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Measuring the Impact of the Pandemic on Female and Male Students’ Learning in a Society in Transition: A Must for Sustainable Education

Author

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  • Maura A. E. Pilotti

    (College of Sciences and Human Studies, Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University, Al Khobar 31952, Saudi Arabia)

  • Omar J. El-Moussa

    (Department of Student Affairs, Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University, Dhahran 31952, Saudi Arabia)

  • Hanadi M. Abdelsalam

    (College of Sciences and Human Studies, Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University, Al Khobar 31952, Saudi Arabia)

Abstract

A sustainable education amid a disruptive event (e.g., a pandemic) requires the objective assessment of learning before and during the event and, if necessary, evidence-driven solutions in response to deficiencies. The present action research study illustrates an evidence-based response of educators to the widespread concerns that learning in college students, accustomed to face-to-face courses, might have been damaged during the pandemic by the switch to the online mode. It focuses on general education (GE) courses as they usually enroll students at the beginning of their journey in higher education, and thus, a population that is likely to be particularly sensitive to unforeseen changes. Pass/fail grades in courses taught face-to-face and online synchronously by the same instructors were examined. It was hypothesized that if the switch from face-to-face to online instruction changed the students’ approaches to learning, course performance would differ between the instructional modes. Differences in female and male students’ adaptation responses were expected to be reflected in their course performance. The study found that female students performed better online than face-to-face in Arabic Culture, Natural Science, Math, and Wellness courses. Male students also performed better online in Math and Natural Science courses, whereas they exhibited better performance face-to-face in Arabic Culture, Wellness, and Professional Competency courses. It was concluded that basic indices of uneven performance can guide further analyses into the sources of female and male students’ approaches to instructional modes.

Suggested Citation

  • Maura A. E. Pilotti & Omar J. El-Moussa & Hanadi M. Abdelsalam, 2022. "Measuring the Impact of the Pandemic on Female and Male Students’ Learning in a Society in Transition: A Must for Sustainable Education," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-13, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:6:p:3148-:d:766233
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Valentina Dagiene & Egle Jasute & Vida Navickiene & Rita Butkiene & Daina Gudoniene, 2022. "Opportunities, Quality Factors, and Required Changes during the Pandemic Based on Higher Education Leaders’ Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-18, February.
    2. Maura A. E. Pilotti & Runna Al Ghazo, 2020. "Sustainable Education Starts in the Classroom," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-13, November.
    3. Maura A. E. Pilotti, 2021. "What Lies beneath Sustainable Education? Predicting and Tackling Gender Differences in STEM Academic Success," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-15, February.
    4. Engelhardt, Bryan & Johnson, Marianne & Meder, Martin E., 2021. "Learning in the time of Covid-19: Some preliminary findings," International Review of Economics Education, Elsevier, vol. 37(C).
    5. Joseph Crawford & Javier Cifuentes-Faura, 2022. "Sustainability in Higher Education during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-11, February.
    6. Hanadi Mohamed AbdelSalam & Maura A. E. Pilotti & Omar J. El-Moussa, 2021. "Sustainable Math Education of Female Students during a Pandemic: Online versus Face-to-Face Instruction," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-12, November.
    7. Christian M. Stracke & Daniel Burgos & Gema Santos-Hermosa & Aras Bozkurt & Ramesh Chander Sharma & Cécile Swiatek Cassafieres & Andreia Inamorato dos Santos & Jon Mason & Ebba Ossiannilsson & Jin Gon, 2022. "Responding to the Initial Challenge of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Analysis of International Responses and Impact in School and Higher Education," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-23, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. Huda Al Mulhem & Khadija El Alaoui & Maura A. E. Pilotti, 2023. "A Sustainable Academic Journey in the Middle East: An Exploratory Study of Female College Students’ Self-Efficacy and Perceived Social Support," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-15, January.
    2. Igor Jacky Dimitri Michaleczek & Fatma Kayan-Fadlelmula & Abdel Latif Sellami, 2022. "Research on Higher Education during the COVID-19 in the Gulf Cooperation Council: An Overview of Publications in the Journal Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-16, August.

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