Impact of COVID-19 on Education Not Going Away, UM Study Finds

In a study published in a special issue of the Educational Sciences journal, three Ole Miss researchers found that student performance scores started a downward trend following COVID-19. Dozens of studies have documented the pandemic's negative impact on education, but the Ole Miss team discovered evidence of a deeper problem.

"We were a little puzzled at first because if learning was impacted by one big event, why didn't scores drop and level off or start to climb again?" said Gregg Davidson, professor of geology and geological engineering. "Why did scores continue declining each year since COVID-19?"

A comparison between online and face-to-face classes was particularly troubling. Benefits normally provided by the structure of in-person classes, especially for lower-performing students, vanished after COVID-19.

"As educators, recognizing that this is happening is important in order to be proactive about identifying causes and remedies," Davidson said.

The researchers – Gregg Davidson; Kristin Davidson, lecturer in computer and information science; and Hong Xiao, assistant professor of computer and information science – make the case that it was not just missed exposure to educational material during school shutdowns, but a loss of life skills normally developed in high school that prepare students to succeed both in college and future careers.

These skills include time management, self-motivation, critical thinking and social interaction.

Without these skills, students can struggle to stay engaged, manage coursework and seek help when needed, directly affecting their academic performance, the researchers said.

"I started studying this before the pandemic when I was doing my dissertation for my Ph.D. program in higher education," Kristin Davidson said. "I knew from day one I wanted to look at the difference between online and face-to-face classroom performance, because I believed there was something there.

"Following the pandemic, the study expanded to determine if the impact of school shutdowns changed anything – and did it ever."

Before the pandemic, a student's performance scores in online classes were often lower than for equivalent classes taken face-to-face. Highly motivated students who earned A's in face-to-face settings usually got A's in online classes, too.

But students who received B's or below for face-to-face classes were likely to drop by a full letter grade in online courses. For these students, the structure of a regular meeting schedule, with instructor-controlled pace, minimal distractions and fellow students nearby, normally translated into better performance, the researchers said.

"Post-COVID, that structural benefit disappeared," Gregg Davidson said. "The performance of students in the face-to-face classes dropped to be indistinguishable from the online scores."

The steady decline in scores in college classes provides additional evidence that students still in high school during shutdowns were more affected than those already in college, he said.

"The scores are a reflection of growing percentage of undergraduates each year who were in high school during the pandemic," he said.

Xiao analyzed more than 15,000 records from nonmajor geology courses over eight years. At the end of 2023 – the last year covered during the study – student performance scores showed no signs of improving.

The findings draw attention to the need for being intentional about life skill development before arriving at college and after. Those skills are critical for academic, professional, and personal success, the researchers said.

"That can start with family," Xiao said. "Family is their first major connection."

Top: Student performance scores dipped following the COVID-19 pandemic, and recent UM research shows they have not returned to pre-pandemic levels. The team discovered that a loss of life skills normally developed in high school that prepare students to succeed may be to blame. Graphic by Stefanie Goodwiller/University Marketing and Communications