University students’ well-being during emergency remote teaching: reflections from the viewpoint of the Self-determination theory

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of research findings on different qualities of emergency remote teaching (ERT) and interpret their implications for student well-being from the perspective of the Self-determination theory (SDT). The analysis of research findings suggests that students’ well-being and success in online learning were compromised, and that the teaching/learning practice during ERT could not provide adequate support to students’ basic needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. The observation that student well-being was not a priority while implementing ERT was not surprising for several reasons: the primary objective of ERT was to ensure the continuation of education; the switch from regular classroom settings to an online environment was rapid and hasty; teachers were faced with numerous challenges while rapidly adapting to new conditions and ways of working, communication and exchange, new tools and resources, and they lacked competencies and experience in teaching with digital technologies.