Impact of Restrictive Measures on Higher Education: Transition to Distance Learning as Assessed by Russian Universities Students
In March 2020, universities in Russia, like in many other countries, were forced to urgently switch to a distance learning format, which led to the need for organization of continuous teaching process as well as examinations in the new environment. This paper examines the characteristics and general problems of the transition to distance learning in the system of Russian higher education. It is based on the results of the analysis of unstructured interviews with students, in which they described the problems they faced in spring 2020, as well as during the next academic year: autumn 2020-spring 2021. For in-depth analysis, students were selected to reflect on problems of transition to distance learning in four borderline situations, such as: graduating from school (final exams), entering the university, studying in the first year of an engineering specialty, completion of a bachelor’s degree and admission to the first year of a master’s degree in another university of a different profile, a year of study in a humanitarian specialty, completion of studies in magistracy, admission to graduate school. Students were asked to describe both positive and negative aspects of distance learning, while discussing prospects, limitations and trajectories of the implementation of distance format in Russian universities. The article also provides a comparative analysis of the problems of distance learning as reflected in the works of Russian and foreign researchers. Based on the study, the authors provide tentative conclusions on effectiveness of public policy measures in the field of education during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, namely organization of distance learning in universities.