Who Suffered and Who Benefited? Students’ Perceptions on Digitalization of Studies During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Finnish Higher Education

COVID-19 pandemic caused a rapid transition to online education worldwide, resulting in fundamental changes to higher education delivery and students’ lives. To date, most of the research on COVID-19 effects has been carried out at the institute level and has focused on the negative impacts on students. There have not been systematic, large-scale studies on the student population level, identifying the characteristics of those who either benefited or suffered during the pandemic. This study, based on the EUROSTUDENT 8 survey data with respondents (N = 6,839) from 35 Finnish higher education institutions, addresses this research gap. First, general profiles of student perceptions on digitalization of studies during the pandemic were created using a clustering method. Then, logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine the factors that characterize the obtained profiles of positive and negative experiences. Students’ study motivation, preferred study mode, and their ability to balance studies with other responsibilities strongly influenced how pandemic effects were perceived. Surprisingly, students in both positive and negative profiles found their digital skills insufficient. Regarding health and functional impairments, mental health issues and learning disabilities emerged as significant factors. The present study, highlighting both positive and negative effects of the pandemic, provides insights into how students could be supported to better take advantage of digitalization in higher education.