Strategies for virtual online student support in the first year economics unit during global Covid-19 pandemic

Online internet-based education and virtual teaching and learning have been forced upon the world due to coronavirus global pandemic healthcare crisis. Various internet and communication technology-assisted virtual delivery platforms are used, such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts, Skype, etc., to conduct lectures, tutorials, workshops, and provide online support to students. The main objective of this chapter is to reflect and compare the teaching and learning strategies in normal situation in contrast with the practice during COVID-19 environment. The chapter formalises an analysis of the challenges faced by lecturers in teaching and delivering first-year economics unit to the students, at the two institutions, and its impact on their learning of the economics core unit offered at the undergraduate Bachelor of Business program. KEY WORDS: COVID-19 pandemic, student support, economics, Virtual online e-learning, Zoom, teaching, innovation, inclusive