Disrupted studying? University students’ experiences of remote vs. on-site teaching and learning

The purpose of this study was to investigate how students’ experiences of their teaching–learning environment, academic self-efficacy, approaches to learning and study-related burnout differed in emergency remote teaching compared to on-site teaching. Data were collected from social science and education students on four separate occasions via the electronic HowULearn questionnaire: namely during on-site studying (spring 2018 and spring 2019) (N = 207) and remote studying (spring 2020 and spring 2021) (N = 166). The data were subjected to factor analysis, the t-test, variance analysis and regression analysis. In general, the students perceived their studying to be constructively aligned even during remote studying. They also found the feedback more rewarding during remote teaching, which indicates that its role is emphasised in that the teaching may be less direct and less readily available or accessible to the recipient. Moreover, the students encountered more difficulties finding opportunities for peer collaboration during remote studying than during on-site teaching, and they felt more exhausted emotionally compared to the students who responded to the survey before the shift to remote. Finally, the academic self-efficacy of students studying remotely was affected by unreflective studying as well as increased cynicism, which differed from the experiences of the cohort observed during on-site teaching. It seems that online teaching is here to stay, and educators need to adapt quickly to change without compromising learning.