Virtual Awareness and Its Role in Changing University Students' Attitudes towards the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Field Study at King Faisal University

Abstract

This study aims to identify the role of virtual awareness in mitigating the risks of the COVID-19 pandemic among university students by applying it to the students of King Faisal University. It also aims to identify the main preventive measures against the pandemic that students have learned through virtual awareness, as well as to explore the key aspects of virtual awareness related to the pandemic. The study employed a social survey method on the sample, using a questionnaire administered to a random sample of 100 students from King Faisal University who met the conditions and characteristics of the targeted sample from the College of Arts and the College of Education. The study yielded several important findings, including:

High levels of interest among university students in following virtual awareness aspects related to the COVID-19 pandemic through social networks and other virtual platforms.

The study results indicate that the majority of the sample acknowledged the active role of King Faisal University in mitigating the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The study also revealed that the majority of the sample was influenced by virtual awareness campaigns in adhering to precautionary measures, with mask-wearing being the most prominent. Additionally, around two-thirds of the sample were influenced by following the guidelines and instructions related to social distancing within King Faisal University.