Battling the Covid Hangover: Reconsidering Students’ Relationship to the Academy

In this preliminary paper we investigate shifts among undergraduate students’ educational values and their motivations to pursue a college degree. As the academic community strives to overcome the effects COVID-19 pandemic, many educators search for ways to return to pre-pandemic norms. They often encounter relatively lower student engagement levels and lack of preparedness, which may have been exacerbated by the conditions of remote learning. We dig into the causes of these challenges, assessing existing literature on student motivation, preparation, and engagement. Our exploration highlights the need for adaptive strategies that acknowledge and respond to sometimes subtle shifts in norms and students’ educational priorities.