More than four years have passed since the start of pandemic-related campus closures and the emergency shifts to online/remote learning that came with them. A new report from HEQCO finds that as public health measures relaxed, so too did some uncertainties and stressors facing students navigating postsecondary education. However, concerns remain about learning loss, students' sense of academic preparedness, self-efficacy, satisfaction and well-being, which are factors known to impact persistence.
The report expands and builds upon HEQCO's previous work to monitor pandemic impacts, including the 2022 report Ontario Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic which examined the experiences of domestic first-year postsecondary students in the wake of intermittent campus closures and other pandemic-related disruptions. For the latest report, HEQCO surveyed approximately 1,000 first- and second-year domestic and international students about their experiences during the 2021-22 academic year. Ontario Learning Since the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Updated Look at Student Experiences and Outcomes in 2021 - 2022 offers reflections for postsecondary leaders to consider as they support student success in the years ahead.