Last update:
11-Nov-2021

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has spread globally since January 2020, posing a threat to public health, but also to higher education. In the academic community the stress caused by the sudden, and in some cases, exclusive, application of distance education has resulted in a crisis situation. As evidenced by the international literature, feelings of uncertainty and insecurity are observed in both students and teachers, exacerbating difficulties in their family life. This is a literature review of the challenges for higher education caused by the abrupt implementation of exclusive distance education during the COVID-19 pandemic. The social distancing that has been imposed and the restrictive measures placed on many activities, have affected the educational process, and the socialization and the mental health of those involved in education, as individuals are called upon to adapt to the digital environment with a multitude of new stimuli, challenges, and environmental innovations. The profound changes in the environmental and emotional aspects of life and learning under lockdown overloads the negative psychological state of individuals and highlights the weaknesses in their social integration. Distance education was not a completely unknown form of teaching and learning, as it can often be a very useful educational method in higher education. The sudden and mandatory use of exclusive distance education during the pandemic, however, has caused concern among members of the academic community and is bringing about radical changes at the psychosocial level.

Key words: Academic community, Coronavirus, Distance education, Higher education, Pandemic.