RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND DELIMITATION

The research employed a mixed method approach. The Covid-19 pandemic affected the urban environment and how people adjusted to the ‘new normal’. The social constructivist theory and the pragmatic worldview guided this research.

SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIVISM

Social constructivism is based on the assumption that people seek to understand the world in which they live and work. They develop subjective meanings of their experiences, which in turn are directed towards objects or things (Creswell, 2008).

The secondary research approach used existing literature and publications. The desktop study focussed on how people have dealt with the ‘new normal’, and how the pandemic has affected and reshaped spaces and individuals.

PRAGMATISM

The pragmatism approach originates from actions, situations and consequences, and uses different approaches to understand a problem. Pragmatism is not committed to a single philosophy or reality, so it allows the researcher freedom to choose the method, technique and procedures required to meet the needs and purpose of the research. Both quantitative and qualitative data were used in this study (Creswell, 2008).

The secondary research focused on the effect of the pandemic on the urban environment and the human psyche.

DELIMITATION

This project focused on the needs of university students who previously stayed at university residences and who then studied from home after the Covid-19 pandemic. This project excluded other university students and staff members, and their everyday risks during the pandemic.