The article "Distance Education in COVID-19’s Period: An Analysis from the Perspective of University Students," authored by Eva Pérez-López, Alfonso Vázquez Atochero, and Santiago Cambero Rivero, rigorously examines the forced transition to virtual learning during the lockdown in Spain.
Through a mixed-methods study combining surveys of over 500 students and interviews with university authorities, the research reveals how socioeconomic disparities impacted digital equity and how the rushed technological adaptation of universities exposed structural deficiencies in faculty training for online environments.
The findings show that, although most students had basic technological resources, those from families with lower educational backgrounds had less access to personal devices and stable internet connections, increasing their academic vulnerability.
Moreover, the study highlights that distance learning largely consisted of a mere translation of traditional face-to-face classes—through presentations or materials uploaded to virtual campuses—with predominantly asynchronous interactions, which intensified feelings of isolation and diminished the effectiveness of learning.
Finally, the authors emphasize that students perceived a lack of adaptation by faculty members to their personal circumstances, which negatively impacted their academic performance and motivation. The article concludes that the pandemic should be seen as an opportunity to rethink the university model, advocating for more collaborative, flexible, and student-centered approaches.
In this way, the study provides a clear and valuable diagnosis to guide the future transformation of higher education in an increasingly digitalized world.
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How to Cite: Pérez López, E., Vázquez Atochero, A., & Cambero Rivero, S. (2021). Distance Education in COVID-19’s Period: An Analysis from the Perspective of University Students. RIED. Revista Iberoamericana De Educación a Distancia, 24(1), 331–350. https://doi.org/10.5944/ried.24.1.27855
