Different Coping Patterns among US Graduate and Undergraduate Students during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Machine Learning Approach

Abstract

COVID-19 caused unprecedented disruptions to regular university operations worldwide. Dealing with 100% virtual classrooms and suspension of essential in-person activities resulted in significant stress and anxiety for students coping with isolation, fear, and uncertainties in their academic careers. In this study, we applied a machine learning approach to identify distinct coping patterns between graduate and undergraduate students when facing these challenges. We based our study on a large proprietary dataset collected from 517 students in US professional institutions during an early peak of the pandemic. In particular, we cast our problem under the association rule mining (ARM) framework by introducing a new method to transform survey data into market basket items and customer transactions in which students’ behavioral patterns were analogous to customer purchase patterns. Our experimental results suggested that graduate and undergraduate students adopted different ways of coping that could be attributed to their different maturity levels and lifestyles. Our findings can further serve as a focus of attention (FOA) tool to facilitate customized advising or counseling to address the unique challenges associated with each group that may warrant differentiated interventions.

Analisis Pengaruh Bahan Ajar Kimia Berbasis IT Terhadap Keterampilan Kolaborasi dan Komunikasi Siswa

“…Keterampilan kolaborasi siswa meningkat karena kelebihan bahan ajar kimia berbasis IT yang dikembangkan menuntuk siswa untuk terlibat aktif bekerjasama dengan anggota Ratarata hasil kelas kontrol 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 Rata-rata hasil kelas eksperimen Data Keterampilan Kolaborasi Data Keterampilan Kolaborasi 11 kelompoknya untuk mendiskusikan konsep yang dipelajari sehingga mampu meningkatkan kemampuan kerjasama siswa (Syafrial et al, 2022). Demikian juga dalam proses diskusi, siswa terlibat aktif bekerjasama untuk menyelesaikan tugas kelompok yang akan dipresentasikan sehingga melatih keterampilan kolaborasi, berpikir kritis, dan sikap ilmiah siswa (Syafrial et al, 2022;Wahyudiati, 2021b;Zhao et al, 2022). Dengan demikian bahan ajar kimia berbasis IT mampu mengembangkan keterampilan komunikasi siswa.…”

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Well-Being, Social Relationships and Academic Performance in a Sample of University Freshmen: A Propensity Score Match Evaluation Pre- and Post-Pandemic

“…Post-COVID-19 freshmen also show a decrease in the acceptance coping strategy. During the pandemic, students may have experienced heightened difficulty in accepting and adapting to the uncertainties and changes imposed by the pandemic, which could have influenced their coping strategies [51]. Moreover, the social and physical distancing measures implemented during the pandemic may have limited freshmen social support networks and reduced opportunities for face-to-face interactions [52].…”

An evaluation of the environmental values, beliefs, norms, and behaviors of sport management students in higher education institutions

“…The variances in mean scores could be explained by differences in environmental educational opportunities (Graham et al , 2018; Greenhalgh et al , 2015), increased exposure to environmental initiatives on campus and sport events (Krizek et al , 2012) or simply life experiences, such as the geographic region in which participants reside (Harraway et al , 2012). Undergraduate students typically reside in university housing and dine at school cafeterias, while graduate students live off-campus and have a much more diversified social circle (Zhao et al , 2022). The average age in North America for undergraduates is 20.4, while the average age for graduates is 31.7 (Southeastern Institutional Research, 2023).…”