Scientists have challenged the Westminster government¡¯s claim that continuing face-to-face teaching is essential to protect student well-being, highlighting that while that might be true for tuition in normal times, the ¡°Covid secure¡± equivalent may be less beneficial.

In a letter to vice-chancellors, universities minister Michelle Donelan justified demanding that in-person teaching should continue during England¡¯s second coronavirus lockdown by warning that shifting wholly to online learning ¡°could jeopardise the learning that students receive, as well as risk their mental health and well-being¡±.

But academics have questioned whether the benefits of face-to-face teaching outweigh the risks attached to it in the middle of a pandemic.

Elizabeth Stokoe, professor of social interaction at Loughborough University and a member of the Independent Sage group of scientists, said that there was ¡°no evidence to support¡± Ms Donelan¡¯s claim, while there is plenty to demonstrate that online learning can be highly effective.

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Another Independent Sage member, John Drury, professor of social psychology at the University of Sussex, agreed. ¡°Yes, groups and interaction are good for our and our students¡¯ mental health. But the equation of ¡®connection¡¯ with in-person teaching, and hence in-person teaching with mental health, is speculative rather than evidence-based,¡± he said.

An ¡°extremely large body of research¡± shows that people can often be psychologically more connected with their social groups online and that feeling part of a group is a cognitive process, he said, adding that students¡¯ social networks were created largely via who they lived with rather than their classmates.

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Students remaining on English campuses are receiving a limited amount of face-to-face tuition, which is typically socially distanced, conducted while wearing face coverings and may offer limited opportunities for group work. On-campus residents are locked down in ¡°bubbles¡± in their accommodation.

Stephen Reicher, Bishop Wardlaw professor of social psychology at the University of St Andrews and another Independent Sage member, said that current restrictions limited the benefits of in-person learning.

¡°I have heard many people say that you get much more of a sense of connection with online platforms, where you see everyone¡¯s face, as opposed to the back of their head or their mask,¡± he said.

Then there is the question of how many students want to attend in-person classes. Academics, including from the universities of Bristol and East London, have pictures of empty classrooms, stating that students had opted to tune in via Zoom instead.

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Speaking last week at an event on the benefits of blended learning, Peter Mathieson, vice-chancellor of the University of Edinburgh, said that his university was providing face-to-face teaching across its courses, ¡°but in quite a lot of those programmes attendance to those sessions is poor. Students are electing to come in remotely.¡±

Some students chose to return home prior to the start of lockdown, which banned such trips before Christmas.

However, Simon Wessely, professor of psychological medicine at King¡¯s College London, warned that many students did not have access at home ¡°to?a?desk in a quiet room, a pair of headphones if others are around, good broadband and so?on¡±.

¡°The transition to online has disproportionately affected those students from less well-off backgrounds,¡± he said. ¡°University is a time of learning, transition, maturity and independence¡­I think it is right that to say that in-person teaching is better for mental health than the opposite, and not just teaching, it is all aspects of what a university education provides.¡±

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Professor Wessely added that ¡°the current restrictions have already significantly impacted on all aspects of the purpose of a university. That makes it even more important we should do everything we can to keep whatever semblance we can of what a university provides alive.¡±

anna.mckie@timeshighereducation.com