Navigating Adversity: An Analysis of COVID-19's Impact on Sociodemographic Factors and Academic Outcomes Among Engineering Undergraduates in Nigeria
Keywords:
COVID-19, Academic Performance, Online Learning, Engineering Education, NigeriaAbstract
Background: This study investigates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the academic performance of engineering students in Nigeria, focusing on the challenges of the rapid transition to online learning.
Objectives: To analyze the sociodemographic factors influencing the academic experiences of undergraduate engineering students during this period.
Methodology: Study was a cross-sectional survey using a structured questionnaire to assess demographic characteristics, GPAs before and during the pandemic, and online learning experiences. Statistical analyses, including paired-samples t-tests and correlation analyses, were performed.
Results: A significant decline in GPA was observed, from an average of 3.45 pre-pandemic to 2.95 during the pandemic (t(652) = 14.27, p < 0.001). Third-year students reported the most substantial decline. Positive correlations were found between GPA and both time spent on online learning (r = 0.45, p < 0.001) and perceived quality of instruction (r = 0.50, p < 0.001).
Conclusion: The results highlight the need for enhanced digital infrastructure and improved online instruction quality to support students during crises. These findings contribute to the literature on educational disruptions and provide recommendations for developing resilient academic frameworks.
References
[1]Purcell WM, Lumbreras J. Higher education and the COVID-19 pandemic: navigating disruption using the sustainable development goals. Discover Sustainability. 2021;2(1):6.
[2]Rangel VS, Henderson J. An exploratory analysis of the impact of COVID-19 on engineering programs and undergraduate students. International Journal of Engineering Education. 2021;37(6):1553-1566.
[3]Gee KA, Asmundson V, Vang T. Educational impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States: Inequities by race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. Current Opinion in Psychology. 2023;52:101643.
[4]Reyes-Portillo JA, Warner CM, Kline EA, Bixter MT, Brian C Chu BC, ti al. The psychological, academic, and economic impact of COVID-19 on college students in the epicenter of the pandemic. Emerging Adulthood. 2022;10(2):473-490.
[5]Bowe M, Wakefield JRH, Kellezi B, Stevenson C, McNamara N, et al. The mental health benefits of community helping during crisis: Coordinated helping, community identification and sense of unity during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology. 2022;32(3):521-535.
[6]Surya YWI, Mazahir I, Yaseen S, Wibowo NSW. Digital resilience: Understanding the influence of social media and support networks on university students' isolation during COVID-19. Masyarakat, Kebudayaan & Politik. 2024;37(2).
[7]Schell JA. Designing for academic resilience in hands-on courses in times of crisis: Two models for supporting hands-on online learning drawn from the COVID-19 pandemic. American Behavioral Scientist. 2023;67(13):1632-1654.
[8]Foran S. Instructional Strategies for Health-related Disciplines in Education and Certifications During the COVID-19 Pandemic. University of Bridgeport. 2024.
[9]Haikalis M, Doucette H, Meisel MK, Birch K, Barnett NP. Changes in college student anxiety and depression from pre-to during-COVID-19: perceived stress, academic challenges, loneliness, and positive perceptions. Emerging adulthood. 2022;10(2):534-545.
[10]Quraishi Z. Addressing mental health, misinformation, & religious tensions among South Asian students across California higher education during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative …. Heliyon. 20239(6).
[11]Cavanaugh J, Jacquemin S, Junker C. A look at student performance during the COVID-19 pandemic. Quality Assurance in Education. 2024;31(1):33-43.
[12]Tulaskar R, Turunen M. What students want? Experiences, challenges, and engagement during Emergency Remote Learning amidst COVID-19 crisis. Education and information technologies. 2022;27(1):551-587.
[13]Bird KA, Castleman BL, Lohner G. Negative impacts from the shift to online learning during the COVID-19 crisis: Evidence from a statewide community college system. Aera Open. 2022;8:23328584221081220.
[14]Al-Maskari A, Al-Riyami T, Kunjumuhammed SK. Students academic and social concerns during COVID-19 pandemic. Education and information technologies. 2022;27(1):1-21.
[15]Hilliger I, Astudillo G, Baier J. Lacking time: A case study of student and faculty perceptions of academic workload in the COVID‐19 pandemic. Journal of engineering education. 2023;112(3):796-815.
[16]Ahshan R. A framework of implementing strategies for active student engagement in remote/online teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Education Sciences. 2021;11(9):483.
[17]Yang C, Gao H, Li Y, Wang E, Wang N, Wang Q. Analyzing the role of family support, coping strategies and social support in improving the mental health of students: Evidence from post COVID-19. Frontiers in psychology. 2022;13:1064898.
[18]Babbar M, Gupta T. Response of educational institutions to COVID-19 pandemic: An inter-country comparison. Policy Futures in Education. 2022;20(4):469-491.
[19]Teo SC, Lilian A, Koo AC. Examining the effects of academic motivation and online learning on Malaysian tertiary students’ psychological well-being and perceived learning performance. Cogent Education. 2023;10(1):2186025.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Olusola Kunle Akinde, Abdulazeez Adeleke Adegbiji, Waheed Atilade Adegbiji, Fatai Olatunji Sule, Michael Olumide Gbala, Ismaheel Aderogba Azeez, Olaniyan David Oladunjoye (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
