Student Experience of and Reactions to Online Learning on Facebook

A Content Analysis of Remote Learning Issues during COVID-19

Abstract

This study examined the complications of remote learning experienced by MacEwan University students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Content analyses of 125 comments to a Facebook post about remote learning revealed 5 key themes including: work overload, professor issues, disorganized system, burnout, and a concern with fees. The most prevalent themes were work overload (35.2% of comments) and professor issues (28.0%). Further analyses showed that students were most challenged by weekly assignments and readings occurring in all of their classes simultaneously. This study sheds insight into student experiences with at-home learning and suggests instructors need to modify their approaches to remote learning practices to ensure the workload is not beyond the capacities of what students would typically experience in person.