COVID-19's Impact on Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria and Its Effects on the Economy

This chapter addressed Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) impact on tertiary institutions in Nigeria, its effect on the economy, and possible coping strategies in a time of global pandemic and national disaster. COVID-19 was reported as a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11, 2020, discovered in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, spread to several nations, forcing the closure of tertiary institutions all over the world. The effect has also disrupted the school academic calendar at tertiary institutions, decreased international education, Suspension of local and international conferences, etc. And the economy, leading to job losses, revenue loss in the informal sector, business closure, agricultural production and food insecurity, a sharp drop in oil revenues, and economic uncertainties. Which, thus, harms the economy. This chapter makes recommendations to assist Nigeria's government and the educational institutions in coping with the effect of the outbreak and similar pandemics soon.

The Impact of Extended E-Learning on Emotional Well-Being of Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Saudi Arabia

Educational institutions in Saudi Arabia extended e-learning until the third semester of the academic calendar to prevent the spread of COVID-19 infection and to achieve 70% inoculation for the Saudi population. This study assesses the impact of extended e-learning and other associated stressors on the emotional health of university students in Saudi Arabia. An online cross-sectional survey collected data between the months of January–March 2021. The emotional signs of stress were measured by using a subset of items from the COVID-19 Adolescent Symptom and Psychological Experience Questionnaire (CASPE). Data about demographic variables, educational characteristics and academic performance were also collected. A regression analysis was performed to determine predictors of emotional health. A total of 434 university students including females (63%) and males (37%) provided responses. One-third of students (33%) indicated that the COVID-19 pandemic and its resulting changes including online distance studies greatly influenced their daily lives in a negative way. The regression analysis demonstrated that female students and students with average academic performance had increased vulnerability to experience emotional signs of stress (p < 0.05). The factors ‘Not going to university’ and ‘Not having a routine life’ were significant predictors of stress responses (p < 0.01) and (p < 0.001) respectively. E-learning during the COVID-19 pandemic made it possible for students to complete their studies as per academic calendar; simultaneously, it increased the vulnerability to experience stress, particularly for female students and students with average academic performance. These findings imply that academic advising and counseling services should be more readily available during digital studies to support at risk students.

Variability in physical inactivity responses of university students during COVID-19 pandemic: A monitoring of daily step counts using a smartphone application

This study investigated the changes in physical inactivity of college students during the COVID-19 pandemic, with reference to their academic calendar. We used the daily step counts recorded by a smartphone application (iPhone Health App) from April 2020 to January 2021 (287 days) for 603 students. The data for 287 days were divided into five periods based on their academic calendar. The median value of daily step counts across each period was calculated. A k-means clustering analysis was performed to classify the 603 participants into subgroups to demonstrate the variability in the physical inactivity responses. The median daily step counts, with a 7-day moving average, dramatically decreased from 5,000 to 2,000 steps/day in early April. It remained at a lower level (less than 2,000 steps/day) during the first semester, then increased to more than 5,000 steps/day at the start of summer vacation. The clustering analysis demonstrated the variability in physical inactivity responses. Independent of the academic calendar, many inactive students did not recover their original daily step counts after its dramatic decrement. Consequently, promoting physical activity is recommended for inactive university students over the course of the whole semester.

Student Perspective on Practical Learning Method in Pandemic of COVID-19

The Covid-19 pandemic has a wide and deep impact that has changed patterns of life and behavior both in the business sector and in daily human activities. One of the changing patterns of activity is in the education industry, many educational institutions across the world have closed due to this pandemic, and it could jeopardize the academic calendar. Most educational institutes have shifted to online learning platforms to keep academic activities going. However, the question about the preparedness, designing, and effectiveness of e-learning is still not clearly understood, particularly in Indonesia where the technical constraints like suitability of devices and bandwidth availability pose a serious challenge. This issue is even more challenging in the hospitality vocational education. This paper aims to dig deeper the online learning patterns in the perspective of the students in vocational education as the impact of the pandemic. This study uses a qualitative method by conducting in-depth interviews of 15 participants with the expected result to provide information that can help various parties, such as vocational institutions, teachers, and the hotel industry.

COVID-19’s Impact on the Student Learning Process in Rwandan Higher Education Institutions

The coronavirus pandemic has not only challenged health systems, buthas also had a significant impact on education systems across the globe.This study analysed COVID-19’s impact on the student learning processin Higher Education Institutions in Rwanda. A quantitative research designwas adopted and pragmatism was selected as the research philosophy.Primary data was collected from 1 170 students in 30 institutions using aclosed-ended questionnaire. The data was analysed using descriptive andinferential statistical tools. The results indicate that the pandemic has led tochanges in the academic calendar, suspension of examinations, and final yearstudents being unable to conduct research and serve internships. Ithas also affected the quality of learning and learning from peers due tosocial distancing. Students in rural areas and those from vulnerable familieshave been worst affected. Key words: COVID-19, learning, higher education institutions, onlinelearning, students

IMPLEMENTASI MANAJEMEN PEMBELAJARAN JARAK JAUH (PJJ) DI UPBJJ-UT PALANGKA RAYA

Abstrak: Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendeskripsikan tentang Implementasi Manajemen Pembelajaran Jarak Jauh (PJJ) di UPBJJ-UT Palangka Raya. Penelitian merupakan penelitian kualitatif studi kasus. Sumber data meliputi: Kepala UPBJJ-UT Palangka Raya, KASUBAG, Koordinator Regijan, Koordinator BBLBA, dan Mahasiswa. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa: (1) Perencanaan PJJ dilakukan dengan mempersiapkan sarana dan prasarana, kurikulum, sumber daya manusia, anggaran; (2) Pengorganisasian PJJ sudah berjalan dengan baik, semua sudah terprogram dengan tugas dan tanggung jawab masing-masing; (3) Pelaksanaan PJJ sudah berjalan dengan baik dengan adanya kalender akademik dan SOP yang ditetapkan, (4) Pengawasan PJJ meliputi: pegawasan harian, mingguan, bulanan, tahunan dan pengawasan internal UT pusat, (5) Evaluasi PJJ yang dijalankan sudah terlaksana dengan baik dengan ketercapaian program, sasaran kualitas, tingkat kepuasan mahasiwa; dan (6) Kendala dalam pelaksanaan PJJ meliputi jaringan internet yang belum merata di Provinsi Kalimantan Tengah, sedangkan faktor pendukung adanya perwakilan UPJJJ pada setiap daerah kabupaten di Provinsi Kalimantan Tengah. Abstract: This study aims to describe the Implementation of Distance Learning Management (PJJ) at UPBJJ-UT Palangka Raya. This research is a case study qualitative research. Data sources include: Head of UPBJJ-UT Palangka Raya, KASUBAG, Regijan Coordinator, BBLBA Coordinator, and Students. The results of this study indicate that: (1) PJJ planning is carried out by preparing facilities and infrastructure, curriculum, human resources, budget; (2) PJJ organization has been running well, all have been programmed with their respective duties and responsibilities; (3) PJJ implementation has been going well with the academic calendar and SOPs set, (4) PJJ supervision includes: daily, weekly, monthly, annual and central UT internal supervision, (5) PJJ evaluation that has been carried out has been carried out well with program achievement, quality targets, student satisfaction levels; and (6) Obstacles in implementing PJJ include the internet network that is not evenly distributed in Central Kalimantan Province, while the supporting factors are the presence of UPJJJ representatives in each district in Central Kalimantan Province.

Effect of Mind Mapping as a Learning Tool on Online Learning of Chemistry

The advent of the Covid-19 pandemic brought distortions in the academic calendar of nations when educational institutions were closed. As a way of filling the gap created in the trend, tertiary institutions introduced online learning to support students’ learning while at home. There was also the need to introduce alternative learning approaches to students that will help them summarize and represent the lengthy lecture notes and reading materials into meaningful and memorable units. This study looks at the effectiveness of mind maps in promoting this home-based online learning. The participants were seventy-one (71) first-year Bachelor of Education students pursuing a 4-year degree program in Basic Education in Kibi Presbyterian College of Education. One group consists of students pursuing Home Economics as their major and the other primary education. A test and questionnaire were used to collect data. T-test was used to test the significance of the performance of the two groups, and multiple regression was used to find an association between the use of the strategy and students’ performance. The statistical software used for data analysis was IBM’s SPSS version 25. The result shows that the mind map strategy helped learners retain knowledge; however, students’ understanding of concepts was low

Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on radiography education in Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nigeria

COVID-19 pandemic shutdown of tertiary institutions in Nigeria and globally following the lockdown of socio-economic activities. There is paucity of data on the effects of the pandemic on Radiography education in Nigerian universities especially in Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU) Nnewi campus. This prospective cross - sectional study was carried out using a structured questionnaire. One hundred and twenty- five questionnaires were distributed by the researcher to students, academic and non-academic staff of the department of Radiography, NAU, and one hundred was retrieved thereafter. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 23 at 5% level of significance. The major effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Radiography education in NAU were poor access to education financing (97%), poor attendance to lectures (91%), poor academic performance after the lockdown (85%), better attitude to infection control (81%), disruption of academic calendar (88%), the rushing of many lectures over a short time and low assimilation/understanding among students (75%), the predominance of physical classroom lectures especially among undergraduates (55%), promoted online lectures especially among postgraduate students (45%), better hygiene culture (35%, 0.00076 = p < 0.05, adjusted α = 0.0032) ) and loss of interest in education (27.5%). However, only the enthronement of better hygiene culture had significant effects on Radiography education (p = 0.00076). The study concludes that the only significant and positive effect of COVID-19 pandemic on Radiography education in NAU was the enthronement of better hygiene culture.

Academic Management System Integration Of Private Universities

The Academic Management System of Higher Education is a component of the Institutional Management System of Higher Education, which is concerned with the overall management tools that have been designed and compiled in a systematic and rigorous manner. Nowadays, as technology advances and student generations change, educational institutions are encouraged to continually respond to the use of technology in their service systems. The aim of this thesis is to identify and interpret research results relating to academic management system alignment. A descriptive qualitative approach is used in this research. According to the findings of the study, while universities do have an institutional management scheme in place, its execution is not optimal. Universities do have an Academic Management System in place, but it is not yet fully implemented. The academic Management System also has some elements missing, such as academic calendar scheduling, new student placement, new and old student enrollment, classes, grading, thesis instruction, and graduation. Keywords: Academic Management System, Technology, universities.

Impact of COVID-19 lockdown policy on the anxiety of the engineers-in-training in ABU Zaria Engineering Faculty in Nigeria

Anxiety is a public phenomenon that constitutes a public source of inadequate performance globally and plays a significant role in their lives. Engineering students and academics have been through immense changes in education because of the effect of the COVID-19 crisis. It is well-known that epidemics' occurrence creates or accentuates new stressors, including panic and fears for loved ones or oneself, constraints on social activities and physical movement due to quarantine, and unforeseen and radical change of lifestyle. This study aimed to assess the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown policy on engineering students’ anxiety in Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Nigeria. The study confirmed that the students had an increase in the anxiety level, in which the female student had a higher level of anxiety than the male students. The highest contributing factors to the anxiety include "worries about academic delays/extension of the academic calendar," "worries about a delay in life plans as a result of the suspension of school," and "worries about running out of supplies." The main areas that anxiety impacted the lives of the students include "a decline in book reading /studies/academics," "finding it hard to focus," "being unable to hang out with friends," and "difficulties in falling asleep." Finally, the students managed the level of anxiety mainly by "the use of internet/social media/chatting," "prayer/self-motivation/meditation/reflection," and "watching movies/TV/music."