Remote Education and Well-Being in Academia During (Post) Pandemic Times: Insights From Business Schools in V4 Countries

Purpose: The study aims to explore the dynamics shaping online education processes in the Visegrad countries (Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary) during the transition to remote learning. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative study was conducted among 40 university students and 40 academic teachers from the four countries. The data analysis focused on identifying recurring patterns and challenges in online teaching and learning experiences. Findings: The research revealed two negative cycles influencing online education. The first, called the cycle of declining engagement, shows how decreasing student engagement led to lower lecturer involvement, which in turn further reduced students’ motivation. The second, the hide-and-seek cycle, indicates that the more control tools were implemented to monitor students, the more strategies emerged to bypass the rules. The main challenges identified by participants included monotony, lack of social interaction, and lecturers’ psychological exhaustion caused by the absence of live contact with students. Research limitations/implications: The study was based on a relatively small qualitative sample, which limits the generalizability of results. However, it provides valuable insights into mechanisms that may be present in broader contexts of remote education. Originality/value: This research contributes to understanding the relational and motivational dynamics of online education by identifying feedback loops that undermine engagement and trust between students and lecturers.