The influence of different approaches to remote learning on student learning outcomes at Rīga Stradiņš University

The aim of the study is to determine how different approaches taken to adapt for remote learning and teaching in Covid-19 conditions have affected assessments and learning outcomes. Within the framework of the research, selected study courses were analysed, using the changes in the average grade in comparison to the previous years, when the studies took place on campus, as the selection criterion. In order to obtain a complete picture of the selected study courses a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods was used, including the following elements: (1) changes in the students’ evaluation of these courses and their comments on the post-course surveys, comparing the last two years; (2) changes in the quantity of learning materials available on the Learning Management System and the structure of e-courses, comparing the situation before and during the remote learning; (3) the records related to these courses in the two-wave student questionnaire, conducted by RSU in the spring of 2020; (4) in-depth interviews with the lecturers and students of these courses. The analysis allowed classifying study courses by two basic criteria. First, how significantly they changed during adaptation to remote learning. Secondly, whether these changes were rapid or gradual when everyone involved realized step by step that the studies would also have to be completed remotely. In general, courses that actively adapted more to distance learning have higher assessments than those that tried to maintain the standards they had during on-campus studies. Also, higher grades are in courses where change was more gradual, adapting to the situation step by step. However, there is a risk that these higher grades often do not reflect what has actually been learned and are not comparable with the grades that students have received in these courses on-campus.