Influence of COVID-19 confinement in students performance in higher education (2004.09545v1)

Abstract: This study explores the effects of COVID-19 confinement in the students performance in higher education. Using a field experiment of 458 students from three different subjects in Universidad Autonoma de Madrid (Spain), we study the differences in assessments by dividing students into two groups. The first group (control) corresponds to academic years 2017/2018 and 2018/2019. The second group (experimental) corresponds to students from 2019/2020, which is the group of students that interrupted their face-to-face activities because of the confinement. The results show that there is a significant positive effect of the COVID-19 confinement on students performance. This effect is also significative in activities that did not change their format when performed after the confinement. We find that this effect is significative both in subjects that increased the number of assessment activities and subjects that did not change the workload of students. Additionally, an analysis of students learning strategies before confinement shows that students did not study in a continuous basis. Based on these results, we conclude that COVID-19 confinement changed students learning strategies to a more continuous habit, improving their efficiency. For these reasons, better scores in students assessment are expected due to COVID-19 confinement that can be explained by an improvement in their learning performance.

Impact of COVID-19 Confinement on Student Performance in Higher Education

This paper presents an empirical analysis of the impact of the COVID-19 confinement on the academic performance of higher education students at Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. By employing a field experiment with a sample of 458 students across different academic years, this paper provides robust evidence on how the pandemic-induced shift to remote learning affected student outcomes.

The authors categorized the students into control and experimental groups. The control group included students from the academic years 2017/2018 and 2018/2019, while the experimental group comprised students from the year 2019/2020, who experienced significant disruptions due to the shift from face-to-face to virtual learning environments. The primary objective was to assess if confinement altered the students' academic performance and to identify the underlying causes of any observed changes.

Key Findings

1. Enhanced Performance During Confinement: The research demonstrates a statistically significant positive effect on student performance post-confinement. Students in the 2019/2020 cohort showed improved scores across various assessments compared to their counterparts in the control group.
2. Continuous Study Habits: The research suggests that the confinement positively influenced students' learning strategies, transitioning them from sporadic to more continuous studying habits, which contributed to improved efficiency and academic outcomes.
3. Control for Confounding Variables: Notable measures were taken to eliminate biases, ensuring that the improvements were not artifacts of altered assessment formats or increased cheating opportunities in online assessments.
4. Consistency Across Different Learning Strategies: Interestingly, enhanced student performance was observed across subjects with varied pedagogical adaptations. Some subjects increased autonomous tasks, while others maintained the same number of activities but adapted to an online format, both resulting in increased student performance.

Methodology

The paper utilized Computer Adaptive Testing (CAT) models and traditional assessments to ensure diversity in evaluation formats. Notably, it dissected student performance metrics before and after confinement to discern trends attributable solely to remote learning conditions.

Implications

Given the significant improvement in student outcomes, the findings of this research have far-reaching implications for the future of higher education pedagogy. The results advocate for the integration of online learning components, which can foster continuous learning habits, leading to enhanced academic performance.

Future Research Directions

Future work could investigate the precise mechanisms through which confinement-induced changes in learning strategies occur, distinguishing between motivational and operational factors such as anxiety management and time management enhancements. Additionally, exploring the generalizability of these findings across different cultural and institutional contexts would contribute significantly to the understanding of remote education efficacy.

In conclusion, the paper provides strong empirical evidence emphasizing the adaptability of students and the potential effectiveness of remote learning environments introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic. The observed shift towards more sustained and efficient learning practices highlights the transformative potential of online education methodologies that could be harnessed in future academic curricula.