Attitudes and Perceptions of HEI Students Regarding Attendance and Performance for Practical-Heavy IT Modules Post-COVID-19

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, South African higher education institutions (HEIs) had to transition from traditional-based learning to hybrid or fully online learning. This transition resulted in new realities for students and a new order regarding physical class attendance. The issue of class attendance and its impact on student performance has sparked several debates and piqued the interest of scholars and researchers. However, with the switch to online lectures and limited physical attendance, a new way of looking at class attendance and its potential contribution to high performance for students emerged. Therefore, this book chapter sought to investigate the attitude and perception of students regarding attendance for practical-heavy (information technology) IT modules post-COVID-19. Data was collected using an online survey tool to achieve the chapter’s goal and analysed thematically. The study revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic created a set of new characteristics and belief systems for IT students such as the belief that class attendance alone cannot take credit for good performance. Mixed perceptions regarding attendance were reported—where some students believed it to be very crucial to student success while some did not. In addition, factors (such as the need for value) that impact the desire to attend in-person classes beyond the learning mode were revealed. The findings of this study open new debates and can help academics and education policymakers consider different approaches to foster student engagement and interest in physical classes.