Mainly, this study observed that students were varied in their liking of synchronous and asynchronous courses. Additionally, the study notes that depending on the extent of the students’ experience with online learning and technology in general were much better suited for the online transition.

At Okanagan, where lectures were both synchronous and asynchronous, students found that this meant that they could work from the comfort of their home, and that they could be comfortable, and didn’t need to commute. For those who did not have a comfortable working environment however, they had to deal with noise, chores, and other responsibilities.

Additionally, many students found it very hard to stay motivated with online school, as deadlines and projects were never really routinely structured in the way that they would be in-person. Additionally, isolation and missing friends contributed to the lack of structure many students felt.

Overall, students reported feeling stressed and confused, along with a bevy of mental health issues, as well as concern for their older family members due to COVID-19. International students had it worse, with many of Asian descent facing racial discrimination, while others stressed about their family back at home. Additionally, for those who cannot fluently speak English, having to communicate solely online, mostly through email, where body language can’t be read, proved incredibly difficult.

Finally, undergrad and grad research projects have been affected, as communicating solely online, and analyzing only secondary data may not be as efficient or useful as these projects would have been in-person.

It should be noted, however, that attendance remained relatively similar to in-person class.