Student Responses to Changes in Introductory Physics Learning due to COVID-19 Pandemic

TL;DR

This study explores student experiences and reactions to the abrupt transition to remote learning in introductory physics and astronomy courses during the COVID-19 pandemic at two large universities.

Contribution

It provides timely insights into student responses to emergency remote instruction, informing future remote teaching strategies in physics education.

Findings

Students faced challenges adapting to online learning environments.

Student feedback highlights the need for improved remote instructional methods.

The study offers recommendations for enhancing remote physics education.

Abstract

As a result of the spread of COVID-19 during spring 2020, many colleges and universities across the US, and beyond, were compelled to move entirely to remote, online instruction, or shut down. Due to the rapidity of this transition, instructors had to significantly -- if not completely -- change their instructional style on very short notice. Our purpose with this paper is to report on student experiences and reactions to the switch to emergency remote learning at two large, land-grant, research intensive universities. We aimed to explore how students have received and dealt with the shift to remote learning that began in March 2020, specifically in introductory physics and astronomy courses. By providing timely student feedback, we hope to help instructors tune their efforts to build a more effective remote learning environment.