Disparities in Remote Learning Faced by First-Generation and Underrepresented Minority Students during COVID-19: Insights and Opportunities from a Remote Research Experience

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic forced an unprecedented shift to remote instruction across higher education, reducing access to critically important undergraduate research experience and potentially magnifying inequities faced by first-generation and underrepresented minority (URM) students in higher education. Through a novel course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) at UCLA, delivered completely online, results of a unique, student-generated survey showed that the transition to remote learning was challenging for all students, increasing student workload, decreasing ability to focus on school, and limiting their ability to succeed.

Undergraduate Biology Students Received Higher Grades During COVID-19 but Perceived Negative Effects on Learning

“…In the same study, about 90% of the students reported distractions in their new workspace and about 65% of the students reported the lack of a dedicated workspace (Gillis and Krull, 2020). While these issues negatively affect all students, students from low-income families, first generation to college students and Black, Hispanic/Latinx, and Indigenous students were more likely to be disproportionately impacted by poor internet connections or distracting environments (Barber et al, 2021). Another factor that likely affected remote learning in Spring 2020 is additional caregiving responsibilities necessitated by remote learning in K-12 schools and greater health risks for older family members (Collins et al, 2020).…”

“…In addition to health and financial impacts, several other factors may have differentially exacerbated the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on student learning in Spring 2020. Losing access to student housing and meal plans contributed to housing and food insecurities for many students, including lowincome students, international students, first-generation students, and Black, Hispanic/Latinx, and Indigenous students (Chen et al, 2020;Lederer et al, 2020;Barber et al, 2021). Heightened housing and food insecurities impacted off-campus students as well (Goldrick-Rab et al, 2020).…”

“…Heightened housing and food insecurities impacted off-campus students as well (Goldrick-Rab et al, 2020). Moreover, poor internet connection and lack of a quiet or safe space to study made it more difficult for students to complete their assignments and succeed during remote instruction (Means and Neisler, 2020;Ramachandran and Rodriguez, 2020;Tigaa and Sonawane, 2020;Villanueva et al, 2020;Barber et al, 2021). For example, one recent study of college students in introductory sociology courses showed that more than 50% of all students experienced occasional internet problems during remote learning in Spring 2020 (Gillis and Krull, 2020).…”

Reading Format Attitudes in the Time of COVID

“…The issue of internet access was a key concern of Barber's investigation into the inherent inequities of remote learning for students from lower socio-economic groups in the U.S. These students may have less access to optimal technologies and learning spaces making it more difficult for them to take full advantage of online learning ( Barber et al, 2021 ). Students at UCLA responded positively to the sudden change to remote learning in a study conducted by their Center for the Advancement of Teaching ( UCLA CAT, 2021 ).…”

Exploring Higher Education Pathways for Coping With the Threat of COVID-19: Does Parental Academic Background Matter?

“…Not only did the learning environment transfer from university grounds' back into the students' bedrooms, but social contact with other students was reduced to a bare minimum or vanished completely. Subsequently, the two key elements of student identification, contact with peers and the university environment (Barber et al, 2021), were no longer available during lock-down. This sudden and urgent change caused uncertainty for all involved (Jeong et al, 2021).…”