5.5 Assignment Critical Reflection Journal – Blog

The Impact of Stress on Academic Performance of Online Students

Write a reflective blog post on this week’s readings, Roundtable dialogue, and/or action research learnings. The blog writing may be your choice, but it must be substantive, including outside scholarly works, etc.

 The Impact of Stress on the Academic Performance of Online Students

The debates continue as to whether schools should teach online or in person. As we emerge from a worldwide pandemic, there’s no question that the pandemic has been brutal on students of all types, whether they attend classes online or in person. Much of the research that has been reviewed for my action research project indicates that one source of stress for students, in general, is depression and anxiety.

We all know one person who had a great experience in college, myself included. The experience of being on your own, pursuing a degree in your field of interest, and engaging with your classmates can give you a new purpose and perspective in life. But we also have to admit that college can be stressful too. While all of this might be a dream come true for some, it can also be overwhelming and stressful at the same time. Though for some, this overwhelming feeling might go away once you settle into a routine or, in some cases, might become an Achilles Heel in the form of academic stress.

We all have experienced stress at some point in our lives; its intensity and how we handle it differs for every person. For some people, it may be just jitters before making a presentation. In contrast, for others who have difficulty knowing how to deal with or manage it, stress can be severe and debilitating in their everyday lives. High-stress levels relating to academic performance can ultimately impact one’s mental and physical health. Paradoxically academic stress can also negatively affect a student’s academic performance. Academic stress may affect students of all educational levels, whether they pursue their education online or in a physical classroom.

In a recent study by NBC News and Challenge Success, a nonprofit affiliated with the Stanford Graduate School of Education. Half of all students in the survey said they were more stressed about school in 2020 than previously; ironically, the issue of stress was more pronounced among online students. Eighty-four percent of online students reported exhaustion, headaches, insomnia, or other stress-related ailments, compared to 82 percent of students who completed their education in a physical classroom. This confirms much of the literature I reviewed for my action research project. In my final blog post in this series, I will explore some tips to overcome the stress that has come to the surface while exploring the subject of focus and academic performance.