation to learn variables, (“How have you communicated with your class fellows in group assignments?”, “Do you remember to log in to take online tests/quizzes?” “Have you completed your assignments on time?”, “How do you create to do you online assignments and projects?”) “Motivation to learn and completion of academic tasks on time” had the statistically significant two dimensional relationship with the COVID-19 social and financial variable “how COVID-19 affecting graduates and postgraduates academic life?”); β = 0.176, p-value = 0.014. Table 2 online classes these relationships.
Table 2. Correlation analysis of social and financial factors, teaching faculty routines, academic tasks, and telecommunication vs. motivation to learn
Variables
|
Regression Coefficient
|
P value
|
99% Confidence Interval
|
Job-related Factors
|
COVID-19 affecting your financial security
|
0.184
|
0.084
|
0.021 to -0.021
|
Your concerns about getting COVID-19
|
-0.002
|
0.184
|
0.015 to -0.032
|
Your concerns about the health of family or -0.021 -0.822 0.019 to -0.012
close friends because of COVID-19
|
Overall
|
|
|
|
COVID-19 affecting day to day life, overall
|
-0.008
|
0.021
|
0.093 to -0.028
|
COVID-19 affecting academic life
|
0.202
|
0.121
|
0.043 to -0.031
|
Taking Care of
|
Taking Care of a child when childcare/school is closed
|
-0.003
|
0.221
|
0.011 to -0.021
|
Taking Care of ailing beloved
|
0.210
|
0.098
|
0.013 to -0.011
|
Social and Financial Factors
Have you lost your job/slowed down your business? 0.329 -08210.073 to -0.061
|
Have your work hours changed due to the COVID-19 outbreak?
|
-0.002
|
0.498
|
-0.047 to -0.022
|
Teaching Faculty Routines
|
Availability of Faculty during office hours for online classes
|
0.230
|
<0.01
|
0.023 to -0.081
|
The engaging way of Faculty while conducting online classes
|
0.341
|
<0.01
|
0.047 to -0.023
|
Availability of an adjusted online syllabus before the beginning of the online classes by Faculty
|
0.376
|
<0.01
|
0.013 to -0.031
|
Faculty communication what with regards to online classes
|
0.421
|
<0.01
|
0.013 to -0.023
|
Availability of recorded lectures
|
0.491
|
<0.01
|
0.041 to -0.027
|
Study related Academic tasks
|
Transitioning to online classes increased academic tasks
|
0.217
|
0.076
|
0.049 to -0.024
|
Increase in your academic tasks because of Corona
|
Projects
|
-0.032
|
0.432
|
0.076 to -0.033
|
Assignments
|
-0.076
|
0.876
|
0.098 to -0.061
|
Portfolio development
|
-0.054
|
0.443
|
0.033 to -0.065
|
Out of class activities
|
-0.032
|
0.076
|
0.046 to -0.073
|
Quizzes
|
-0.037
|
0.098
|
0.076 to -0.009
|
Discussion Panels
|
-0.033
|
0.421
|
0.089 to -0.062
|
Tele-communication
|
The internet access at home
|
0.654
|
0.543
|
0.098 to -0.098
|
Digital Subscriber Line
|
0.454
|
0.488
|
0.048 to -0.045
|
Broadband
|
0.632
|
0.076
|
0.009 to -0.065
|
Cellular Phone services
|
0.664
|
0.454
|
0.087 to -0.098
|
Have you access to your university’s internet hotspot?
|
-0.434
|
0.653
|
0.080 to -0.095
|
How much access do you have?
|
0.454
|
0.487
|
0.054 to -0.076
|
Success rate in logging on to participate in classes online
|
0.685
|
<0.001
|
0.098 to -0.087
|
Preferences regarding online Teaching Styles
|
Synchronous Instruction VS. Asynchronous
|
-0.009
|
0.065
|
0.043 to -0.043
|
Institution Type: Public/Private University
|
|
|
|
Public vs. Private University
|
0.322
|
0.098
|
0.098 to -0.002
|
Fees Structure
|
0.984
|
0.495
|
0.092 to -0.098
|
Courses Offered
|
-0.409
|
0.609
|
0.044 to -0.034
|
Internship Provision
|
0.676
|
0.054
|
0.061 to -0.071
|
Help in Publication
|
0.698
|
0.452
|
0.001 to -0.071
|
Health Insurance
|
0.632
|
0.098
|
0.051 to -0.001
|
Exemption/ Promotion Policy
|
0.664
|
0.409
|
0.061 to -0.041
|
Correlational analysis of data did not online class statistically significant relationships between university students’ inspiration to complete their study and telecommunication (p = 0.589), online teaching style (synchronous/ asynchronous) (p = 0.098), and academic tasks (p = 0.209). Furthermore, the relationships between university students’ inspiration to complete their study and faculty posting of recorded class lectures on the university learning management system (p = .01), Students and faculty are informed about what to expect from online classes (p = .01) prior to the start of online classes, faculty members must provide revised online class syllabi (p = .01), job related factors (p = .01), faculty accessibility for office hours (p = .01), level of education (p = .01), type of institution (p = .01), taking care of factor (p = .01), health insurance (p = .01), Engaging faculty facilitation of online courses (p = .01).
After getting control over variables in the design (See Table 3), with the multivariate linear regression analysis, researcher established that the university students expressed low concern being infected COVID−19, the high the rate of completion their projects and assignments and other tasks within time (β = 0.076, p = 0.876). Regression analysis also set up that the university students have more chances of getting communicated with teaching faculty during online classes, the higher the rate of completion of projects, assignments and other tasks within time (β = 0.642, p < 0.001). The greater number of successes of university students for logging in for online classes, the higher the rates of completion of projects, assignments and other tasks within time (β = 0.236, p = 0.073). However, the relationship between converting of classes online and university students’ motivation of completing the projects, assignments and other tasks within time (p = 0.823). Similarly, researcher did not find any statistically significant relationship between jobs related factor, gender, academic status, and university students’ motivation of completing the projects, assignments and other tasks within time.
Table 3. MANOVA of university students’ motivation of completing the projects, assignments and other tasks within time and social and financial factor, teaching faculty routines factor, study related academic tasks factor, telecommunication factor, taking care of factor, institution type factor, online teaching styles factor.
Variables
|
Regression Coefficient
|
P value
|
95% Confidence Interval
|
Social and Financial Factors
|
1. Your concerns about getting Corona
|
0.224
|
0.004
|
0.009 to 0.309
|
2. Your concerns about health of family or friends during Corona
|
-0.002
|
0.198
|
-0.087 to -0.065
|
3. Corona: a threat/blessings for your financial security
|
-0.065
|
0.445
|
0.054 to -0.053
|
4. Lost your job or slowed down your own business
|
-0.009
|
0.089
|
-0.076 to -0.098
|
5. change in your work hours because of Corona outbreak
|
0.207
|
0.109
|
0.065 to -0.009
|
6. Taking Care of a child when childcare/school is closed
|
-0.078
|
0.289
|
-0.098 to -0.043
|
7. Taking Caring of an ailing loved one
|
-0.299
|
0.034
|
-0.095 to -0.065
|
Teaching Faculty Routines
|
8. Availability of Faculty during office hours for online classes
|
-0.298
|
<0.001
|
0.066 to -0.045
|
9. The engaging way of Faculty while conducting online classes
|
-0.343
|
<0.001
|
0.043 to -0.036
|
10. Availability of an adjusted online syllabus before the beginning of the online classes by Faculty
|
-0.399
|
<0.001
|
-0.009 to -0.076
|
11. Faculty communication what with regards to online classes
|
-0.467
|
<0.001
|
-0.066 to -0.021
|
12. Availability of recorded lectures
|
0.495
|
<0.001
|
0.009 to -0.076
|
Academic tasks
|
13. Increased academic tasks due to transitioning to online classes
|
0.209
|
0.090
|
-0.065 to -0.003
|
Telecommunication
|
14. your access to the internet at home
|
-0.690
|
0.589
|
0.087 to -0.035
|
15. Digital Subscriber Line
|
0.487
|
0.434
|
-0.032 to -0.065
|
16. Broadband
|
-0.609
|
0.078
|
0.009 to -0.052
|
17. Cellular Phones
|
0.689
|
0.498
|
-0.032 to -0.002
|
18. Have you access to your university’s internet hotspot?
|
-0.409
|
0.623
|
0.041 to -0.088
|
19. How much access do you have?
|
0.445
|
0.456
|
0.009 to -0.094
|
20. COVID-19 affecting day to day life, overall
|
-0.645
|
<0.001
|
-0.065 to -0.034
|
Teaching Style OnlinePreferences of Students
|
21. Synchronous Instruction VS. Asynchronous
|
-0.078
|
0.098
|
-0.005 to -0.099
|
Demographics
|
22. Male vs. Female
|
-0.489
|
0.643
|
0.065 to -0.024
|
23. Freshman vs. Junior
|
0.434
|
0.443
|
-0.051 to -0.028
|
24. Freshman vs. Senior
|
-0.696
|
<0.001
|
-0.002 to -0.024
|
25. Masters vs. Freshman
|
-0.423
|
0.653
|
0.098 to -0.022
|
26. Graduate vs. Freshman
|
0.467
|
0.465
|
-0.523 to -0.087
|
27. PhD vs. Freshman
|
-0.698
|
<0.001
|
0.083 to -0.033
|
28. M.Phil vs. Freshman
|
-0.434
|
0.609
|
-0.903 to -0.045
|