Academic success of students enrolled in educational programmes during the covid-19 epidemic: a comparison between distance learning and traditional classroom

Temeljni namen magistrskega dela je bil primerjati akademsko uspešnost študentov med študijem na daljavo v času epidemije COVID-19 in v obdobju po epidemiji, ko se je študijski proces izvajal v živo. V ospredju naše raziskave je bila pogostost uporabe različnih učnih metod ter oblik dela med izvajanjem študija na daljavo ter izvajanjem študija v živo v obdobju epidemije COVID-19. Zanimale so nas tudi prednosti in slabosti študija na daljavo po mnenju študentov ter za katere vplive so bili mnenja, da so v največji meri vplivali na njihov akademski uspeh med študijem na daljavo ter študijem v živo. Z empirično raziskavo na vzorcu 105 študentov treh največjih javnih univerz, Univerze v Ljubljani, Univerze v Mariboru ter Univerze na Primorskem smo ugotovili, da so imeli študentje statistično pomembno višji akademski uspeh v študijskem letu 2021/2022, kot v študijskem letu 2020/2021. Študentje so imeli višji akademski uspeh, kadar je večji del študijskega procesa potekal v živo. Preučili smo tudi pogostost uporabe učnih metod ter učnih oblik dela med izvajanjem študija na daljavo ter izvajanjem študija v živo. Statistično pomembnih razlik v uporabi različnih učnih metod ter učnih oblik dela nam ni uspelo ugotoviti. Na akademski uspeh posameznikov je po mnenju študentov v največji meri vplivala količina časa, ki so ga namenili študijskim obveznostim ter njihove kognitivne sposobnosti. Študentje so največje prednosti študija na daljavo videli v časovnih in finančnih prihrankih. Pri negativnih vidikih študija na daljavo pa je bila v ospredju omejitev stikov.The main purpose of the master\u27s thesis was to compare the students’ academic performance during distance learning at the time of COVID-19 epidemic and in the post-epidemic period, when the study process took place in person. The focus of our research was on the frequency of using different learning methods and learning forms during distance and face-to-face learning at the time of COVID-19 epidemic. We were also interested in the advantages and disadvantages of distance learning, as perceived by students. We also wanted to know their opinion on which influences had the greatest impact on their academic success during distance and face-to-face learning. In an empirical research on a sample of 105 students from the three largest public universities, the University of Ljubljana, the University of Maribor and the University of Primorska, we realized that students had a significantly higher academic success in the academic year 2021/2022 than in the academic year 2020/2021. When a major part of the study process took place in person, students had a higher academic success. We have also examined the frequency of using learning methods and learning forms during distance and face-to-face learning. We were unable to find statistically significant differences in using diverse learning methods and learning forms. According to the students, the amount of time that they devoted to their studies and their cognitive abilities had a great influence on their academic success. Students saw that the time and financial savings were the biggest advantages in distance learning. Whereas the limitation of contacts was the negative aspect of distance learning