Jacqueline Saad Harfouche and Nizar Hariri. Transition to Tertiary Education and eLearning in Lebanon against the backdrop of economic collapse and Covid-19 pandemic. (ICDEc 2021)

1. Transition to Tertiary Education and eLearning in
Lebanon against the backdrop of economic collapse
and Covid-19 pandemic
Nizar Hariri
Jacqueline Saad Harfouche
Keywords: eLearning – Covid-19 – Tertiary education – Connectivity – Mental uneasiness – Lebanon
July 2021

2. Background
• The COVID-19 crisis has led to a significant increase in online learning among adults in a large number
of countries, making it a compelling opportunity to test the effects of eLearning on the skill acquisition
and academic performances.
• Since 2019, against the backdrop of political and social instabilities, Lebanon is experiencing the most
severe economic and financial crisis in its history, with a threefold trend in its labor market:
• Massive layoffs.
• Falling nominal wages.
• Deteriorating working conditions.
• In order to make a successful transition to the labor market, Lebanese youth face multiple challenges,
some of which are linked to a poor global economic climate, a global recession following the Covid-19
pandemic, and others are more country-specific.
• The August 4th explosions in the port of Beirut, which destroyed entire neighborhoods of the city,
causing hundreds of deaths, thousands of injuries and some 300,000 displaced persons, have greatly
amplified the dire economic conditions of the Lebanese population [World Bank, 2020 a].

3. Main objectives
1) An overview of the situation of freshly graduated high-school
students in their transition to tertiary education in time of
Covid-19 pandemic.
2) Identify the main challenges they face.
3) Assess the impact of eLearning on their transition.
4) The level of mental unease.

4. Method
§ Cross-sectional survey among young students newly enrolled in
one of the biggest private universities in Lebanon (Online survey)
§ A population of 1926 students receiving the questionnaire.
Sample
§ 361 respondents.
§ Response rate of 18.7%
§ 84.2% of the respondents graduated from high school in 2020.
For the purpose of this paper, those who graduated from high-school
before 2020 were excluded.
§ 304 questionnaires was selected for analysis.
ANALYSIS
§ Descriptive and inferential statistics was performed using the
Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, version 23.
§ Qualitative thematic analysis
Methodology and Data collection

5. KEY RESULTS

6. Students' connectivity
Visit the website of USJ
Regularly,
50.4%
From time to
time, 47.1%
Never, 1.4%
Not aware, 1.1%
Even though almost all students reported having access to internet services, a large
proportion of students frequently encountered connection problems .
Never,
1.8%
Rarely,
22.2%
Often,
52.9%
Always,
23.1%
Facing connection problems

7. Students' connectivity
Knowledge of:
23.6%
12.3%
51.8%
4.3%
7.2%
17.4%
5.1%
51.1%
56.5%
34.1%
44.6%
37.3%
56.5%
35.1%
25.4%
31.2%
14.1%
51.1%
55.4%
26.1%
59.8%
Student life service
Sport service
Office of financial aid
Psychological service
Care center (dental, …)
USJ libraries
Career and placement
office
Yes, had contact Yes, hadn't contact No
Students' overinvestment in their connections to courses, websites, and online education
platforms seems to translate into a disconnection from the university's structures, and from
social or health services they offer

8. The effects of Covid-19 and eLearning on the lived
experience of new students: the level on mental uneasiness
Impact of the crisis on:
8.4%
4.9%
12.0%
4.0%
7.6%
8.9%
24.0%
11.1%
8.9%
17.8%
23.1%
23.6%
12.0%
16.4%
16.9%
36.4%
17.3%
20.9%
35.1%
29.8%
33.3%
28.0%
42.7%
35.6%
29.8%
28.4%
24.9%
31.1%
32.0%
20.9%
33.8%
22.7%
28.0%
5.3%
31.1%
24.4%
7.6%
10.2%
10.2%
22.2%
10.7%
10.7%
4.4%
12.0%
20.9%
Your high school final year
Your courses / Learning various skills
Passing exams
Your mental health
Your budget/expenses
Your friendships
Your family relationships
Your physical health
Your leisure activities
Very positive Rather positive Neutral Rather negative Very negative
1
2

9. The effects of Covid-19 and eLearning on the lived
experience of new students: the level on mental uneasiness
To what extent are you worried?
5.3%
7.1%
5.8%
5.8%
50.2%
10.2%
3.1%
20.9%
20.0%
22.2%
12.4%
13.8%
8.9%
5.8%
8.9%
17.8%
31.1%
18.7%
24.4%
20.0%
23.6%
12.4%
24.9%
40.9%
29.3%
37.3%
36.0%
10.7%
32.0%
30.7%
30.2%
15.1%
12.4%
16.0%
21.3%
5.3%
25.3%
48.0%
32.9%
about the effectiveness and credibility of
the online course
about the uncertainty about how courses
will be given
about being able to follow online courses
that distance learning might generate a bad
learning experience
about completely stoping your studies
about another lockdown period
for yours and your family’s health
about the financial impact of the COVID-19
pandemic
Never Rarely Neutral Often Always
1
2

10. Public
(n=20)
M(SD)
Private
(n=205) M(SD)
Whole Sample
(n=225)
M(SD) t P
Confinement Period 2.50 (0.89) 2.58 (0.81) 2.57 (0.81) -0.37 .708
Impact of the Confinement on:
Your High-school degree 3.13 (0.96) 3.11 (1.07) 3.12 (1.06) 0.04 .971
Your courses/learning different subjects 2.75 (1.24) 3.23 (1.04) 3.20 (1.06) -1.75 .081
Passing your exams 2.69 (0.87) 2.96 (1.17) 2.94 (1.16) -0.90 .370
Your morale / mental health 2.81 (1.33) 3.64 (1.04) 3.58 (1.08) -3.00 .003**
Your budget / Your expenses 2.94 (1.06) 3.14 (1.05) 3.12 (1.05) -0.74 .463
Your friendships 2.63 (1.31) 3.19 (1.08) 3.15 (1.10) -1.98 .049*
Your Family relationships 2.25 (1.18) 2.30 (1.02) 2.30 (1.03) -0.19 .848
Your physical health 2.56 (1.37) 3.20 (1.16) 3.16 (1.18) -2.10 .037*
Your leisure 2.81 (1.22) 3.31 (1.25) 3.28 (1.26) -1.54 .126
Access to Internet 1.44 (0.51) 1.36 (0.49) 1.37 (0.49) 0.58 .564
Connection problems 3.00 (1.03) 2.97 (0.70) 2.97 (0.73) 0.11 .914
Type of school differences in mental uneasiness
* p < .05 ; ** p < .01

11. Type of school differences in mental uneasiness
Public
(n=20)
M(SD)
Private
(n=205)
M(SD)
Whole Sample
(n=225)
M(SD) t P
Satisfied with learning material 2.13 (0.62) 2.06 (0.73) 2.07 (0.72) 0.34 .737
Uneasiness
Efficiency and credibility of eLearning 2.94 (1.12) 3.43 (1.13) 3.40 (1.13) -1.68 .094
Uncertainty about the way the course will be
delivered
2.94 (1.00) 3.22 (1.12) 3.20 (1.11) -0.98 .329
About being able to attend the course 3.06 (1.12) 3.38 (1.16) 3.36 (1.16) -1.05 .296
About online studying generating a bad learning
experience for you
3.38 (1.26) 3.56 (1.12) 3.55 (1.13) -0.63 .529
To completely stop your education 1.75 (1.24) 2.10 (1.27) 2.07 (1.27) -1.05 .295
About a second total lock-down 2.75 (1.29) 3.59 (1.23) 3.53 (1.25) -2.64 .009**
About your personal health and family health 3.63 (1.46) 4.19 (1.00) 4.15 (1.05) -2.08 .039*
About the financial implications of COVID-19 3.00 (1.10) 3.87 (1.06) 3.81 (1.09) -3.15 .002**
Shifting to a virtual learning environment 3.25 (1.39) 3.08 (1.25) 3.09 (1.26) 0.53 .596
* p < .05 ; ** p < .01

12. Gender differences in mental uneasiness
* p < .05 ; ** p < .01
Women
(n=149)
M(SD)
Men
(n=76)
M(SD)
Whole Sample
(n=225)
M(SD) t P
Confinement Period 2.64 (0.80) 2.43 (0.82) 2.57 (0.81) -1.85 .066
Impact of the Confinement on:
Your High-school degree 3.09 (1.03) 3.16 (1.12) 3.12 (1.06) 0.43 .669
Your courses/learning different subjects 3.21 (1.00) 3.16 (1.17) 3.20 (1.06) -0.38 .704
Passing your exams 2.97 (1.14) 2.88 (1.19) 2.94 (1.16) -0.52 .603
Your morale / mental health 3.70 (1.02) 3.34 (1.17) 3.58 (1.08) -2.40 .017*
Your budget / Your expenses 3.13 (1.05) 3.12 (1.06) 3.12 (1.05) -0.06 .951
Your friendships 3.17 (1.09) 3.09 (1.13) 3.15 (1.10) -0.53 .597
Your Family relationships 2.32 (1.10) 2.26 (0.90) 2.30 (1.03) -0.36 .720
Your physical health 3.12 (1.16) 3.22 (1.23) 3.16 (1.18) 0.62 .537
Your leisure 3.28 (1.27) 3.26 (1.24) 3.28 (1.26) -0.11 .916
Access to Internet 1.38 (0.50) 1.36 (0.48) 1.37 (0.49) -0.30 .768
Connection problems 3.02 (0.66) 2.88 (0.83) 2.97 (0.73) -1.36 .176

13. Gender differences in mental uneasiness
* p < .05 ; ** p < .01
Women
(n=149)
M(SD)
Men
(n=76)
M(SD)
Whole Sample
(n=225)
M(SD) t P
Satisfied with learning material 2.14 (0.77) 1.92 (0.58) 2.07 (0.72) -2.19 .030*
Uneasiness
Efficiency and credibility of eLearning 3.38 (1.15) 3.42 (1.10) 3.40 (1.13) 0.24 .810
Uncertainty about the way the course will be
delivered
3.19 (1.11) 3.22 (1.13) 3.20 (1.11) 0.23 .820
About being able to attend the course 3.42 (1.19) 3.24 (1.11) 3.36 (1.16) -1.10 .274
About online studying generating a bad learning
experience for you
3.55 (1.15) 3.54 (1.09) 3.55 (1.13) -0.07 .946
To completely stop your education 2.09 (1.28) 2.04 (1.25) 2.07 (1.27) -0.27 .790
About a second total lockdown 3.66 (1.21) 3.29 (1.28) 3.53 (1.25) -2.11 .036*
About your personal health and family health 4.29 (0.92) 3.87 (1.23) 4.15 (1.05) -2.64 .004**
About the financial implications of COVID-19 3.87 (1.00) 3.68 (1.25) 3.81 (1.09) -1.14 .220
Shifting to a virtual learning environment 3.05 (1.29) 3.17 (1.19) 3.09 (1.26) 0.70 .485

14. Academic needs related to online education
56% of the respondents expressed concern about the lack of effectiveness and
credibility of online courses during their high-school years
Lack of time, conflicting schedules, and the feeling of loss for practical
knowledge and practical lessons were the main barriers reported by the open-
ended questions and qualitative data.
90.1% did not attend any open classes prior to registration.
69% did not attend “open doors” days
63.9% did not attend any orientation session.
58.8% did not attend any of the pre-campus days.
53.2% did not contact the Orientation center.

15. Emigration
The willingness to continue their studies abroad is the main reason why students
consider leaving the country. This massive willingness seems to be linked to a plan to
permanently leave Lebanon, the university degree being a passport to settle abroad.
Surely
28.6%
Most likely
43.8%
Probably not
21.7%
Certainly not
5.9%
Leave the country and live abroad

16. CONCLUSION

17. the pandemic
appears to have
had negative
effects on the
majority of
students.
Regardless of these
challenges and risks,
this study shows that
students remain
motivated to learn and
succeed in their
studies, and that a
large majority find in
education a passport
to economic
immigration.
It is crucial for
universities to motivate
students and ensure a
smoother transition to
tertiary education, in
order to increase
attractiveness for new
students and prevent
declining retention rates
Conclusion

18. Thank You !