scholarly journals The Psychological Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Remote Learning in Higher Education

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 473 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lívea Dornela Godoy ◽  
Raquel Falcoski ◽  
Roberta Monteiro Incrocci ◽  
Fabiana Maris Versuti ◽  
Fernando E. Padovan-Neto

Stressful events can cause a significant impact on education; however, it is not yet clear how the interplay between anxiety, work, and social dysfunction relates to learning impairments. In this study, we investigated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on students’ learning and mental health. This study was conducted during four modules of a remote Psychopharmacology course between 5 October and 20 December 2020. We collected data from 28 Psychology undergraduate students at the University of São Paulo, Brazil. We used pre- and post-test multiple-choice questions to obtain a quantitative measure of learning. Students completed an online survey to report demographic information, functional impairment (Work and Social Adjustment scale; WSAS), generalized anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale; GAD-7), coronavirus anxiety (Brazilian adapted version of the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale; CAS-BR), and self-perception with the remote lectures’ methodology. In our sample, 42.9% of respondents experienced symptoms of generalized anxiety disorders (GAD-7 ≥ 15), and 53.6% had moderate to severe functional impairment (WSAS > 20). We also observed an overlapping profile of highly anxious and dysfunctional students. A chi-square test of independence revealed a relation between pairs of multiple-choice questions answers and GAD-7 scores, indicating that less anxious students were more likely to perform better in pairs of pre- and post-tests. Intriguingly, the correlational analysis suggested that students with moderate to severe functional impairment (WSAS scores > 20) were less likely to change from an incorrect to a correct answer to pairs of pre- and post-tests. This data suggests that psychological distress and anxiety states might influence students’ ability to coordinate social and work activities and performance during remote learning. Although this study evaluated a small sample of students, our data highlights the importance of investigating anxiety and functional impairment measures as part of the remote-learning curriculum.

2009 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 74-78 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Nunnink ◽  
A.-M. Welsh ◽  
M. Abbey ◽  
C. Buschel

Emergency chest reopen of the post cardiac surgical patient in the intensive care unit is a high-stakes but infrequent procedure which requires a high-level team response and a unique skill set. We evaluated the impact on knowledge and confidence of team-based chest reopen training using a patient simulator compared with standard video-based training. We evaluated 49 medical and nursing participants before and after training using a multiple choice questions test and a questionnaire of self-reported confidence in performing or assisting with emergency reopen. Both video- and simulation-based training significantly improved results in objective and subjective domains. Although the post-test scores did not differ between the groups for either the objective (P=0.28) or the subjective measures (P=0.92), the simulation-based training produced a numerically larger improvement in both domains. In a multiple choice question out of 10, participants improved by a mean of 1.9 marks with manikin-based training compared to 0.9 with video training (P=0.03). On a questionnaire out of 20 assessing subjective levels of confidence, scores improved by 3.9 with manikin training compared to 1.2 with video training (P=0.002). Simulation-based training appeared to be at least as effective as video-based training in improving both knowledge and confidence in post cardiac surgical emergency resternotomy.


2021 ◽  
pp. 73-77

In this account we report a study that surveyed and quantified the opinion on the acceptability of genetically modified (GM) crops by farmers working in Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County located in North Easter Hungary. Authors answered the question whether there is a difference in perception and reasoning of the county’s agricultural workers regarding GM crops. We evaluated the impact of age, gender, education, and agricultural education of responders on rating GM plants to be more dangerous than traditional crops. Is there a relevant difference when responders are administered multiple choice questions, rather than single choice questions? Can we change farmers’ position on the GM technology by using multiple choice questions?


2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Erni Kurniati ◽  
Soeprijanto ◽  
Irzan Zakir

Abstract This research has the purpose to knowing the value of the lighting level in the room at primary school, is in conformity with applicable regulations or not and to knowing teacher’s knowledge and understanding level about the school lighting system. This research conducted in May until July 2016 at primary school in Kelurahan Rawamangun, East Jakarta. This research is quantitative descriptive with survey method. The sampling technique used in this research is random purposive sampling, where purposive that schools are not taken in a period of improvement and the respondent teachers are permanent teachers. Samples taken random with a degree of error of ± 10 %, so sample taken is 10 schools and 80 teachers. The results of this research is a translation percentage descriptive of the data suitability lighting levels at one to six classrooms, a teachers' room, library and science laboratories when sunny weather use the lights and do not use lights. And data of teacher’s understanding of school lighting system, which divided into five dimensions is healthy condition in classrooms, the lighting in the classrooms, electrical energy-saving concept of the school, the impact of lighting on health and health dan safety in the classroom as stated in 15 item multiple-choice questions. The results of this research stated that 10 schools have measured lighting levels can be concluded that the 0 % suitability rate of illumination for the one classroom, second classroom, third classroom, fourth classroom and science laboratories, 10 % suitability for the five classroom, six classroom dan teacher’s room when using the lights and do not use the lights. And suitability for the library is 11.1 % when not using lights and 12.5 % when using light. And from the research data of objective tests 15 item multiple-choice question for teacher's understanding can be concluded that the percentage of comprehension for the dimensions of healthy condition in classroom is 83.33 %, the dimensions of the lighting in the classroom is 40.416 % , the dimensions of the electrical energy-saving concept of the school is 92.5 % , dimensions of the impact of lighting on health is 68.75 % , and the dimensions of health and safety in the classroom is 49.58 % . There are several dimensions that are not understood by the teacher’s, because it need an advanced program for theacher’s follow-up to can better understand the kind of school lighting system. Abstrak Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui nilai tingkat pencahayaan pada ruang-ruang sekolah dasar apakah sudah sesuai dengan ketentuan yang berlaku dan untuk mengetahui tingkat pemahaman guru mengenai sistem pencahayaan sekolah. Penelitian ini dilaksanakan pada bulan Mei sampai dengan bulan Juli 2016 di sekolah dasar di lingkungan kelurahan Rawamangun, Jakarta Timur. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian kuntitatif deskriptif dengan menggunakan metode survei. Teknik pengambilan sampel yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini yaitu teknik acak dengan pertimbangan tertentu (random purposive sampling), dimana pertimbangannya yaitu sekolah yang diambil tidak dalam masa perbaikan dan responden guru-guru merupakan guru tetap. Sampel pada penelitian ini diambil secara acak (random) dengan taraf kesalahan penelitian ±10 %, sehingga jumlah sampel yang diambil yaitu sebanyak 10 sekolah dan 80 orang guru-guru Hasil penelitian ini berupa penjabaran secara persentase deskriptif mengenai data kesesuaian tingkat pencahayaan pada ruang kelas satu sampai enam, ruang guru, perpustakaan dan laboratorium IPA saat cuaca cerah menggunakan lampu dan tidak menggunakan lampu. Serta data pemahaman responden guru-guru tentang sistem pencahayaan sekolah yang terjabarkan dalam lima dimensi yaitu kondisi ruang belajar yang sehat, pencahayaan pada ruang belajar, konsep hemat energi listrik sekolah, dampak pencahayaan terhadap kesehatan dan kesehatan dan keselamatan kerja pada ruang belajar yang tertuang dalam 15 item pertanyaan pilihan ganda. Hasil penelitian ini menyatakan bahwa dari 10 sekolah yang diukur tingkat pencahayaan didapatkan kesimpulan bahwa 0% kesesuaian tingkat pencahayaan untuk ruang kelas satu, kelas dua, kelas tiga, kelas empat dan ruang laboratorium IPA, 10 % kesesuaian untuk ruang kelas lima, ruang kelas enam dan ruang guru baik saat menggunakan lampu dan tidak menggunakan lampu. Untuk ruang perpustakaan yaitu 11.1 % kesesuaiannya saat tidak menggunakan lampu dan 12.5 % kesesuaiannya saat menggunakan lampu. Dari data hasil penelitian tes objektif berbentuk pilihan ganda 15 item pertanyaan untuk pemahaman guru dapat ditarik kesimpulan bahwa persentase pemahaman untuk dimensi kondisi ruang belajar yang sehat yaitu 83.33%, dimensi pencahayaan pada ruang belajar yaitu 40.416%, dimensi konsep hemat energi listrik sekolah yaitu 92.5%, dimensi dampak pencahayaan terhadap kesehatan yaitu 68.75%, dan dimensi kesehatan dan keselamatan kerja pada ruang belajar yaitu 49.58%. Masih terdapat beberapa dimensi yang tidak dipahami oleh guru dengan baik oleh karena itu perlu diadakan sebuah program lanjutan agar guru-guru dapat lebih memahami sistem pencahayaan yang baik pada sekolah.


Author(s):  
Dwi Yunita ◽  
Astuti Wijayanti

This research is aimed to know the impact of using video as a media toward the learning result of sciences for students in class VII in SMPN 1 Turi on 2016/2017 which is looked by the student’s creativity. This research is quasi experiment. The object of this research is the student’s result. The technique of data collection is using test, questioner and documentation techniques. Instrument test is containing with 30 multiple-choice questions, and questioner instrument is containing with 20 statements. As the result, the researcher obtained Fcalculate = 19,747 and p = 0,000, the average of learning result is 20,78, the average of questioner is 60,09. Based on the average of learning result and questioner, then there is an impact by video as a media toward the learning result of sciences for students in class VII which is looked by the student’s creativity.


2021 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 182-190
Author(s):  
Justin W. Merry ◽  
Mary Kate Elenchin ◽  
Renee N. Surma

Multiple choice exams are ubiquitous, but advice on test-taking strategies varies and is not always well informed by research. This study evaluated the question of whether students benefit or are harmed when they change their initial answers on multiple choice questions in the context of physiology and biology courses. Previously marked examinations were reviewed for eraser marks that indicated answer changes, and the impact of these changes on exam grades was tabulated. In addition, faculty and students were surveyed for their opinions about changing answers. A plurality of faculty (36%) reported a belief that answer changes usually harm student grades, whereas a slim majority of students (51%) believed that answer changing helped their scores (χ2 = 60.52, P < 0.0001). Empirically, across two exams, students changed their answer from an incorrect answer to a correct one 2.8 times (SD 2.2) compared with 1.0 time (SD 1.4) changing in the negative direction. Therefore, on average, students benefited ( V =  123.5, P < 0.0001) from answer changing. Furthermore, comparing across two exams in the same course, some students were consistently more likely to change their answers than others (adjusted R2= 0.23, P < 0.0001), but the impact of changing answers on the first exam provided no prediction of how much a student would benefit from answer changing on the second exam (adjusted R2= −0.004, P = 0.42). These data support the argument that students should be advised to review and revise responses to exam questions before submitting them.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lars H. Andersen ◽  
Peter Fallesen ◽  
Tim-Allen Bruckner

Background This study aimed to investigate the impact of the first COVID-19 lockdown (March-April 2020) on risk for stress/depression and functional impairment in a representative sample of adult individuals in Denmark, and whether the impact of lockdown was heterogeneous across living situation. Methods: Using a representative, randomly drawn sample from the complete Danish adult population interviewed in March 2 to April 13, 2020 (n=2,836) and again in July 2020 (n=1,526, 54% retention rate), we study how the imposed lockdown announced March 11 following the onset of the first Danish wave of COVID-19 infections affected mental wellbeing. We use the World Health Organization Five Well-being Index (WHO-5) and the Work and Social Adjustment Scale (WSAS) to capture wellbeing and functioning. Using covariate adjusted ordinary least squares linear probability models and exploiting variation in the timing of responses occurring just before and just after the introduction of lockdown, we compare respondents before lockdown to respondents that answered during lockdown, as well to answers in re-interviews in July. Results: We find reduced depressive symptoms among adults immediately after the shutdown, concentrated in adults with children living at home. Measures of functional impairment also decline immediately after the March shutdown among adults with children living at home. Impairment intensified for the entire sample between March and July, but depressive symptoms remained at lower rate in July. Conclusions: Findings in Denmark indicate that living with children at home may have, in the short term, buffered the potential mental health sequelae of the COVID-19 shutdown.


Author(s):  
Kerri M Lehman ◽  
Kevin L Burke ◽  
Randall Martin ◽  
Jennifer Sultan ◽  
Daniel R Czech

AbstractThe ability to effectively cope with stress has been demonstrated to be an important factor in warding off potential physical disease and psychological distress. Responses to stressful events have been shown to greatly vary across individuals. Research has shown that intervening variables, such as cognitive appraisals of stressful events, can markedly affect the amount of stress (e.g., mood disturbance, anxiety, changes in neurotransmitter concentrations, suppression of immune system functioning) individuals experience. One such intervening variable, productive humor, was hypothesized to have a positive stress-moderating effect.Four different experimental conditions were used to assess the impact of a stressful situation on mood and anxiety state. Two conditions had subjects produce a humorous narrative in response to the stressful situation. One of these conditions included an instructional video on the use of productive humor. A third condition had subjects produce an intellectual narrative, while a fourth condition had subjects produce no narrative. The humorous narrative conditions were hypothesized to lead to the greatest moderation in stress (i.e., mood and anxiety).In the humorous narrative (without training) condition, subjects who were more successful at producing the narratives showed significantly more moderated changes in mood and anxiety levels pre-task to post-task. These changes were not significantly different from the intellectual or no narrative conditions. The significant difference found between high versus low humorous narrative producers may be accounted for in terms of success versus non-success at completing the experimental task.Finally, among subjects with initially high pre-task mood or anxiety levels and high tendencies to use productive humor, successful performance of some type of a verbal, cognitive task (i.e., humorous or intellectual narrative) was found to be more beneficial in moderating the effects of stress versus silence. These latter findings were based on patterns of results from post hoc analyses with small sample sizes, thus suggesting the need for future research along similar lines.


2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Surajit Kundu ◽  
Jaideo M Ughade ◽  
Anil R Sherke ◽  
Yogita Kanwar ◽  
Samta Tiwari ◽  
...  

Background: Multiple-choice questions (MCQs) are the most frequently accepted tool for the evaluation of comprehension, knowledge, and application among medical students. In single best response MCQs (items), a high order of cognition of students can be assessed. It is essential to develop valid and reliable MCQs, as flawed items will interfere with the unbiased assessment. The present paper gives an attempt to discuss the art of framing well-structured items taking kind help from the provided references. This article puts forth a practice for committed medical educators to uplift the skill of forming quality MCQs by enhanced Faculty Development programs (FDPs). Objectives: The objective of the study is also to test the quality of MCQs by item analysis. Methods: In this study, 100 MCQs of set I or set II were distributed to 200 MBBS students of Late Shri Lakhiram Agrawal Memorial Govt. Medical College Raigarh (CG) for item analysis for quality MCQs. Set I and Set II were MCQs which were formed by 60 medical faculty before and after FDP, respectively. All MCQs had a single stem with three wrong and one correct answers. The data were entered in Microsoft excel 2016 software to analyze. The difficulty index (Dif I), discrimination index (DI), and distractor efficiency (DE) were the item analysis parameters used to evaluate the impact on adhering to the guidelines for framing MCQs. Results: The mean calculated difficulty index, discrimination index, and distractor efficiency were 56.54%, 0.26, and 89.93%, respectively. Among 100 items, 14 items were of higher difficulty level (DIF I < 30%), 70 were of moderate category, and 16 items were of easy level (DIF I > 60%). A total of 10 items had very good DI (0.40), 32 had recommended values (0.30 - 0.39), and 25 were acceptable with changes (0.20 - 0.29). Of the 100 MCQs, there were 27 MCQs with DE of 66.66% and 11 MCQs with DE of 33.33%. Conclusions: In this study, higher cognitive-domain MCQs increased after training, recurrent-type MCQ decreased, and MCQ with item writing flaws reduced, therefore making our results much more statistically significant. We had nine MCQs that satisfied all the criteria of item analysis.


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