Distansstudier – på gott och ont : En kvalitativ studie om studenters sociala arbetsmiljö under distansstudier

Sammanfattning: The aim of this study has been to map how students feel that their social work environment has been affected by distance learning as a result of the corona pandemic. Our theoretical frame of reference consists of concepts used in symbolic interactionism such as social interaction, the mirror self and regionalization, theories of space and the theory on social presence. To answer the purpose of the study we have chosen to use a qualitative interview method were we interviewed six (6) informants from Karlstad university. The analysis of the empirical material resulted in the visualization of three (3) different dimensions of the effect of distance learning on students social work environment; time, space and social interaction. Based on a temporal dimension, we were able to state that the increased flexibility that comes with studying at a distance has led to students' study routines changing. The spatial dimension made it clear that it is difficult for students to know how to behave and dress when, on the one hand, they are in a physical room that is the home and on the other hand in a digital room that represents the school. Finally, the empirical data were analyzed on the basis of a social dimension which showed that the lack of social presence and non-verbal communication in the digital meeting room leads to students avoiding interacting with each other, means that their need for social interaction is not met.