Skip to main content
. 2021 Feb 6;65(4):576–588. doi: 10.1007/s11528-021-00587-8

Table 7.

Changes in Student Lives Affecting Class Participation

N Examples of impact
No Impact 66
Environmental Issues
  Change in Work Situation 39

I had to pick up more shifts at work

Forced to find a new job and it is third shift

Work in the hospital, hours surged

Deemed essential worker

Increased work because parents lost job

  Change in Household Situation 30

Lack of sufficient/dedicated place to study and do my work. Loud roommates

Family distractions

Moving to new house/apartment

Lost my job and had to move

  Increase in Childcare responsibilities 24

“siblings to take care of”

“home with my two-year-old”

Teaching my siblings

Single mom with young children

Mental/Physical Health Issues
  Less motivated 37

Lost motivation to do a lot of things

Lacking motivation, human contact/connections are really important to me

I am depressed and lost

It defeated me from wanting to continue education

Changes in my life left me feeling defeated and lost a part of my drive to complete my work

Without being in class, I lost a good amount of motivation to finish my coursework.

  Mental Health 13

It’s really hard to get out of bed

Just feeling sad, not being able to go out

Battling mental heal

My depression and anxiety has come back

I was a bit scared and not sure what is going to happen.

  Ill 4 I got COVID; Sick; Family member sick
Learning Issues
  + Increased Concentration 15

More productive and successful

Helped me get motivated to actually do my work

Learned that online suits me better

More time to study

  + Easier, saved time 4 No longer had to spend time driving to work
- Prefer Face-to-Face 40

Less class discussion to less ability to understand the content

Felt isolated and detached from education, I’m f2f learner

Virtual was harder that the teacher-student connection in class

Not able to build connections with classmates and professor

- Difficulty focusing 14

Difficult maintaining focus

Many things that I have to worry about, so I cannot focus

- Challenge managing work 19

Hard doing high school work and Sinclair work

Made it harder for to keep track of what/when to do it

- Lack of resources 6

Cannot get same kind of tutoring

Cannot go to the library to work

- Less peer communication 4 Could not meet with groups
- Increase homework 3 Professors assigned more work
- other: less time, more responsibility, procrastination 10

Felt less confident to join in zoom meetings

Sitting at computer for long time