Public attention on how the coronavirus pandemic has affected learning has largely focused on K-12 education in the United States. But as colleges and universities begin a new academic year, uncertainty remains around the impacts of virtual learning in higher education.

In a new post, Stephanie Riegg Cellini rounds up new preliminary data on student outcomes, finding that college students pushed online may be less prepared for future classes, their GPAs may be lower, course completion may suffer, and overall learning may have declined relative to in-person cohorts in previous years. There was at least one positive finding: increased availability of online classes may allow students to move through their degree requirements more quickly.

Below, our experts assess the pandemic’s effects on homelessness, remote work, tourism, and the future of the international order.

More research and analysis

COVID-19’s impact on U.S. homelessness. To prevent widespread displacement during the pandemic, federal, state, and local policymakers have used a variety of temporary policies to help families stay in their homes. But what happens to low-income renters when these policies end? Matt Ring and Jenny Schuetz examine trends in homelessness over time and how policymakers can provide support to prevent it.

The end of the old international order. Unlike previous shocks to the global order, major powers like the United States did not step up to lead the world through the coronavirus pandemic. Listen to Thomas Wright discuss what this could mean for America’s future and the balance of power on the latest episode of the Dollar & Sense podcast.

Remote work wanted? As the COVID-19 pandemic pushed companies into remote work, the relative demand for work that could be performed from home was expected to increase. But by May 2020, online job postings for these occupations dropped disproportionately in the United States. José Morales-Arilla and Carlos Daboin Contreras examine possible reasons for this contradiction and what it might mean for the future of remote work.

A collapse in international travel and tourism. According to the World Tourism Organization, international tourist arrivals declined globally by 73% in 2020, leading to massive losses in international revenues for tourism-dependent economies. A new report by Gian Maria Milesi-Ferretti explores the economic impact of this international travel shock.

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