EFFECTS OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON UNIVERSITY PEDAGOGY: STUDENTS' EXPERIENCES AND CONSIDERATIONS

Due to the coronavirus crisis, universities worldwide have faced sudden pressure to change from face-to-face delivery of courses to digitally enhanced teaching for distance learning. We present a small case study of 75 students from the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics of the Democritus University of Thrace, Greece on their experiences of the transition from face-to-face to distance learning during this crisis. We used a questionnaire with closed-ended and open-ended questions to record the students’ “fresh” experience of their new educational reality. Students consider distance learning to be interesting, modern, adequate, and convenient, but not able to replace their experience of social interaction with fellow students and teachers. They continue to express worries about lessons, examinations, and laboratory work, which may be due to the specific and high demands of the biosciences. This crisis is an opportunity for universities to improve the use of digital tools for an enhanced learning and teaching experience. This should be supported by investment in digital infrastructure for improving distance learning in higher education.

underline the need for a rebirth of educational systems. The challenge for universities lies in succeeding in digital education since the demand for the almost immediate digital transformation of courses, both graduate and postgraduate, not only require incorporation of technologies, but also creation or deeper modification of teaching and learning processes to fulfill the needs of each area of study (UNESCO, 2020). Indeed, the real challenge is how quickly the required adaptations would be made in the context of the current pandemic. Some of the adjustments for effective university education are linked to priorities that did not exist in the past but have arisen due to the pandemic. Some of these changes may disappear in the future, but some may continue as "the new normal," as the academic community returns to routine teaching conditions in lecture halls and workshops.
In Greece, the COVID-19 pandemic forced universities to adopt online education, since it was the only solution to continue with the spring semester of 2020. All types of teaching activities were suspended from March 11, 2020, following the Joint Ministerial Decision 16838/10.03.2020 (B 783). Educational institutions were challenged to find effective solutions to continue the learning process. The proposed solution was distance learning in the case of all non-laboratory courses, a practice that has been widely followed in many universities around the world (QS, 2020). Karalis and Raikou (2020) argue that this experience has had a catalytic effect on Greek university teaching, promoting the rapid use of alternative teaching approaches and digital tools. Kamarianos, Adamopoulou, Lambropoulos and Stamelos (2020) in their research conclude that most of the students did not have any difficulty in switching to online teaching and they think it was a good chance to learn new skills and make new experiences.
At the Democritus University of Thrace, online courses began on March 30, 2020. In this paper, we attempt to "capture the moment" by recording the "fresh" feelings of students during this critical period as well as their opinions about the e-learning methodology used. It is important to note that the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics (MBG), where this study was carried out, is located in the city of Alexandroupolis, at the eastern border of Greece. Therefore, most students' family homes are far from the campus. According to unpublished data from MBG's records, only 8% of the students are from Alexandroupolis and the nearby areas. Consequently, when the shutdown of universities was announced, the vast majority of students returned home and continued their studies via digital tools and platforms. Another significant aspect is that the field of molecular biology and genetics is strongly experimental, and as in other STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) disciplines, studies are substantially based on laboratory work. Thus, although the faculty succeeded in integrating some form of online learning into coursework, moving all courses online proved challenging, especially those involving laboratory work.
Distance learning has its own peculiarities that make it stand out from traditional face-to-face learning; it must adapt digitally advanced teaching approaches and techniques to modern integrated teaching methodologies pedagogically suitable for the target group of students (Kedraka, 2016). The way teaching is conducted is different, and its purpose often differs from that of traditional curricula, as it provides opportunities to people who either cannot or do not want to participate in classroom learning (Holmberg, 2002). According to Keegan (2001), the physical distance between teachers and students, the possibility of two-way communication, and the use of technology to connect the teacher with the students are some of the characteristics of distance learning. The teacher's role in distance learning is completely different from that in face-to-face learning. In the former, the role is mainly advisory, supportive, and guiding (Fragoulis & Valkanos, 2016;Vogiatzaki, 2019). In addition, teachers may face new challenges related to online teaching. For example, they may be confronted with students who are not willing to participate and remain silent, and truants simply connecting to the lesson without attending. At the same time, they must become familiar with online teaching and be able to resolve any technical issues that may arise (Farrel et al., 2019).
Therefore, the pedagogical development of STEM disciplines in a virtual environment needs different insights into how learning occurs through e-learning methodologies. Curriculum design and course development need different approaches and conceptual planning (Koutselini, 2020) that take into account specific time planning and scheduling of the sequence of academic outcomes in terms of skills development and knowledge, in a way that allows students in the biosciences to have successful and rewarding experiences in their studies, especially when it comes to experimental teaching approaches.

Methodology
This study was conducted in May 2020 with students in the MBG Department of the Democritus University of Thrace. It was designed to be twinned with a study conducted at the University of Patras by Karalis and Raikou (2020), so that results can be compared at the next phase between the two higher education institutions in Greece. In this first release of results, we mean to present an initial picture of some aspects related to the first impressions of students of their e-learning experience. The survey was conducted with students who attended two courses at the MBG Department with part of their content incorporating some units dedicated to distance learning. After long and deep discussions during the courses on the COVID-19 pandemic which led to the introduction of the new learning environment to the students, the questionnaire was created, and the students informed about it by the instructor. It was delivered in May 2020 via a web link, and the results were presented to the students and thoroughly discussed as part of the courses. It included closed-ended and open-ended questions. Seventy-five (N = 75) students participated in the study; 47 (62.7%) were women and 28 (37.3%) were men. Forty (53.3%) of the students were sophomores attending the 2 nd year of their studies, 31 (41.3%) were juniors, and the remaining 4 (5.3%) were seniors who attended because they had not passed the courses during their regular academic program. In the closed-ended questions the responses in the survey were scaled from 1 (not at all) to 5 (very much).

A. Feelings at the time the university suspended face-to-face courses
The students were asked about their feelings when the university closed down to deal with the pandemic. When the university suspended its educational function, the students were not happy (not at all/very little) about the interruption of courses (70.7%); in fact, they were not at all indifferent about the situation (90.7%). They were curious (quite, very much) about what would happen to their studies (73.3%), and expressed a great deal of anxiety about replacement of the teaching hours lost due to quarantine (70.7%) and fear whether they could abruptly continue their studies (50.7%), as well as sorrow over the interruption of their studies (42.7% ). It is notable that the students did not show any fear (not at all/very little) of the coronavirus pandemic (56%; see Table 1).  It is interesting to see what the students mentioned as their immediate response to the closing down of the university. Their feelings were mainly negative, since the dominant responses were anxiety, insecurity, fear, and concern for the future of their studies, according to keywords (see Table 2) selected through an open-ended question asking them what they felt just after they were informed that the university was suspending face-to-face teaching.  We quote some answers clearly showing the first impressions of students about their new experience: "Anxiety, sadness, and concern about what exactly would follow"; "Anxiety, insecurity about the future"; "Joy, because I would enjoy a kind of short break which was welcome for a short time"; and "Fear, anxiety, and concern regarding both teaching exams." Looking forward to returning to my student routine 7 9.3 5 6.7 7 9.3 11 14.7 45 60.0 75 100

B. Students' emotions at the time of the survey
The students were asked how they felt when the courses restarted. They expressed their satisfaction (quite/very much) that the semester would not be lost (86.6%), while they were curious about the way in which their studies would continue (69.4%). At the same time, they were eager to return to their educational routine (74.7%). On the other hand, some students appeared not to be excited (not at all/very little) by the new experience of distance learning (44%), and implied that they were rather disappointed because the new environment was not satisfactory for them (48%; see Table 3). The responses to the question "What are your feelings today?", today meaning two months after the shutdown of the university, showed that the students continued to feel anxious, insecure, and worried, but some positive feelings, such as calmness, satisfaction, joy, and optimism, were also evident. The responses to an open question asking the students to describe what they felt showed that, after two months of distance learning, their anxiety seemed to have ceased, but they wanted to return to their normal university routine. It is clear that they were more confident and relaxed, and, at the same time, conscious that it was not a holiday, but an emergency situation.

C. Evaluation of the new educational environment
From the students' assessment of the new educational environment compared to the previous one, it is evident that understanding of the course content (62.7%), development of new skills (56%), and the convenience of attending courses (53.3%) were considered positive aspects of distance learning, while the lack of interaction between students (61.4%) was considered negative (see Table 5).  The selected qualitative data show that the MBG students considered e-learning exciting, offering the comfort of home and more free time, but they missed socialization and interaction with their fellow students and teachers. It is interesting to note that some students felt more relaxed about online participation in the courses. "I believe that it cannot replace face-to-face learning, no way! Of course, due to the current situation, we should be grateful that we managed to continue our education, even under these conditions." "Very comfortable, I prefer it. I ask questions without being ashamed or feeling that I will say something stupid and expose myself. This environment is more pleasant and easy for me."

D. Factors affecting e-learning
In assessing the factors that affected e-learning, the students did not seem to care (not at all/very little) whether the instructor's camera was turned on (37.3%), in contrast to the instructor's adequacy (quite/very much) in handling the platform (61.3%; see Table  6). More than half of the students (52%) were deeply concerned about the inability to work with their classmates, while their views about the lack of visual contact were split. Students were asked about their preferred types of communication during delivery of lessons. They preferred (quite/very much) chat to written communication to pose questions (54.7%), while there was a remarkable reluctance (not at all/very little) to participate in the course (65.4%). It is also interesting that many students felt uncomfortable (not at all/very little) about using their microphone (36%; see Table 7).

E. What aspects of their university life did the students miss?
The aspect of university life the students appeared to miss the most (quite/very much) was social. The majority of students missed social interaction (76%), their classmates (76%), face-to-face communication during lessons (70.6%), and their teachers (61.4%; see Table 8).

Discussion
According to the findings of this small study, MBG students seem to have significant concerns about their studies, focused on the important changes in university teaching brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular the issue of delivering laboratory courses in the biosciences. Their initial anxiety about the future of their studies turned into relief and satisfaction when they learned that the courses would continue through distance learning methods. However, insecurity and curiosity about what would happen next was obvious, which may be explained by the timing of the survey: at the time the survey was conducted, the students had not yet been informed whether examinations would take place or how the laboratory courses would be replaced. In its report on educational challenges in the COVID-19 era, the OECD (2020) notes that higher education institutions and policy makers should explore secure systems for taking examinations from home. As Karalis and Raikou (2020) concluded, although students are quite familiar with new technologies for communication and learning and are positive about the experience of synchronous and asynchronous learning, they greatly appreciate face-to-face teaching because it offers them the opportunity to interact with teachers and fellow students and to be part of the university environment.
The pandemic appears to have had a positive impact on the MBG students' learning as many of them were able to effectively use the e-learning platforms; this was not the case in Owusu-Fordjour, Koomson, and Hanson (2020). Nevertheless, our results show that students have a clear preference for face-to-face education. This may be explained by the lack of previous experience of online learning, which, in fact, was not a free choice for our students, as is usually the case in "formal" distance learning programs which are chosen consciously by learners for their own reasons (professional or family). The students consider the new educational environment as an opportunity to develop new skills that may help them in their professional careers. University students are old enough to handle online work and are technologically savvy enough to navigate new digital tools and methods (Farrel et al., 2019); therefore, they do not seem to have technical difficulties in learning through e-courses. However, our students note that the most important disadvantage about distance learning is the inability to interact with fellow students and instructors, together with non-visual communication during online courses and the lack of cooperation with their classmates. On the other hand, they say that whether the instructor's camera is turned on is not of great importance. These findings confirm those of Farrel et al. (2019) who argue that students seek meaningful online interactions and expect their educators to be effective in live online teaching and learning approaches, while poor online tutorials cause them discomfort.
However, learning and collaborating in an online environment may not always come easily to teachers and students (OECD, 2020). It is interesting that the students in our study imply that they do not appraise the instructor's digital weaknesses. It is likely that they want their teachers to have basic know-how of educational platforms and applications. The issue of instructors' ability to master digital tools and platforms for teaching has been identified by the European Commission; therefore, a Digital Competence Framework for Educators was proposed to serve as a diagnostic tool to determine the main weaknesses in this regard of university teachers (Redecker, 2017). The Framework has four areas with a pedagogical perspective: creation and sharing of digital content; methods and practices of teaching (including interaction with learners); assessment approaches used; and transversal aspects such as accessibility and personalization.
The most interesting finding in this study is the anxiety and concern about their studies the students have felt and still feel. They express their worries about lessons, examinations, and laboratory work. How can this be explained? Is it due to the high demands of the biosciences or due to the heavy program of study in the MBG Department? Or should we attribute the students' anxiety to general insecurity about the educational system and its ability to protect their studies? Further research on this finding would be useful.

Conclusions
The results of this small survey show that MBG students consider distance learning to be interesting, modern, adequate, and convenient, but not able to replace their experience of social interaction with fellow students and teachers. They appreciate that digital learning has prevented their studies from being delayed and the efforts made by their lecturers during the pandemic. However, as they state, they long to return to "their lecture halls and labs," their educational routine, and "normality." According to the WHO, the risk of resurgence of the pandemic remains. If this is the case, the necessary social isolation measures may disrupt school-based education for several months in most countries around the world, as well as in Greece. It seems that the most crucial impact of the pandemic on university teaching is the expectation, if not the demand, of continuity of teaching activity using a virtual modality. However, it is also possible that higher education institutions would, in any case, incorporate digital teaching, as it has proved to be an attractive, cheap, and easy way to deliver courses. Thus, this crisis could be an opportunity for universities to jump-start the use of digital tools for enhancing the quality of learning and teaching. This should be supported by investment in digital infrastructure. Providing high quality online education is an expensive affair that will would need not only further investment but also further evidence to ensure that the new opportunity for digitally enhanced learning is taken up in the right way (Murphy, 2020).
Therefore, universities should move forward with distance learning during the next academic year and develop and implement effective online educational responses to the COVID-19 pandemic (Reimers, & Schleicher, 2020). As Karalis and Raikou (2020) concluded, the experience of the pandemic can serve as a good reason for renewal and development of teaching and learning in universities, and immediate action should be taken by policy makers and faculty for training educational staff on new teaching methods and developing strategies for improving distance learning in higher education.