Abstract

The COVID-19 escalation of cases in Australia in March 2020 instigated a swift and comprehensive conversion of classroom instruction to online learning for all students and staff at Christian Heritage College (CHC), a private Higher Education Institution (HEI) in Brisbane. Technology integration exploded on “all fronts,” including online lectures, tutorials, student meetings, staff meetings, counseling services, devotions, and prayer meetings. This research examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the students of CHC and their reported sense of support in the areas of their faith, well-being, and academic progress. The study followed an exploratory research design that involved a mixed-methods approach and principles of “Appreciative Inquiry” (AI) during the process of data analysis. Data collection comprised an online survey (n = 124) and a qualitative interview subsample (n = 8) with the goal of painting a comprehensive picture of student experiences during the 2020 period of massive upheaval on campuses. The findings highlighted the importance of human connection in an online-dominated learning environment. Students rated meaningful communication with their peers and the CHC community members as being among the most critical factors for their sense of well-being. COVID-19 has provided HEIs with an opportunity to (re)examine their academic practices, student well-being support processes, and Christian faith imperatives to enable student flourishing into the future. By analyzing student learning experiences during the COVID-19 year retrospectively, this research adds to the understanding of institutional preparedness prospectively. Experiences and lessons conveyed in this article are useful for HEI policy and practice, thus serving the cause of Christian education in Australia and beyond.

摘要

2020 年 3 月，澳大利亚发生的 COVID-19 病例升级促使布里斯班私立高等教育机构 (HEI) 的所有学生和教职工将课堂教学迅速全面地转变为在线学习。技术整合在“各个方面”呈爆炸式增长，包括在线讲座、辅导、学生会议、教职工会议、咨询服务、灵修和祈祷会。这项研究调查了 COVID-19 大流行对 CHC 学生的影响，以及他们报告的在信仰、福祉和学业进步方面的支持感。该研究遵循探索性研究设计，在数据分析过程中采用混合方法和“欣赏式探究”(AI) 原则。数据收集包括在线调查（n  = 124) 和一个定性访谈子样本 ( n = 8) 目标是全面描绘学生在 2020 年校园剧变期间的经历。调查结果强调了人际关系在网络主导的学习环境中的重要性。学生认为与同龄人和 CHC 社区成员进行有意义的交流是影响他们幸福感的最关键因素之一。COVID-19 为高等教育机构提供了（重新）检查他们的学术实践、学生福祉支持流程和基督教信仰要求的机会，以使学生在未来蓬勃发展。通过回顾性地分析学生在 COVID-19 年的学习经历，这项研究增加了对机构准备的前瞻性理解。