The influence of COVID-19 on sentiments of higher education students - prospects for the spread of distance learning

Clayton Christensen’s theory of “disruptive innovation” describes how smaller firms, with access to far fewer resources, are still able to challenge and displace well-established industry leaders. Uber and Airbnb as startups were able to disrupt the global taxi and hotel industries despite the economic shock of the financial crisis (2007-2008). The COVID-19 pandemic is currently an even more powerful catalyst that is forcing businesses and institutions to define and adapt to the “new normal”. Higher education also finds itself at a critical crossroads where universities around world need to quickly adapt to the changing needs of younger generations, discover the optimal balance between traditional and online learning, find ways to reduce costs and avoid tuition escalation, and become better prepared for future health crises and geopolitical events. The COVID-19 pandemic has already significantly accelerated trends in education and a failure to adapt could spark the disruption in education that Christensen spoke of more than a decade ago. This research utilizes valuable feedback from a diverse group of international students to help educators better understand changes that occurred during COVID-19 and form recommendations regarding how to use technology to maximize learning outcomes.