The paradox of technology in online education during the COVID-19 pandemic: the experiences of safety and security students in a Dutch university

• Published in: Higher education Vol. 86; no. 6; pp. 1269 - 1292
• Main Authors: Matczak, Anna, Akdogan, Huseyin, Ashmore, Dillon
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.12.2023; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Administrator Education; Administrators; CAI; Classes; College students; Commercialization; Computer assisted instruction; COVID-19; Data; Democratization; Distance Education; Distance learning; Education; Educational inequality; Educational Technology; Electronic Learning; Equal Education; Foreign Countries; Higher Education; Influences; Innovations; Learner Engagement; Online Courses; Online Surveys; Pandemics; Safety; Satisfaction; Security; Security management; Security Personnel; Social isolation; Student Attitudes; Student Experience; Student Satisfaction; Students; Technology; Undergraduate Students; Netherlands; COVID-19; Online education; Student satisfaction; Higher education; Technology
• ISSN: 0018-1560; 1573-174X
• DOI: 10.1007/s10734-022-00971-0

The purpose of this paper is to reflect on the experiences of safety and security management students, enrolled in an undergraduate course in the Netherlands, and present quantitative data from an online survey that aimed to explore the factors that have contributed to students’ satisfaction with, and engagement in, online classes during the COVID-19 pandemic. The main findings suggest an interesting paradox of technology, which is worth further exploration in future research. Firstly, students with self perceived higher technological skill levels tend to reject online education more often as they see substantial shortcomings of classes in the way they are administered as compared to the vast available opportunities for real innovation. Secondly, as opposed to democratising education and allowing for custom-made, individualistic education schedules that help less-privileged students, online education can also lead to the displacement of education by income-generating activities altogether. Lastly, as much as technology allowed universities during the COVID-19 pandemic to continue with education, the transition to the environment, which is defined by highly interactive and engaging potential, may in fact be a net contributor to the feelings of social isolation, digital educational inequality and tension around commercialisation in higher education.