Perceived Stress Among UiTM Students During Open and Distance Learning (ODL)

Abstract

The higher education system is one of the sectors that has been affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. In response to that, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) has moved all classes to open and distance learning (ODL) effective 13 April 2020. ODL has greatly assisted the process of teaching and learning during the pandemic, but the sudden adoption from face-to-face learning to ODL can lead to stress among university students. Thus, this study aimed to identify the level of stress perceived by UiTM students during ODL and explore the influence of socio-demographic characteristics on the level of perceived stress among UiTM students during ODL. A cross-sectional survey design was used which was constructed of three main parts; demographic characteristics, Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS10) developed by Cohen, Kamarck, and Mermelstein (1983), and a qualitative exploratory question. The finding concluded that in general, UiTM students showed moderate stress during ODL. The factors that contributed to this are a poor internet connection, academic workload, high academic workload, deadline of assignment, internet connection, learning environment, and family problems.