Moving toward Digital Transformation by Force: Students’ Preferences, Happiness, and Mental Health

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated and, somehow, forced the process of digital transformation within the higher education sector. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, online modes of course delivery have become the only available way of teaching in almost all parts of the world. We conducted a study in Mexico to know about students’ preferences for these forced online class schedules, exams and assignments, and online teaching styles during this health crisis. Furthermore, this research sought to know about the impact of this forced digitalization on students’ mental health and happiness. To conduct a conjoint analysis, we collected survey-based data from 219 undergraduate Mexican students. The most preferred attributes for students for online classes were “having a short online class (50 min)”, “possibility to have 70% pre-exam assignments and 30% final exam”, and “having a humorous professor in online classes”. In terms of students’ mental health, the prevalence of “moderate” anxiety and depression was 21.8%, and the prevalence of “severe” anxiety and depression was 14.9%. In terms of happiness, male students and students with shorter online classes per day felt a higher level of happiness.

Decoding Demographics on Generation Z's Post-Pandemic Shopping Trends: E-Commerce Evolution 4.0, the Digital Shopper's Dilemma, and Tailoring Strategies

“…Understanding the influence of gender on customer satisfaction, particularly within the domain of online shopping among Generation Z, is a critical aspect of contemporary consumer research (Marinković et al, 2020). Generation Z, born into a world where digital interactions are ubiquitous, navigates online marketplaces with unique preferences shaped by their sociocultural context (Marín-García et al, 2022;Afshar et al, 2023). Research has consistently explored the role of gender in shaping consumer behavior.…”