E-Learning in Times Of COVID-19: Insights into Management and Communication Students’ Perspectives Throughout the Global Coronavirus Pandemic

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought not only a global health crisis, but also many changes and shifts towards a more digitalized working environment. In line with the GlobalET conference theme of this year, this paper looks at how particularly the education sectors has been affected by these new forms of working. One year after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic the Competence Team for the Digitalization of Communication at the FHWien der WKW – University of Applied Sciences for Management and Communication conducted two comparative online surveys with students as well as 60 in-depth interviews. The results of this research help to identify and improve ongoing Distance Learning practices, starting with logistics such as the preferred study mode, recommended duration of the Distance Learning units or mandatory attendance of students during class. The outcome of the research will further contribute to sharpen the clarity of the purpose of digital activities to understand the required support services or online material and to develop possibilities to track students’ study progress. Even though there is an understanding that more than one year after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic the findings can only represent the current status and cannot give a long-term outlook, they might be useful to further develop students’ needs for future Distance Learning and its practices.