How does the COVID-19 pandemic influence students' academic activities? An explorative study in a public university in Bangladesh

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted education globally, with UNESCO estimating closures affecting over 60% of students worldwide. University students experienced marked interruptions to academic and social life, heightened uncertainty about careers, and reduced in-person engagement. Institutions rapidly shifted from face-to-face to online learning to minimize educational disruption, yet students often reported discomfort and dissatisfaction with online modalities due to limited access to devices, connectivity constraints, costs, and the need to adapt to new technologies and assessments. In Bangladesh, nationwide closures kept students at home while higher education institutions faced challenges transitioning to online teaching, given longstanding reliance on face-to-face methods. With over 5,000 higher education institutions and roughly 4 million students, emergency online methods were introduced, but overcrowding, unequal technological access, and slow adaptation led to delays and extended distance learning. Against this backdrop, this study investigates how COVID-19 affected university students’ academic activities in Bangladesh—focusing on online learning effects, satisfaction, adaptability, and participation in extracurricular activities—using Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) as a case.

Prior work documents that COVID-19 accelerated online teaching and learning but exposed readiness gaps. Studies highlight insufficient virtual teaching proficiency among educators and students (Sri Lanka), disruptions from university and dormitory closures, and mixed appraisals of online learning—recognized as modern and beneficial but associated with loss of social interaction and group learning. In Bangladesh, proposals included flipped classrooms and findings of improved post-pandemic performance in some contexts, positive attitudes toward mobile learning, and significant discontinuities due to lack of technology and connectivity. Students feared falling behind, missing job opportunities, and facing hiring challenges. Globally, rapid adoption of online learning was noted across disciplines (e.g., optometry), while academic ceremonies and events were canceled, and staff shifted to remote work. Teacher challenges included limited IT skills, reduced engagement compared to face-to-face, scheduling and platform selection issues, and difficulties measuring online learning effectiveness. Mental health burdens increased due to inadequate home networks, parental and financial pressures, family losses, and extended quarantine, affecting study time and performance. In Bangladesh, technology adoption barriers, overcrowding, and skill transfer difficulties complicated distance learning. This study extends the literature by exploring both challenges and opportunities from students’ perspectives in a Bangladeshi public university context.

Design: Descriptive qualitative study using a grounded theory approach (inductive, participant-centered). The study aimed to understand how COVID-19 affected students’ academic engagement and which factors influenced academic performance and participation. Setting and participants: Conducted at Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST), Sylhet, Bangladesh. Purposive sampling recruited volunteers via a university Facebook group. N=30 students across diverse faculties participated (56.7% female, 43.3% male; 87% in Bachelor’s programs, 13% Master’s; age range 18–25, mean 21.37, SD 1.99). Data collection: In-depth semi-structured interviews conducted by phone in Bengali (by the first author). Initial data collection: Sep 20–Oct 3, 2021; additional interviews: Dec 24–27, 2021 to ensure saturation. Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and translated into English. Research team: A graduate student with qualitative training, a sociology professor (PhD) with extensive qualitative/quantitative experience, and a sociology postdoctoral fellow (PhD) conducted collection and analysis. Analysis: Thematic analysis with coding in Microsoft Excel. Themes/subthemes emerged inductively; interpretation and validation were done through team discussions, individual and group analyses, verbatim transcripts, and written notes. Data saturation was reached after the 30th interview. Ethics: Participants were informed about study objectives and confidentiality; participation was voluntary with the option to withdraw. Written informed consent was obtained via email. At the time, no official ethics committee existed; the study adhered to accepted ethical standards. Data will not be shared to protect participant confidentiality. Design considerations: As a descriptive qualitative design, causal inferences cannot be established. Potential influence of interviewer presence during phone interviews was considered.

- Thematic structure: Eight themes grouped into two domains—negative impacts and positive impacts on academic activities. - Negative impacts: • Disruption in learning: Abrupt university closures; shutdown of libraries, seminars, dormitories; postponement of academic/administrative activities; loss of structured routines; difficulty concentrating at home; limited access to books/materials left on campus; particular challenges for laboratory/practical courses moved online; concerns about assessments and academic progress. • Loss of social interaction: Breakdown of peer learning and group study; reduced motivation; anticipated post-pandemic communication gaps. • Physical health challenges: Altered sleep/eating; sedentary behavior; weight gain; fatigue and lethargy undermining study interest. • Mental health challenges: Anxiety about infection, academic delays, exams, results, progression; uncertainty about career prospects; age-related job eligibility concerns; gendered pressure (e.g., pressure on female students to marry before graduation) affecting academic focus. • Financial crisis and parental involvement: Loss of part-time income/tuition; family income reductions; difficulty affording internet/data; parental pressures; heightened emotional distress. - Positive impacts: • Adoption of digital learning processes: Rapid uptake of Zoom/Google Meet/Classroom; benefits of pre-recorded lectures for review; ease of online assignments and Q&A; engagement with free online courses (Coursera, edX, FutureLearn); skill building and exposure to freelancing. • Cultivation of adaptability: Improved digital literacy among students and educators; pedagogical and assessment innovation; perceived necessity and acceptance of online learning. • Integration of online and offline activities: Time for hobbies (cooking, gardening, arts); volunteering (online/offline); participation in online seminars, conferences, workshops, competitions; unpaid internships and remote work; some entrepreneurial activities. - Data points: N=30 (56.7% female, 43.3% male); 87% Bachelor’s, 13% Master’s; mean age 21.37 years (SD 1.99; range 18–25).

The findings directly address how COVID-19 reshaped students’ academic activities in a Bangladeshi public university. Online learning improved flexibility and access (e.g., recorded lectures, remote participation) but could not fully substitute for in-person interaction and hands-on practical/lab experiences. Loss of social connections and group study reduced motivation and potentially hindered deep learning. Limited devices, high data costs, poor connectivity, and power outages compromised online learning quality. Extended screen time produced fatigue, and mental health stressors—uncertainty about academics and employment—undermined focus. These results align with prior literature noting the convenience of remote learning alongside engagement and practical-skill limitations. Suggested pedagogical responses include shorter, more interactive sessions using live chat, polls, quizzes, and virtual whiteboards; reducing cognitive load; and enhancing authentic assessments. The study also highlights student resilience and adaptability, including technology adoption, extracurricular engagements, and skill development during closures, indicating areas for institutions to support hybrid and technology-enhanced learning moving forward.

COVID-19 substantially affected Bangladeshi university students’ academic lives across learning processes, social relationships, physical and mental health, and finances. While online learning afforded flexibility and opportunities for digital skill development and extracurricular engagement, it remained limited for practical and lab-based components. The study underscores the need to refine online learning environments in public universities, with a strategic shift toward hybrid models that blend online and offline components, enhanced ICT training for instructors and students, and institutional policies that reduce screen time and cognitive load while improving engagement and assessment quality. Future research should expand to multiple institutions and regions, incorporate perspectives of faculty and other stakeholders, and employ quantitative methods with larger samples to improve generalizability and inform policy and program design.

- Small, non-probability sample (N=30) from a single public university (SUST) limits generalizability beyond similar contexts. - Descriptive qualitative design cannot establish causality. - Purposive sampling via social media may introduce selection bias. - Phone-based interviews may influence participant responses; interviewer presence effects noted. - Self-reported data subject to recall and social desirability biases. - Data sharing restricted due to confidentiality commitments. - At the time of the study, no formal ethics committee oversight was available (ethical standards were followed).