Generic competences and learning results during the COVID-19 pandemic: a comparative study

Abstract

The paper has a dual aim: first, to study the effect the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the development of students' generic competences and learning outcomes;and second, to analyse the observed differences between these two elements depending on whether the students' teaching-learning environment of origin was face-to-face or online. To analyse the effect the pandemic has had, data were collected on the students enrolled in two universities with different methodologies, one face-to-face and one online. A descriptive analysis and comparison of means were carried out using questionnaires designed to collect information on students' perception of the effect of the pandemic on their generic competences and learning results, depending on the environment of origin. The results confirm that the pandemic has affected the development of students' generic competences, despite students themselves considering that they have met their learning objectives. Furthermore, the teaching-learning environment of origin influences both variables, with differences observed between face-to-face and online university students.