Abstract
The impacts of COVID-19 on education have changed how many schools and education providers deliver education with the rapid transition to online learning environments. This research highlights the critical factors influencing student and teacher engagement while also highlighting opportunities for educators to enhance the engagement for their students, utilising results from two focus groups and qualitative surveys through a case study on school districts across South Australia. This provided an understanding of the critical factors influencing teacher and student engagement and identified opportunities for improvements to the levels of student engagements through online learning environments. This research has identified best practices within schools and across the Department of Education that can support virtual learning and digital engagement into the future. In addition, through the identification of critical factors influencing student and teacher engagement, exploration of opportunities to support students and improve overall digital engagement can be identified.
TopIntroduction
The purpose of this chapter is to highlight the critical factors impacting student and teacher engagement during the rapid implementation of virtual learning due to COVID-19 in South Australia and explore best practices and opportunities for the future. This chapter extend findings of previous research on rural school, teacher and student engagement, which identified the importance of three critical factors impacting both teacher and student engagement, support, access and learning needs (Papavasiliou & Papavasiliou, 2021). The aim of extending research is to understand if there are similarities and/or differences between the experiences of virtual learning across student and teacher engagement and school location. Furthermore, this research explores the best practices that arose during COVID-19 that can inform future virtual learning and opportunities to enhance student and teacher engagement through online learning platforms. In addition to the opportunities for consistency and future, the research explores factors for ensuring content and material shared virtually was engaging, and how appropriate support was provided for both teachers and students. Data collection involved teachers from various school districts, subjects and year levels and utilised qualitative surveys and focus groups to explore their experiences.
The unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on all countries and sectors. This was specifically evident in education, where risk of infection transmission resulted in closures of face-to-face activities across all educational institutions (ECLAC, 2020). This global reaction was felt within Australia, where many early learning centres, junior and secondary schools closed and had to rapidly transition their teachers and students to remote learning (Sacks et al., 2020). Research demonstrates that not all students were affected equally, this could have related to socioeconomic status, location or support networks at home (ECLAC, 2020). The detrimental impact to student learning in rural and remote areas of Australia is understood with inequalities evident between educational outcomes between metropolitan and rural and remote areas. Furthermore, the impacts on the development of cognitive and non-cognitive skills (both positively and negatively) are unknown, and the affects could cause consequences and opportunities in both the short and long term (Schleicher, 2020). It is clear that there are a number of unknowns associated with the short and long-term implications of shifting education online for both student and teacher engagement.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Australian Federal and State Governments implemented online or virtual learning systems, either encouraging or mandating virtual learning for all students in primary or secondary schools (Hendry, 2020). This decision was made quickly, in response to the rapidly changing environment, and having significant impacts on teachers and student’s ability to engage and interact with one another (Hendry, 2020; Zagon, 2020). Along with the stresses associated with educators having to rapidly implement online learning, teachers were also required to incorporate the various individual learning needs and styles of their students (Zagon, 2020). Students were also impacted significantly by the implementation of online learning, with students requiring ongoing support from both an education and mental health standpoint to ensure positive outcomes (Zagon, 2020).
A review of the literature demonstrates that there are challenges for the use of online learning platforms and student engagement. This includes the delivery of the material, providing equal opportunities for all students to learn and have their learning styles and needs addressed (Dale & Lane, 2007). Educational engagement literature demonstrates how teachers must consider three factors (cognitive, behavioural and emotional) of student engagement to ensure successful educational outcomes of students (Ainley et al., 2008). Therefore, this research seeks to explore if the previously identified challenges facing rural schools is different or similar to experiences across schools in metropolitan and regional areas. While exploring the most significant factors influencing student and teacher engagement when utilising virtual learning.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Blended Learning: A type of education where students learn via various mediums (e.g., electronic, online, and face-to-face learning).
Online Learning or eLearning: Incorporates learning involved learning conducted through electronic mediums (e.g., internet) and it is often referred to as part of distance learning.
Opportunities: A group or variety of circumstance which makes it possible to do or achieve something (e.g., a chance for learning).
Best Practices: Identification of what works well within a specific situation and/or environment, it is often supported by data or empirical evidence.
Engagement: Within education, this includes the development of relationships between educators and students (and can extend to family, friends, within schools and across the community). Engagement within teachers and students is a primary element to establishing a positive school environment and influences educational outcomes.
Support: Within education, support includes the assistance provided to students or teachers encouraging positive outcomes. Support is diverse and occurs across multiple delivery systems (e.g., administration, classroom support and counsellors and information technology).
Learning Delivery Systems: The approach used to deliver educational activities from teachers to students.
Learning Delivery Environments: The learning environment incorporates all of the aspects which affects the students learning including different physical locations, backgrounds and cultures.