Background The Covid‐19 pandemic has created significant challenges for the global higher education community. Understanding of students' perception has important implications for the quality of the learning process, as it affects students' engagement in learning, helps educators rethink the principles of the learning design and further improve the developed programs. Objectives Understanding of how rapid and necessary changes of learning caused by the pandemic are related to students' intrinsic motivation and awareness. Methods There were 832 participants in this study. Quantitative and qualitative research methods employing relevant statistical techniques were used to research students' opinions regarding the distance learning process. Results and Conclusions Our analysis showed that first‐year students were significantly less motivated during the learning process than older students, they saw distance learning as less valuable and less interesting than the others. Our research found several positive consequences of the pandemic: working according to students' own schedule in a relaxed environment, looking at the lecture again if necessary, feeling free to ask questions and communicate with teachers and saving travel time. Implications Teachers should have more understanding for the first‐year students who are threatened when it comes to developing motivation to learn and help them cope with learning anxieties, encourage their self‐belief and give them extra support during the learning process.

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This paper reports how an information and communications technology (ICT) system can support greater connection across and outcomes from home and school mathematics learning practices for 11-to-14-year-old pupils. The article details: (1) the purpose, background and theoretical basis of the study;(2) the design approach, including features, accessibility and implementation of a web platform (eZbirka) created as a tool for solving teacher-reported problems in learning practices; (3) the methodological approach adopted for the study; and (4) the effects and contributions of web-based home-and-school-linked practice on pupils and teachers. Interviews with and surveys from pupils and teachers were used to gather data. Findings highlighted the efficacy of the system, indicating benefits arising when pupils and teachers used the entire range of features. This communication and collaboration tool enabled teachers to assist pupils in developing knowledge and abilities only a short time after its inception. Research revealed specific features of the software that support ICT integration into mathematics teaching and learning practices; specifically, it shifts an ineffective learning process and offers new ways of thinking about mathematical learning.

The concept of lifelong learning is becoming increasingly important in contemporary educational research and development. Although the relationship between experience (practice) and knowledge (theory) is becoming an important aspect of the formal learning process, current instructional design models do not point to educational strategies that support learners in re-and decontextualisation (both directions of Kolb's learning cycle). This article aims to provide more insight into the process of creating and redesigning experiential learning environments and to better understand the complex relationship that exists between the learning environments and experiential learning (considering underlying learning theories). We will present and discuss mARC (more Authentic, Reflective and Collaborative), a threecomponent instruction model with a set of instructional elements proved to facilitate the re-and de-contextualisation of knowledge. This article ends with practical guidelines for using the mARC model to support students in linking learning experience to academic knowledge development within higher education.

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