DISTANCE EDUCATION: THE CHALLENGES AND EFFECTS OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AMONG FASHION STUDENTS IN MALAYSIA

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected both the fashion industry and educational practices globally. This situation has forced fashion students in Malaysia to transition to distance education or online learning. This is in contrast to the traditional, hands-on style of fashion education: students attend lecturer demonstrations rather than learn from home, and they need access to studios, workshops and fashion industry internships. To consider the impact of this rapid change in learning style, this study aims to explore the challenges and effects of the COVID-19 pandemic among fashion students in Malaysia by conducting semi-structured interviews with 20 individuals. Results show that students faced challenges such as internet stability, difficulty adapting to new apps and lack of interaction due to communication limitations. Furthermore, students encountered environmental issues such as noise. Finally, results show that online fashion classes affected students’ mental wellbeing and caused disinterest in studying