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Investigating Undergraduate Student Experiences of NEE Courses in Guangdong, China during the COVID-19 Pandemic from 2020 to 2021

Author

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  • Yongkang Xing

    (Center of Experimental Teaching, Guangdong University of Finance, Guangzhou 510521, China
    Institute of Artificial Intelligence, De Montfort University, Leicester LE1 9BH, UK)

  • Tiande Xie

    (Center of Experimental Teaching, Guangdong University of Finance, Guangzhou 510521, China)

  • Jethro Shell

    (Institute of Artificial Intelligence, De Montfort University, Leicester LE1 9BH, UK
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Conor Fahy

    (Institute of Artificial Intelligence, De Montfort University, Leicester LE1 9BH, UK
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

Abstract

New Engineering Education (NEE) has become increasingly important in higher education in China. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced higher education institutions to adopt online and hybrid modes of instruction globally, with Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) becoming a primary educational tool. In this paper, we explore the impacts of online/hybrid modes on NEE courses in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. We hypothesized that the rapid transition to online/hybrid modes may have negatively affected students due to insufficient preparation by teachers. This hypothesis was tested through an investigation involving 787 students conducted in 2020 and 2021. The results indicated that, while most students considered online/hybrid modes a helpful tool for their studies, 28.69–36.74% of participants reported significant issues. Through one-to-one interviews with negative/neutral attitude students, we found that insufficient and burdensome communication/interaction with classmates and teachers was the main contributor to these issues. We conclude by proposing a conceptual path to address the issues raised in the study, as well as offering the obtained results as a critical reference for educational researchers seeking to improve the quality of online/hybrid courses and contribute to the field of education.

Suggested Citation

  • Yongkang Xing & Tiande Xie & Jethro Shell & Conor Fahy, 2023. "Investigating Undergraduate Student Experiences of NEE Courses in Guangdong, China during the COVID-19 Pandemic from 2020 to 2021," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-12, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:5:p:4174-:d:1080357
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Sabina Potra & Adrian Pugna & Mădălin-Dorin Pop & Romeo Negrea & Luisa Dungan, 2021. "Facing COVID-19 Challenges: 1st-Year Students’ Experience with the Romanian Hybrid Higher Educational System," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-15, March.
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