Id |
Subject |
Object |
Predicate |
Lexical cue |
T231 |
0-6 |
Sentence |
denotes |
3.2.2. |
T232 |
7-38 |
Sentence |
denotes |
University Life during COVID-19 |
T233 |
39-69 |
Sentence |
denotes |
(i) Adaptation to a New Normal |
T234 |
70-185 |
Sentence |
denotes |
Students indicated they would rather be present at university being tested for SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), than go home. |
T235 |
186-382 |
Sentence |
denotes |
Some staff reported feeling initially anxious about their return to work at the university during the pandemic, but they were keen to do so and had quickly adapted to this and the regular testing. |
T236 |
383-547 |
Sentence |
denotes |
With the emotional responses to COVID-19 in mind, participants described extensive adaptations required in order to adapt to a “new normal” in the ongoing pandemic. |
T237 |
548-894 |
Sentence |
denotes |
This included compliance with national restrictions, such as social distancing and self-isolation, but also the acknowledgement of the further challenges these restrictions presented to university life with relation to social engagement (and for first year students, making new friendships) as well as impacts on teaching and learning activities. |
T238 |
895-1028 |
Sentence |
denotes |
Overall, students and staff reported adapting well to the changes resulting from COVID-19 (e.g., online learning and remote working). |
T239 |
1029-1191 |
Sentence |
denotes |
During the intervention period, the experience of testing became more normalised as households engaged in testing processes together and it became a shared habit. |
T240 |
1192-1337 |
Sentence |
denotes |
Periods of self-isolation were seen to be the “new normal” during the pandemic, but participants raised difficulties experienced because of this. |
T241 |
1338-1561 |
Sentence |
denotes |
Some were disappointed to have missed family events, others spoke about the acute impact of self-isolating on mental health and the tensions that had arisen in households as a result of the mental health impact of COVID-19. |
T242 |
1562-1943 |
Sentence |
denotes |
First-year students who had not yet established friendship networks were concerned about missing out on university life: “there is a fear of not making friends at uni, so, when people come here, everyone wants to make lots of friends because that is where you’re here to do at uni, so it is kind of hard having those restrictions kind of prevent that.” (P98, female, Yr1, student). |
T243 |
1944-2286 |
Sentence |
denotes |
Staff spoke of the heavy impacts of the pandemic on their workload, particularly with relation to teaching and learning activities, such as the transition to remote working, re-scheduling of assessments for students who were self-isolating and the additional work required to support partial face-to-face teaching in a COVID-safe environment. |
T244 |
2287-2374 |
Sentence |
denotes |
One of the more significant challenges for staff was the management of student welfare. |
T245 |
2375-2706 |
Sentence |
denotes |
They reported escalating mental health concerns among students that were exacerbated by periods of self-isolation and compounded in the early stages of P-ATS by practical issues for students living on and off campus that were later resolved (e.g., “teething problems” around the organisation of food delivery and laundry services). |
T246 |
2707-2972 |
Sentence |
denotes |
With the potential for students being required to isolate more than once, staff perceived that adaptation to the new normal of COVID-19 and the success of mass testing approaches would require a substantial focus on student welfare and support for mental wellbeing. |
T247 |
2973-3003 |
Sentence |
denotes |
(ii) Improving University Life |
T248 |
3004-3127 |
Sentence |
denotes |
Participants made various suggestions for how the challenges of COVID-19 and adapting to the new normal might be addressed. |
T249 |
3128-3265 |
Sentence |
denotes |
There was a strong appetite for wider-spread testing across all campuses to maximise perceptions of safety in the student and staff body. |
T250 |
3266-3445 |
Sentence |
denotes |
There was a desire for more university-led events to entertain students, facilitate social activity to assist with friendship building and to reduce the boredom of self-isolation. |
T251 |
3446-3583 |
Sentence |
denotes |
There was a general consensus that personal contact and support is essential to reduce the fear and anxiety experienced during this time. |
T252 |
3584-3780 |
Sentence |
denotes |
Students requested personal support from university staff with managing the challenges of missed opportunities or learning experiences due to self-isolation (e.g., lectures or practice rotations). |
T253 |
3781-4017 |
Sentence |
denotes |
They spoke of the importance of regular check-ins from staff during periods of self-isolation to minimise the mental health impacts: “it doesn’t need to be a lot, simple email, not even every day like every other day, how are you doing? |
T254 |
4018-4070 |
Sentence |
denotes |
Do you need anything?” (P116, female, Yr1, student). |
T255 |
4071-4164 |
Sentence |
denotes |
Staff were commended by students for the level of support they had provided during this time. |
T256 |
4165-4357 |
Sentence |
denotes |
Some participants believed that there should be increased education around repercussions or regulation defiance for the minority of students that were not adhering to social distancing advice. |
T257 |
4358-4557 |
Sentence |
denotes |
Students acknowledged that some positive support was already in place from the university with practical tasks, including shopping, and were aware of the workload pressures that this added for staff. |
T258 |
4558-5047 |
Sentence |
denotes |
However, staff disclosed pressures associated with increased student support, particularly with relation to the workload and challenges associated with supporting students after they received a test result and through periods of self-isolation: “So, some support around, for the students, around what happens when you get a positive result would be extremely useful to come alongside that [the testing], so that did increase our workload quite considerably.” (P129, male, staff, academic). |