The survey which was sent to students and teachers at Stockholm University (SU) in June 2020 was developed by researchers at Stanford University and then translated and adapted to SU's conditions. Nearly 4,000 students and more than 600 teachers responded to the survey.
As expected, the survey revealed major challenges with online teaching. Students faced challenges in areas of finding structure for their studies, the lack of social contact with students and teachers, opportunities for good ergonomics and health or study-related stress. Particularly alarming was the declining motivation that students experienced during the course. Teachers experienced a huge workload and a big challenge was the changed forms of examination that had to be under taken in a very short time.
— Since then, a lot has happened, says Klara Bolander Laksov, director of Centre for the Advancement of University Teaching (CeUL). CeUL has been commissioned by the University to conduct a follow-up survey. Bolander Laksov both coordinated and evaluated last year's survey and now also conducts the follow-up survey. She believes that since then, teachers have gained more experience and the situation during this academic year has not been as panicky as the transition was in the Spring of 2020. — In addition, perhaps some of the anxiety has subsided and both students and teachers have hopefully found ways to deal with what has become the new normal in terms of everything from structure and digital tools in the courses, to how to maintain motivation and interaction for quality learning, says Bolander Laksov.
As many educational programs had to change the forms of assessment, the issue of digital examination has been a particularly difficult issue that has been discussed over the past year. Currently, university management is also in the process of discussing whether the University should call for a new digital examination system.
-Unfortunately, the number of disciplinary cases has skyrocketed during the year. Plagiarism and cheating will therefore also be an issue that is specifically investigated in the new survey, says Bolander Laksov.
During week 23, the survey will be e-mailed to all students and teachers via the Departments' pedagogical contact persons and directors of studies. The results will be processed both at departmental level and at overall university level during the Summer and a report is expected to be ready in the Autumn. Just as last year, the results will be used to further develop the conditions for teachers to be able to give students as good teaching as possible both at departmental level, and at the university as a whole.
Would you like to know more about the survey?
Please contact Klara Bolander Laksov, director of Centre for the Advancement of University Teaching. E-mail: klara.bolander.laksov@edu.su.se