As schools plan for potential hybrid approaches to reopening in the Fall, it's crucial to glean lessons from the students themselves. Here is newly released data from Youth Truth based on 20,000+ student respondents in grades 5-12 on how they experienced remote learning.
The data was gathered in May and June 2020 through a 12-minute online survey, administered in English and Spanish, in partnership with 166 public schools across nine states.
While school logistics worked relatively well from students’ perspective, remote learning still didn’t result in a lot of learning during COVID-19 related school closures in spring 2020. It was especially challenging for Black and Latinx students – who faced more obstacles to learning than other students – and for female students and students who identify in another way – who struggled more with mental health and well-being than males.
There were a number of other trends based on student demographic characteristics in how students experienced learning and well-being. Students who felt more personally affected by COVID-19 had less positive experiences across most themes and questions. The same is true of 11th graders, while 5th and 6th graders reported more positive experiences. Asian students also tended to report more positive experiences across most themes.
Additionally, the analysis of the student responses sheds light on the complexity of both the challenges faced and opportunities seized in this moment of profound disruption to the institution of schooling.
Students shared in their own words that they enjoyed having more agency over their schedule and learning pace, that they appreciated opportunities to connect with their family, and that virtual learning often afforded flexibility to learn new skills and deepen knowledge. And still, distractions at home, stress and anxiety, and deep longing for social connection underscore the importance of listening to these voices and exploring this data with empathy and responsiveness to the student experience.
