LEARNING IN LOCKDOWNS: A FIVE-YEAR ANALYSIS OF COVID-19'S INFLUENCE ON UNIVERSITY STUDENTS' ACADEMIC EXPERIENCES

The declaration of COVID-19 as a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) has marked a significant contemporary threat to humanity. This global health crisis has resulted in the unprecedented shutdown of various sectors, including educational activities. The impact of the pandemic on education has been substantial, necessitating the rapid adoption of alternative learning methods and posing significant challenges to students, educators, and educational institutions. This paper explores the implications and consequences of the global shutdown of educational activities due to the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the need for innovative solutions and strategies to ensure continuity in education during such crises. The work employed a mixed-effect model, considering the influence of individual-level and department-level factors on academic outcomes. Additionally, a change point model was incorporated to identify significant shifts or breakpoints in academic performance during the study period. This combined approach facilitated a comprehensive analysis of the short-term and long-term effects of the pandemic on university students' academic experiences. Empirical evidence is described on the basis of a real data set provided by the University of Pavia.