A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study on the Hybrid Learning Lived Experiences of University Students after the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Purpose- The COVID-19 pandemic had a far-reaching impact on the global education sector, and the hybrid learning model, as an important measure to cope with the pandemic, was widely promoted among university students and profoundly changed their learning and life experiences. The purpose of this study is to apply an hermeneutic phenomenological research methodology to summarize the lived experience of university students' hybrid learning during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. In this way, it aims to understand the challenges, successes, and transformative impacts faced by university students in hybrid learning environments, and to provide practical recommendations and insights into educational practices and policies for hybrid learning.

Design/methodology/approach- This study mainly utilized the hermeneutic phenomenology research method, which is a qualitative research method. The research sample was taken from Changchun University of Technology, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 master's degree students from this university to understand the different experiences of the students during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Thereafter, the interviews were organized and coded in six steps to organize and interpret the students' lived experiences.

Findings – By summarizing the transcripts of the student interviews, the study summarized the interviews into three main themes: Agency, Transformative effects, and Dilemmas, with nine sub-themes under each theme. This study summarizes and explains how college students perceived their hybrid learning experiences during the epidemic, providing important perspectives for the subsequent development of hybrid learning policies.