ERIC Number: EJ1374181
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2022
Pages: 23
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: EISSN-1523-1615
Resilience and Despair: Exploring the Educational Experiences of Graduate Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic to Guide Strategies for Action
Ely, Frank O.; Mitchell, Fallon R.; Hirsch, Katherine E.; Diana, Michael; Munroe-Chandler, Krista J.; van Wyk, Paula M.; McGowan, Cheri L.
Current Issues in Comparative Education, v24 n2 spec iss p8-30 2022
The purpose of the current study was to explore graduate students' mental health and educational experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Graduate students (N = 28) in Canada completed an online survey consisting of both closed- and open-ended questions related to their mental health, degree progress, and access to campus workspace. Data were analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative approaches before being synthesized through a pillar integration joint display to merge study findings. Based on self-report data, approximately 60% of participants were experiencing poor-to-moderate mental health at the time of the survey. Participants also expressed dissatisfaction with online learning and felt uncertain about their degree trajectory due to changes and restrictions associated with the pandemic. Based on the participants' responses, recommendations for assisting graduate students during the pandemic were presented. Highlighted by these recommendations was the importance of accessing workspace on campus and the challenges associated with university mental health resources. Overall, nearly 16 months into the pandemic, participants' mental health was negatively impacted by the restrictions. Although the study findings may not be generalizable to all post-secondary institutions, they could be used to inform university administrators regarding the continued challenges faced by graduate students during the pandemic.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Graduate Students, COVID-19, Pandemics, Mental Health, Student Experience, Time to Degree, Access to Education, Student Satisfaction, Electronic Learning, Distance Education, Emergency Programs, Mental Health Programs, Time Perspective, Barriers, Resilience (Psychology), Psychological Patterns
Teachers College, Columbia University. International and Transcultural Studies, P.O. Box 211, 525 West 120th Street, New York, NY 10027. e-mail: info@cicejournal.org; Web site: http://www.tc.columbia.edu/cice
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Canada
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A