Student Researchers’ Experiences during the Pandemic
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59573/emsj.7(3).2023.21Keywords:
student researchers’ experiences, research and online learning, researcher challenges, research during pandemic, PhilippinesAbstract
The restrictions that were imposed to contain the spread of COVID-19 during the pandemic have severely impacted the education sector. More importantly, it impeded the study and conduct of research by student researchers, for it not only lessened the opportunity to learn hands-on, but also the whole research process, which mostly requires face-to-face interactions. The primary objective of this study is to thoroughly investigate the experiences of 68 student researchers from one university in the Philippines during the COVID-19 pandemic. These experiences were explored through individual interviews and analyzed using a descriptive case study approach. The results have shown the positive and negative experiences of the student researchers with their research teachers, advisers, and research groupmates, the challenges they faced, how they coped with the challenges, and their perception about the level of difficulty of research which was exacerbated by the effects of the pandemic. This disparity of experiences between the participants revealed the prevalence of the digital divide in the country, which was uncovered further at the height of the pandemic. Suggestions, particularly on how to help mitigate the negative impact of the new learning set-up on the conduct of research, were also provided.
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