The Effect of Online Learning on Tertiary Level Students' Mental Health during the Covid19 Lockdown

Abstract

Covid-19 has proven to be a major disruptive aspect of human life across the world. Notably, there has been a significant shift in the normal way of life with people being required to isolate to prevent further spread of the disease. In education, the restrictions have made it imperative for the adoption of online learning. This paper highlights the effect of online learning on tertiary level students’ mental health. Some of the major findings from the study include the realization that there has been an increase in mental health concerns among the students. This aspect is attributed to the isolation from peers and lecturers, the difficulty of using the online platforms, the lack of guidance and counseling, and the high levels of distractions associated with the platform. The inability to talk and interact with peers and their lecturers for instance, has proven to be a major cause of stress among this group of students. The research has shown that online learning is a major cause of stress despite being a solution to the challenges of the Covid-19 lockdown to learning.