Students' perceptions, educational challenges and hope during the COVID‐19 pandemic

Abstract

Introduction The COVID‐19 pandemic has disrupted the lives of US students both at home and at school. Little is known regarding how adolescents perceive COVID‐19 has impacted (both positively and negatively) their academic and social lives and how protective factors, such as hope, may assist with resilience. Importantly, not all pandemic experiences are necessarily negative, and positive perceptions, as well as potential protective factors, are key to understanding the pandemic's role in students' lives. Method Utilizing quantitative and qualitative approaches, the present study descriptively examined 726 6th through 12th grade (51% female, 53% White) students' perceptions of how COVID‐19 related to educational and life disruptions, and positive aspects of their lives, within the United States. Analyses additionally explored the role of pre‐pandemic hope in improving feelings of school connectedness during the pandemic. Results Results showed that most students felt that switching to online learning had been difficult and their education had suffered at least moderately, with a sizeable proportion of students feeling less academic motivation compared with last year. When asked to share qualitative answers regarding perceived challenges and positive aspects of life, themes were consistent with quantitative perceptions. Students' pre‐pandemic hope positively predicted students' feelings of school connectedness. Conclusions Findings paint a complex picture of youth's COVID‐19 experiences and have implications for proactive ways to support students as COVID‐19 continues to affect daily life and educational structures and practices.

School students' burdens and resources after 2 years of COVID-19 in Austria: a qualitative study using content analysis

“…They were required to take extra exams or prepare for assessments to compensate for learning setbacks. This resulted in increased workloads and stress levels, as has been demonstrated in other studies (21,30,33,34,(58)(59)(60)(61)(62)(63)(64)(65). According to Widnall et al (30), during the pandemic, a gap emerged between students who were able to maintain their motivation and learn independently and those who relied more on in-person lessons.…”

“…According to Widnall et al (30), the ongoing uncertainty and frequent changes in social distancing rules, along with last-minute announcements of school closures and the return to distance learning, were considered burdensome by students in their study from 2021. Bryce and Fraser observed that students found it more challenging to maintain motivation during distance learning (34). Furthermore, distance learning was perceived as less effective, and students expressed concerns about their learning outcomes (30,31,33), as well as their academic and career prospects (33,35,36).…”

Zorlu Dönemlerde Öğrencilerin Okul Bağlılığına İlişkin Öğretmen Deneyimlerinin Keşfedilmesi

“…Öğrenciler okula uzaktan eğitimle devam etmek zorunda kaldıklarından, okullarına olan bağlılık duyguları kesintiye uğramıştır. Fiziksel olarak akranlarından ve öğretmenlerinden uzak kalan öğrenciler, COVID-19'un sağlıkları, arkadaşlıkları ve gelecekleri üzerindeki potansiyel etkisine ilişkin artan bir şekilde endişe ve stresle karşı karşıya kalmışlardır (Bryce ve Fraser, 2022). Okul bağlılığındaki bu kopuş, oldukça endişe vericidir, çünkü yapılan araştırmalar sürekli olarak okul bağlılığının öğrenciler arasında yüksek ruh sağlığı ve esenlikle ilişkili olduğunu göstermektedir.…”

What was a gap is now a chasm: Remote schooling, the digital divide, and educational inequities resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic

“…Increased amounts of schoolwork were also a challenge for students [ 49 ], contrary to reports from teachers that they sought to give less work. With the challenges that students were facing, they also felt less motivation in school [ 49 , 50 ]. While studies assessing students’ perspectives on learning during the pandemic are few, these studies demonstrate the unique barriers that may influence the academic outcomes of youth.…”