Physical and Social Environment influence on the role of university students in virtual learning setting in the context of COVID-19 pandemics.

Abstract

The health crisis generated by the SARS-CoV-2 forced all universities to migrate to distance learning modality, which caused changes in the environment in which students performed their role and who did not have previous experience in this learning modality. From Occupational Therapy considers that the physical and social environment are key determinants for occupational performance.

Therefore, the present research aims to know how the physical and social environment influences the role of higher education students in virtual learning environments of one Health faculty, during the context of a COVID-19 pandemic, in the year 2021.

The methodology is based on a qualitative approach with a phenomenological design, using in-depth interviews and a focus group as data collection instruments.

The informants are 12 students from the Health faculty of the Santo Tomás University, Puerto Montt campus, who are attending between the second and fourth year.

The results of the research showed that the change from the classroom to virtual teaching model has brought important changes in the environment. In turn, these changes have been facilitating factors for some students, while for others they have been factors that hinder academic performance.

It was understood that each student has made a great effort to adapt to the new conditions and respond efficiently in the exercise of their student role.