Teaching and Learning amid War Crisis: Perceptions of Ukrainian Academic Staff and Students on Online Education

Abstract

The Ukrainian higher education institutions (HEIs) are currently facing a prolonged multi-dimensional crisis. Still reeling from the aftermath of the pandemic and subsequent crises, HEIs are now plunged into even greater challenges due to the full-scale war. This study investigates student and teacher perspectives on the unique circumstances of education during wartime, particularly focusing on attitudes towards digitalization of educational processes. An anonymous online survey was conducted at a public HEI in the Kharkiv region one year after the war started. In total, 450 students and 55 academic staff members answered the survey. Our findings indicate a substantial enhancement in the digitalization of HEI due to the crisis, evidenced by satisfaction among teachers and students regarding platforms and educational content quality. Results also reveal that though both students and teachers prefer online education as the primary mode of teaching and learning, it is also perceived as less suitable in the long term. The students are also more interested compared to the teaching staff in making HE more flexible and adapted to their needs. The study sheds light on the impact of the crisis on the digitalization of HE, providing valuable insights into the evolution of technological integration within academic institutions.