An Examination of Well-Being and Retention during the Transition of Learning Modality in a University Academic Department
The COVID-19 pandemic had an immediate impact and a long-lasting toll on the well-being of students and faculty, influencing their performance and affecting retention rates on college campuses. This study focused on the entire academic department, rather than an individual faculty member or peer, a...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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University of Calgary
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Teaching & Learning Inquiry: The ISSOTL Journal |
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| Online Access: | https://journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/TLI/article/view/79025 |
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| author | Amy M. Bardwell Chang Su-Russell |
| author_facet | Amy M. Bardwell Chang Su-Russell |
| author_sort | Amy M. Bardwell |
| collection | DOAJ |
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The COVID-19 pandemic had an immediate impact and a long-lasting toll on the well-being of students and faculty, influencing their performance and affecting retention rates on college campuses. This study focused on the entire academic department, rather than an individual faculty member or peer, as the department serves as the immediate learning environment, potentially fostering diversity, equity, belonging, and inclusion (DEBI). The department is an academic home where students experience autonomy, relatedness, and competence. A total of 93 department members participated in a survey that elicited their perspectives and experiences related to retention, DEBI, and basic psychological needs during the first semester transitioning back from remote to in-person learning within the pandemic context. Results revealed that while the department is inclusive, there is room for improvement. Although many students and faculty/staff reported struggling during the transition, few expressed a decision to take a break from school/work. Students who were motivated to stay in school scored higher on departmental DEBI climate and basic psychological needs than those considering a break. Implications for department- and university-level policies and programs are discussed, focusing on addressing the well-being and retention of students and faculty/staff.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-399c4f0fd8d74140a4094396fe2a7980 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2167-4779 2167-4787 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | University of Calgary |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Teaching & Learning Inquiry: The ISSOTL Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-399c4f0fd8d74140a4094396fe2a79802025-08-20T03:58:49ZengUniversity of CalgaryTeaching & Learning Inquiry: The ISSOTL Journal2167-47792167-47872025-07-011310.20343/teachlearninqu.13.36An Examination of Well-Being and Retention during the Transition of Learning Modality in a University Academic DepartmentAmy M. Bardwell0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4394-1866Chang Su-Russell1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3083-1967Illinois State UniversityIllinois State University The COVID-19 pandemic had an immediate impact and a long-lasting toll on the well-being of students and faculty, influencing their performance and affecting retention rates on college campuses. This study focused on the entire academic department, rather than an individual faculty member or peer, as the department serves as the immediate learning environment, potentially fostering diversity, equity, belonging, and inclusion (DEBI). The department is an academic home where students experience autonomy, relatedness, and competence. A total of 93 department members participated in a survey that elicited their perspectives and experiences related to retention, DEBI, and basic psychological needs during the first semester transitioning back from remote to in-person learning within the pandemic context. Results revealed that while the department is inclusive, there is room for improvement. Although many students and faculty/staff reported struggling during the transition, few expressed a decision to take a break from school/work. Students who were motivated to stay in school scored higher on departmental DEBI climate and basic psychological needs than those considering a break. Implications for department- and university-level policies and programs are discussed, focusing on addressing the well-being and retention of students and faculty/staff. https://journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/TLI/article/view/79025transition back to in-person learningcollege students’ retentionmental healthdiversity and equityCOVID-19 pandemic |
| spellingShingle | Amy M. Bardwell Chang Su-Russell An Examination of Well-Being and Retention during the Transition of Learning Modality in a University Academic Department Teaching & Learning Inquiry: The ISSOTL Journal transition back to in-person learning college students’ retention mental health diversity and equity COVID-19 pandemic |
| title | An Examination of Well-Being and Retention during the Transition of Learning Modality in a University Academic Department |
| title_full | An Examination of Well-Being and Retention during the Transition of Learning Modality in a University Academic Department |
| title_fullStr | An Examination of Well-Being and Retention during the Transition of Learning Modality in a University Academic Department |
| title_full_unstemmed | An Examination of Well-Being and Retention during the Transition of Learning Modality in a University Academic Department |
| title_short | An Examination of Well-Being and Retention during the Transition of Learning Modality in a University Academic Department |
| title_sort | examination of well being and retention during the transition of learning modality in a university academic department |
| topic | transition back to in-person learning college students’ retention mental health diversity and equity COVID-19 pandemic |
| url | https://journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/TLI/article/view/79025 |
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