Curse or Catastrophe? A Correlational Analysis of Negative Faculty Attitudes Toward Online Learning (2022–2025)

In the immediate aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, faculty attitudes toward online learning in higher education were frequently framed as polarized, with some academics describing the experience as a “curse” or even a “catastrophe.” This study examines whether such negative sentiment represented a stable ideological position or a temporary reaction to Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT). Using a mixed-methods explanatory design, the analysis combines a large historical dataset from the SOULSS faculty survey (2022/23; N = 390) with a targeted follow-up probe conducted in 2025 (N = 18). The baseline analysis identifies a distinct “negative cluster” associated with low digital self-efficacy and strong preference for face-to-face teaching. However, the 2025 findings indicate substantial attitudinal normalization: only one respondent (5.5%) continues to describe the pandemic period as a “catastrophe,” while most frame it as either a necessary difficulty or a positive catalyst for change. Residual dissatisfaction is linked to practical issues such as assessment integrity and technical reliability rather than ideological rejection. The results suggest that early hostility toward online learning was largely situational and has diminished over time, shifting institutional priorities from persuasion to targeted problem-solving.