According to the Dutch Student Union (LSVb), the move to online lectures during the coronavirus lockdown has made it more difficult for students to ask their lecturers questions. However, lecturers are now apparently more responsive to queries over email as they are glued to their screens.
41% of respondents to LSVb’s survey thought that the transition to online learning was good. Meanwhile, a third of respondents disagreed.
Dutch students have found it harder to interrupt lecturers with questions as politely as they usually would through body language. The remaining respondents had a neutral view of the transition to online learning. Alex Tess Rutten, the chair of the LSVb, thanked teaching staff for their hard work, stating that online learning is ‘going better than expected‘.
27% of Dutch students stated that the coronavirus would postpone their studies. This is especially the case for applied science students, whose practical learning cannot be transferred online so easily. A six-month degree extension would set these students back an extra £6,119 in debt. Dutch students will also suffer financially from the loss of part-time jobs, which usually constitute around half of their income.
