PERSPECTIVES IN COMMUNICATION
PERSPECTIVES IN COMMUNICATION

UNIVERSITY STUDENTS ONLINE DURING THE COVID- 19 PANDEMIC

Summary/Abstract: In March 2020, Rochester University went online within 72-hours due to the COVID-19 pandemic. By necessity, the focus was on pedagogy rather than being student-centric initially. Several issues arose among students in the mass communication department. First, it became apparent that our “digital natives” did not have some of the presumed skills necessary for online success. A digital divide emerged between students equipped for online learning at home and those students who only had smartphones on which to write their papers and others who had no Internet access at home. Cases of anxiety seemed widespread among students. Faculty in the mass communication department became student-focused and prioritized student engagement and collaborative learning as ways to reduce stress and empower them for online learning.

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