Recommendations for school-going students post CoVid-19 in Bangladesh

E-learning readiness and perceived stress among the university students of Bangladesh during COVID-19: a countrywide cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic has compelled all educational institutions from the conventional campus-based education system to e-learning worldwide. However, adapting to this new platform, e-learning readiness may cause perceived stress among students. This study aimed to examine the association between e-learning readiness and perceived e-learning stress and the relationship between sociodemographic and e-learning related factors.

RESULTS

A cross-sectional study was employed, where 1145 e-learning enrolled university students were surveyed. The result indicated that nearly 91% of students reported moderate (76.07%) to the higher level (14.85%) of perceived e-learning stress, whereas more than half of them (58.17%) were at the sub-optimum level of readiness. Furthermore, it was found that students with the sub-optimum level of readiness compared to optimum had a significantly higher chance of reporting moderate and high level of perceived e-learning stress. Besides, parents' highest education, residence, students' preference in (e-learning or learning format), and having any eye problems were associated with perceived e-learning stress.

CONCLUSIONS

A sudden introduction of e-learning during the COVID-19 catastrophe has brought about challenges, including the students' readiness, that might exacerbate the perceived stress level in different ways. This study reported that most of the students were at sub-optimal levels of readiness and suffered from moderate to high levels of perceived e-learning stress. The findings should integrate into the education monitoring system to enhance students' coping strategies, incite readiness, straighten, and nourish existing policies.Key messagesThe moderate and higher level of e-learning stress was 76% and 15%, respectively.Here, 58% of students were at the sub-optimum level of e-learning readiness.Students' sub-optimum level of e-learning readiness was significantly associated with the perceived moderate and high level of e-learning stress.

Perceived e-learning stress as an independent predictor of e-learning readiness: Results from a nationwide survey in Bangladesh

BACKGROUND

E-learning is a relatively trending system of education that has been placed over conventional campus-based learning worldwide, especially since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to assess e-learning readiness among university students of a developing country like Bangladesh and identify the independent predictors of e-learning readiness.

METHODS

From 26 December 2020 to 11 January 2021, a total of 1162 university students who had enrolled for e-learning completed a semi-structured questionnaire. Data were collected online via "Google Form" following the principles of snowball sampling through available social media platforms in Bangladesh. A multivariable linear regression model was fitted to investigate the association of e-learning readiness with perceived e-learning stress and other independent predictor variables.

RESULTS

A total of 1162 university students participated in this study. The results indicated that with the increase of students' perceived e-learning stress score, the average e-learning readiness score was significantly decreased (β = -0.43, 95% CI: -0.66, -0.20). The students did not seem ready, and none of the e-learning readiness scale items reached the highest mean score (5.0). The age, gender, divisional residence, preference of students and their parents, devices used, and having any eye problems were significantly associated with the students' e-learning readiness.

CONCLUSION

During the prolonged period of the COVID-19 pandemic, e-learning implication strategies are needed to be assessed systematically with the level of readiness and its' impacts among students for the continuation of sound e-learning systems. The study findings recommend evaluating the e-learning readiness of university students and the mental health outcomes during the COVID-19 catastrophe in Bangladesh.