Hospitality students at the online classes during COVID-19 - How personality affects experience?

Area of Science:

• Educational Psychology
• Hospitality Management
• Online Learning

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a rapid transition to online learning for all educational sectors, including hospitality.
• Hospitality students, accustomed to blended learning environments, faced significant disruptions and anxieties due to this abrupt shift.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between personality traits and anxiety levels in hospitality students during online learning.
• To understand how these personality traits and anxieties affect the students' overall online learning experience and satisfaction.

Main Methods:

• A survey was administered to hospitality students in Hong Kong after a semester of online learning.
• The study analyzed the correlation between specific personality traits (e.g., agreeableness, conscientiousness) and reported levels of learning, technical, and financial anxiety.

Main Results:

• High agreeableness and openness to experience were associated with increased learning, technical, and financial anxiety.
• High conscientiousness, extraversion, and neuroticism were linked to lower levels of these anxieties.
• Reduced learning and financial anxiety positively influenced students' perception of online learning and overall satisfaction.

Conclusions:

• Personality traits play a significant role in mediating hospitality students' anxiety responses to online learning environments.
• Strategies to mitigate anxiety and enhance online learning satisfaction should consider individual personality differences.
• Findings offer theoretical insights and practical recommendations for educators and institutions managing online hospitality education.