Challenges Related to the Postulates of Students Towards Education in Post-Pandemic Times

Abstract

The Covid19 pandemic has changed the day-to-day behaviour of society in many aspects, including education. The mode of operation of schools has changed from traditional to remote. The changes affected various school types, also universities. Remote teaching as a binding educational practice forced both students and teachers to adapt to a dynamically changing reality. Experience gained during the pandemic had an impact on the educational and professional prospects of students. The aim of the research was to learn about the expectations of students towards their own development and education, as well as to determine what their postulates are regarding formal education in post-pandemic times. Extensive empirical material was obtained from 100 people (women) studying at the Pedagogical University of Krakow. The objectification of the results was possible after a thorough analysis of the narrative texts (prospective). Formal and content categories were distinguished, which were arranged in four areas, taking into account the postulates of the surveyed students related to: (1) organisation and course of education, (2) use of information and communication technology (ICT) in education, (3) fulfilment of students’ needs, (4) personal and professional development. The selected areas form a complementary whole in which students’ expectations relate to important spheres of functioning of an individual, that is intellectual, psychosocial and physical. The students participating in the survey expect that after the pandemic they will still be able to use experience and skills gained during the remote learning, they want the university to provide a secure physical and social space. They also want to receive emotional support which would help get rid of negative feelings and also receive instrumental support to allow correct behaviour and effective participation in post-pandemic education. The described categories were expanded to include examples of students’ narratives.