Socialt kapital i en digitaliserad värld: En kvalitativ studie av studenters upplevelser av ens sociala situation i samband med distansstudier i coronapandemi

Abstract

The covid-19 pandemic had a huge effect across the world. Countries responded to it in many different ways and the changes played out multiple times, many of the changes have led to changes still seen after the pandemic officially ceased to exist as a global emergency. In Sweden, a country deemed fit to handle the crisis well, most of the work and studies moved from the physical place of offices and schools to being done from home through various digital platforms. Students at the universities, often seeing the social part of the university experience as important, had to limit their social activities to various degrees. Not only was this a big change in how they performed their daily work, but also affecting their life in general. Since the pandemic is still very new, the subject is a hot topic to research and analyse, this paper will contribute to that research. The purpose of this study is to examine how social capital was affected among university students during remote learning in the COVID-19 pandemic. This has been completed through a qualitative study by interviewing students who themselves have experienced studying at university during the time of the covid-19 pandemic. The empirical data is analysed with a take on digital competence and social science theory, more specific social capital. The result of the study has shown that students that endured online studies whilst at university during the pandemic experienced the quality of their studies as lower compared to being physically present at school. The digital tools used were not challenging enough to be developing their skill in that area. The students’ social situation changed drastically, from living social lives filled with activities, to having less encounters with other people and loosing friends along the way. Individual and collective social capital lessened with the individuals not participating in social activities and acting in their social networks to the same extent as before the pandemic.