Analysis: More online learning could help to address issues around housing, accessibility and stress on students
Students in Irish third-level institutions face significant challenges. Reports show that almost a third are struggling with the dual impact of the cost-of-living and housing crises. The financial and mental pressures of finding housing, living with family, or commuting long distances create stress and lower mental well-being, making students more likely to drop out of third-level education.
The reintroduction of online learning to third-level education, a model used globally during the pandemic, could provide a solution to these problems by allowing students to access third-level education with minimal travel or housing expenses.
How Covid-19 pandemic normalised online learning
In March 2020, as the Covid-19 pandemic spread globally, Irish higher education institutions rapidly transitioned to emergency online learning methods, a type of teaching and learning considerably different to planned online higher education. This change meant students could continue their education while adhering to social distancing and travel restrictions.
We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences
From RTÉ Radio 1's Drivetime, Nationwide college walkouts as Government accused of killing the student experience
However, the results were mixed. In a Union of Students in Ireland survey, students shared the difficulties they encountered while studying solely at home, such as lacking motivation, missing friendships and independence, and feeling lost without their usual study support as on-campus students. The survey also found that less than 13% of the mental health difficulties described by students were considered "caused by college", which suggests the overall effects of lockdown, as opposed to learning online, were a major contributor to student difficulties in that period.
Students also welcomed many aspects of learning online, particularly the flexibility of not following specific timetables, accessing lecture recordings at a suitable time, and not worrying about commuting to a campus. Additionally, for many disabled students in third-level education, the switch to emergency online learning was positive, with almost 86% describing their experience as positive or acceptable and agreeing that academic staff had accommodated the students' disability needs.
Current challenges for Irish third-level students
While the housing crisis is a societal problem, third-level students are severely restricted in accommodation choices and must live near campus or commute. Rising rents, limited housing availability, and unsuitable living conditions force many students to live in family homes and commute, sometimes long distances. For those with work or family commitments, disabled students who struggle with commuting, or those in rural areas a long distance from the physical institution, traditional campus-based education can be inaccessible.
We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences
From RTÉ Radio 1's Today with Claire Byrne, Student accommodation scramble as opposition suggests shared beds are being advertised
The rising cost of living has placed added pressure on third-level students. The average cost of attending third-level education is €9,511, climbing to €16,100 when rented accommodation is included, much higher than student grants. Balancing expenses for accommodation, commuting, and tuition, alongside academic demands, employment responsibilities, and a social life, presents a significant challenge for third-level students.
The case for more online learning in Ireland
As seen during the pandemic, online learning has several advantages. Key among them is the ability to access education flexibly at a time and place of the student's choice. This flexibility would allow students to structure their academic lives in a way that suits them, making education accessible to those in employment, living too far for a daily commute, or having responsibilities that limit their schedules.
However, the challenges associated with learning online must also be considered. Social isolation, difficulties accessing institutional support services, and lowered student motivation affect student retention and academic performance. Finding a balance that considers all these challenges suggests the need for a more nuanced approach, such as hybrid or blended learning models.
Read more: A short history of Ireland's student housing crisis
Hybrid learning, which allows students in a class to attend lectures on campus or online simultaneously, and blended learning, which combines elements of online learning with traditional on-campus sessions, combine the benefits of on-campus and online while reducing the challenges associated with either as the sole format.
Merging the flexibility of online learning, would allow students to engage at a time and place of their choosing, with on-campus attendance, which creates a natural interaction with peers and staff and ensures face-to-face contact is continued, would be the best of both worlds. Additionally, the financial burden on students would be reduced as commuting would be limited to scheduled or "choice-based" on-campus days. Alleviating the need to commute or find housing in specific areas would lower third-level students' stress in these two areas of difficulty and thus improve overall well-being and mental health.
Interestingly, when surveyed towards the end of the pandemic emergency online learning switch, almost three-quarters (74%) of respondents said they would consider returning to education if hybrid or blended learning options were available, indicating that students would be interested in an approach of this type, despite the difficulties associated with the emergency online learning approaches.
Institutions may also benefit from using hybrid or blended educational models. For example, it would be easier for staff and students to switch in the case of future adverse effects, such as severe weather events or pandemics. Additionally, fewer students attending campus on a daily basis means less need for physical infrastructure and, thus, lower costs. Reducing commuting-related emissions from students may also support institutional sustainability goals.
Although implementing online learning models poses challenges, the strengths learned during the pandemic switch to emergency online learning could be leveraged to build a best-of-both-worlds scenario using hybrid or blended learning, creating accessibility and reducing stress and pressure on third-level students, ultimately supporting their education and success.
Follow RTÉ Brainstorm on WhatsApp and Instagram for more stories and updates
The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of RTÉ
