Differences in Students’ Perceptions of Financial and Academic Challenges Due to Online Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic by Generation Status and Gender: An Exploratory Quantitative Study

ABSTRACTThe shift to online learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated existing inequalities and highlighted failures of U.S. higher education institutions to serve their students’ needs. The purpose of this exploratory quantitative survey study was to examine differences in students’ perceptions of academic and financial challenges encountered in online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results highlighted differences by generation status, gender, and their intersections. Insight into the perceptions of these sub-populations can shed light on ways to reorganize higher educational structures to provide equitable student support in online environments and during times of crisis.KEYWORDS: Womenfirst-generationacademicsfinancial challengesonline learning AcknowledgmentsThe authors thank the Remote Work Task Force and the Research Subcommittee of the Presidential Commission on the Status of Women at Northern Illinois University for assistance with survey items. Funding for the incentives was provided by the Presidential Commission on the Status of Women at Northern Illinois University.Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Additional informationFundingThis research was completed as part of a larger campus-wide project conducted by the Research Subcommittee of the Presidential Commission on the Status of Women at Northern Illinois University.