Survey paints grim picture of academics’ mental health during lockdowns

It will be troubling reading for the world’s university managers struggling to chart a course out of the current crisis.

University staff are on the brink of breakdown after the switch from in-person to online teaching, according to an international survey. And they have deep reservations about the sustainability of a long-term online future.

»It is like a war zone,« one senior manager was quoted as saying in the so-called Digital Teaching Survey by Times Higher Education that quizzed university educators on their well-being in connection with the 2020-21 worldwide lockdowns of campuses.

»The majority of staff are in burnout and breakdown territory,« another senior lecturer in the social sciences, added. And »I feel like I’m cracking up with the pressure,« a reader in the life sciences said.

The survey was based on 520 self-selecting respondents from 46 countries representing all continents, and was carried out in October and November 2020.

Dazed from first wave

Universities had previously been reluctant to embrace online teaching, and only 26 per cent of respondents had a ‘reasonable amount’ or ‘a lot’ of experience in online teaching prior to the first wave of the pandemic.

To deliver the equivalent of a one-hour lecture takes at least 3-4 hours for recording and uploading

Humanities lecturer

This left universities reeling and off-balance when the first wave of the pandemic hit in the spring of 2020, according to the survey.

While one senior lecturer in the humanities praised the heroism of their learning and teaching development team that support­ed »us from the beginning … introducing us to best practice and theory in digital peda­gogy that we could apply at once,« others were more critical.

Read also: Five tips for university instructors to improve online teaching

A social science lecturer complained that all of their university’s training was »focused solely on pedagogic ideas – for example, ‘you can embed emojis’ – with no step-by-step guidance of what to press, how to set up Teams/groups/online learning spaces. It was incredibly stressful, frustrating and demoralising.«

Huge workload

89 per cent of respondents said that their workload increased following the transition to online teaching – aside from commitments at home. This was consistent across all disciplines, regions and seniority.

I think they are trying to take advantage of university leni­ency with Covid. I have no idea how being ‘stuck at home’ could negatively impact on your ability to get assignments done!

Senior lecturer in business and management

A humanities lecturer said that »to deliver the equivalent of a one-hour lecture takes at least 3-4 hours for recording and uploading (usually in several shorter segments). With editing and captioning, it’s more like 8-10 hours. Seminars also require a lot more preparation. We have to spend a lot more time communicating with students and explaining to them how things work … When student services, registration, welfare and IT services get overwhelmed by the demand, the students come to their teachers or personal tutors instead.«

Support from institutions was minimal for some. A profes­sor in the social sciences received »lots of encouraging words and links to mindfulness apps, but workload pressure has been piled on.«

Half of lecturers negative on mental health

51 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that the initial move to online teaching had a negative effect on their mental health.

A social sciences lecturer suffered, for the first time in their life, anxiety and an eating disorder, resulting in several weeks of sick leave: »The mass uncertainty, lack of institutional (and financial) support, and increased demands [were] crippling.«

Worried about students

University educators in the survey voiced concern about students’ well-being. 59 per cent agreed or strongly agreed with learning being adversely affected by the digital switch.

A senior humanities lecturer became »a sounding board« for their students to »lament and/or vent. This took an accumulative toll on me over the semester and a fatigue that spilled into the next: some­thing that management was not interested in hearing about.«

A senior lecturer in business and management was more upbeat however. Few of their students »fussed« and those who did »were weak students anyway and I think they are trying to take advantage of university leni­ency with Covid. I have no idea how being ‘stuck at home’ could negatively impact on your ability to get assignments done!«

Quality of service drops, but still need tuition fees

In countries that charge tuition fees there have been regular calls from students to have fees reduced when teaching is moved online. 52 per cent of university lecturers  disagree with fee reductions however, despite the decline in the value in the service that universities offer.

»I get that the quality of the experience is not as good,« as one humanities lecturer puts it:  »but everyone has invested so much time and money in ensuring students get the best deal they can.«

Hybrid is double the work

The uncertainty of the Covid situation obliged many academics to plan and deliver classes both online and in person. 67 per cent, two out of three, were asked to prepare classes both online and in person ahead of the most recent term or semester.

But respondents were deeply sceptical that the workload associated with a twin-track approach is sustainable in the longer term. Only 18 per cent agree that it is, while 69 per cent disagree.

That the twin-track approach cannot work is confirmed by university educators at the University of Copenhagen who were interviewed for the Danish section of the University Post.

Sceptical of long-term online teaching

Workload aside, would it be a good idea to make the online experiment a permanent switch?

I am seeing staff falling one by one, and less staff means even more work. Students need more pastoral care now, but how can we offer this working until midnight?

Manager in the life sciences field

Asked whether, at its best, online teaching results in stronger learning than traditional teaching, 42 per cent of respondents are unsure. But more disagree (35 per cent) than agree (23 per cent).

When asked which aspects of the digital switch should be retained regardless of Covid-related require­ments, 76 per cent point to online meetings.

Better at handling second wave

The second wave of lockdowns is being handled a lot better by lecturers.

Three out of four agree that they are doing or would do a better job of online teaching during the second wave.  A teaching associate in business and management plans »to adapt and be more creative, moving away from the standard content I am asked to deliver, so that it is more engaging and more effective for the students«.

In the meantime, if it is any consolation for the suffering lecturers, their senior managers are also feeling the strain.

As one manager in the life sciences field  put it. »I am seeing staff falling one by one, and less staff means even more work. Students need more pastoral care now, but how can we offer this working until midnight?«