Abstract:
The findings from the data in chapter 5 overwhelmingly support the hypothesis that
students’ experiences with the online learning environment influence their perceptions of the
government’s pandemic response. In answering the original question “How did college students’
remote learning experiences influence their view towards the government’s pandemic
response?,” it can be summarized into two categories: direct influence and indirect influence.
For some, the experiences in the online learning environment directly triggered their views, as
was the case with Respondent 8 when she went from being apolitical to becoming an activist
and Respondent 5 when his observation of other countries returning to face-to-face classes
garnered resentment from him. For others, their experiences with the online learning
environment motivated them to become better versed in the steps that were taken by the
government to deal with the pandemic, and they developed negative perceptions upon
becoming more informed. Either way, the online learning environment had a tangible impact on
motivating the students' perceptions of the pandemic response. It is evident from the gathered
data that the online learning environment indeed creates a unique environment for students to
garner opinions of the government’s pandemic response that would otherwise not be developed.
