Beyond the Screen: Exploring the Impact of Virtual Learning on the Socioemotional Well-Being of University Students and Educators

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Perspectives and Trends in Education and Technology (ICITED 2023)

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the socioemotional well-being of students in higher education and educators who are engaged in virtual learning environments. To ensure a comprehensive understanding of the research topic, a sequential mixed-method approach was utilized. The study commenced with gathering qualitative data through semi-structured interviews, which were then subjected to thematic analysis to identify recurring patterns. Subsequently, quantitative techniques, such as Natural Semantic Networks, were applied to analyze the interview data statistically. The study included a sample of 50 participants, consisting of 30 students and 20 educators, who were affiliated with a private online university located in Lima, Peru. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and Grounded Theory elements. The findings showed inconsistencies in emotions among teachers and diverse emotions among students, with satisfaction, uncertainty, and tension being the most commonly reported emotions. The study highlights the importance of promoting socioemotional well-being, which is crucial for human development, and can be achieved by implementing appropriate strategies and resources. This research suggests that promoting well-being through such strategies can help mitigate the negative impacts of virtual education on mental health and facilitate positive academic outcomes.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
EUR 32.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or Ebook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 229.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 299.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free ship** worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Coman, C., Țîru, L.G., Meseșan-Schmitz, L., Stanciu, C., Bularca, M.C.: Online teaching and learning in higher education during the coronavirus pandemic: students’ perspective. Sustainability 12(24), 10367 (2020). https://doi.org/10.3390/su122410367

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Lassoued, Z., Alhendawi, M., Bashitialshaaer, R.: An exploratory study of the obstacles for achieving quality in distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Educ. Sci. 10(9), 232 (2020). https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci10090232

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Butnaru, G.I., Haller, A.P., Dragolea, L.L., Anichiti, A., Tacu Hârșan, G.D.: Students’ wellbeing during transition from onsite to online education: are there risks arising from social isolation? Int. J. Environ. Res. Pub. Health 18(18), 9665 (2021). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18189665

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Durlak, J.A., Domitrovich, C.E., Weissberg, R.P., Gullotta, T.P. (eds.): Handbook of Social and Emotional Learning: Research and Practice. Guilford, New York (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  5. Makarenko, E., Andrews, J.J.W.: An empirical review of the mental health and well-being of online instructors. J. Educ. Thought (JET)/Revue de La Pensée Éducative 50(2/3), 182–199 (2017). https://www.jstor.org/stable/26372403

  6. Leal Filho, W., Wall, T., Rayman-Bacchus, L., Mifsud, M., Pritchard, D.J., Lovren, V.O., Farinha, C., Petrovic, D.S., Balogun, A.-L.: Impacts of COVID-19 and social isolation on academic staff and students at universities: a cross-sectional study. BMC Pub. Health 21(1) (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-11040-z

  7. Torres, F., Garza, S.E.: Similarity for natural semantic networks. In: Similarity Search and Applications, pp. 195–200. Springer International Publishing (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  8. Lobczowski, N.G., Lyons, K., Greene, J.A., McLaughlin, J.E.: Socioemotional regulation strategies in a project-based learning environment. Contemp. Educ. Psychol. 65(101968), 101968 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2021.101968

  9. Prodgers, L., Travis, E., Pownall, M.: “It’s hard to feel a part of something when you’ve never met people”: defining “learning community” in an online era. High. Educ. (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-022-00886-w

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Schwartz, K.D., Exner-Cortens, D., McMorris, C.A., Makarenko, E., Arnold, P., Van Bavel, M., Williams, S., Canfield, R.: COVID-19 and student well-being: stress and mental health during return-to-school. Can. J. Sch. Psychol. 36(2), 166–185 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1177/08295735211001653

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Fredrickson, B.L.: What good are positive emotions? Rev. Gen. Psychol. 2(3), 300–319 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1037/1089-2680.2.3.300

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Wu, R., Yu, Z.: Exploring the effects of achievement emotions on online learning outcomes: a systematic review. Front. Psychol. 13, 977931 (2022). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.977931

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Van der Linden, D., Tops, M., Bakker, A.B.: Go with the flow: a neuroscientific view on being fully engaged. Eur. J. Neurosci. 53(4), 947–963 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1111/ejn.15014

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Rodríguez-Ardura, I., Meseguer-Artola, A.: Flow in e-learning: what drives it and why it matters: flow in e-learning: what drives it and why it matters. Br. J. Educ. Technol. J. Counc. Educ. Technol. 48(4), 899–915 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.12480

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Bian, Y., Zhou, C., Liu, J., Geng, W., Shi, Y.: The effect of reducing distraction on the flow-performance link in virtual experiential learning environment. Virtual Reality 26(4), 1277–1290 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10055-021-00621-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Hayat, A.A., Shateri, K., Amini, M., Shokrpour, N.: Relationships between academic self-efficacy, learning-related emotions, and metacognitive learning strategies with academic performance in medical students: a structural equation model. BMC Med. Educ. 20(1), 76 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-020-01995-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Barron, M., Cobo, C., Munoz-Najar, A., Ciarrusta, I.S.: The changing role of educators and technologies amidst the COVID 19 pandemic: key findings from a cross-country study. World Bank Blogs (2021, Feb 18). https://blogs.worldbank.org/education/changing-role-teachers-and-technologies-amidst-covid-19-pandemic-key-findings-cross

  18. Aguilar-Correa, C., Farías-Farías, B.B., Fuentes-Savoy, M.P., Miranda-Núñez, P.I., Pérez-Pérez, M.I.: Bienestar socioemocional en contexto de pandemia y virtualidad: una aproximación apadres, madres, profesorado y estudiantado de educación primaria en Chile. Revista Educación 47(1) (2023). https://doi.org/10.15517/revedu.v47i1.52029

  19. Creswell, J.W., Poth, C.N.: Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design. Sage Publications Inc. (2023, Apr 8). https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/qualitative-inquiry-and-research-design/book246896

  20. Hora, M., Benbow, R., Lee, C.: A sociocultural approach to communication instruction: how insights from communication teaching practices can inform faculty development programs. J. Learn. Sci. 30, 1–50 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1080/10508406.2021.1936533

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Bagnoli, A.: Researching identities with multi-method autobiographies. Sociol. Res. Online 9(2), 1–22 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Avraamidou, L.: Science identity as a landscape of becoming: rethinking recognition and emotions through an intersectionality lens. Cult. Stud. Sci. Educ. 15, 323–345 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11422-019-09954-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Bradley, M.M., Lang, P.J.: Measuring emotion: the self-assessment manikin and the semantic differential. J. Behav. Ther. Exp. Psychiatry 25(1), 49–59 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1016/0005-7916(94)90063-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Valdez Medina, J.L.: Las redes semánticas naturales, usos y aplicaciones en psicología social. UAEM, México (1998)

    Google Scholar 

  25. Mosleh, S.M., Kasasbeha, M.A., Aljawarneh, Y.M., Alrimawi, I., Saifan, A.R.: The impact of online teaching on stress and burnout of academics during the transition to remote teaching from home. BMC Med. Educ. 22(1), 475 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-022-03496-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Brady, A.M.: Mental health, resilience and existential literature. J. Philos. Educ. (2022). https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9752.12642

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Stephan, M., Markus, S., Gläser-Zikuda, M.: Students’ achievement emotions and online learning in teacher education. Front. Educ. 4 (2019). https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2019.00109

  28. Grady, C., Cummings, S.R., Rowbotham, M.C., McConnell, M.V., Ashley, E.A., Kang, G.: Informed consent. N. Engl. J. Med. 376(9), 856–867 (2017)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the educators who participated in this research. This study has been supported partly by the Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas (UPC).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Paola Palomino-Flores .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

About this paper

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this paper

Palomino-Flores, P., Cristi-López, R., Paul, D. (2023). Beyond the Screen: Exploring the Impact of Virtual Learning on the Socioemotional Well-Being of University Students and Educators. In: Mesquita, A., Abreu, A., Carvalho, J.V., Santana, C., de Mello, C.H.P. (eds) Perspectives and Trends in Education and Technology. ICITED 2023. Smart Innovation, Systems and Technologies, vol 366. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-5414-8_50

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Navigation