Research Study 1

The research study

Welsh Government awarded a grant in June 2020 to a research team from the universities of Wrexham Glyndwr and Aberystwyth and the University of South Wales to undertake this study.

Research area

Drawing upon evidence from a small sample of schools, the research reports on the experience of blended and distance learning for learners, teachers, school leaders, parents/carers and educational stakeholders during the spring, summer and autumn of 2020.

Methodology

Building upon a review of previous evidence in this area, the research team undertook an initial survey designed to identify key questions and these were used for a second phase of data collection involving interviews, focus groups and surveys with 15 schools across Wales. Interviews with regional consortia and focus groups with students on initial teacher education courses were also undertaken.

Main findings

The need to move to blended and distance learning resulting from the pandemic presented both opportunities and challenges.

Opportunities

1. Increased opportunities were presented for the creative use of digital learning and this is likely to have a long-term impact on learning and teaching in schools.
2. Some learners were provided with enhanced opportunities to become independent learners with more choice over their activities and the pace of their work.
3. Increased collaboration was able to take place in and between schools in developing support for learners and in providing professional learning opportunities for teachers, learners and parents/carers.
4. Parental engagement with learning was increased, as was the support that schools provided for this.
5. For the above reasons, some learners appear to have thrived during this period and their learning progression accelerated.

Challenges

1. The need for schools to adapt quickly to the new learning and teaching environment and to support learners and their families – particularly those who were more disadvantaged and vulnerable – had a major impact on teacher workload and wellbeing.
2. Many learners and families experienced problems with accessing technical hardware and internet connectivity.
3. Particularly in practical areas of the curriculum, learners missed access to specialist resources and equipment.
4. Learners also missed social and learning interaction with their peers.
5. There was an increased need from teachers, learners and parents/carers for professional learning on blended and distance learning, and inconsistencies in responses to this from local authorities and regional consortia.
6. There was variability in the extent and effectiveness of parental support for learning.
7. Engagement with many learners, including already hard-to-reach learners and families, became even more difficult.
8. As a result of variations in the extent of engagement and the quality of experience they received through blended and distance learning, many learners struggled to progress their education.

Recommendations

Recovery

1. Additional support should be targeted at those learners who experienced transition in the lockdown from primary to secondary school, into Key Stage 4, into Year 12 and onwards to further and higher education.
2. Opportunities should be provided in the new school curriculum for independent learning that builds upon the experiences of the pandemic.
3. More emphasis should be placed on the importance of the home learning environment and family engagement and communication between schools and parents/carers, particularly in relation to more disadvantaged learners and in bilingual contexts.
4. Greater opportunities should be provided for professional learning on blended and distance learning, based on school-to-school collaboration and networking.
5. A role for ‘technology champions’ should be developed as a middle leadership position within schools.
6. Increased emphasis on blended and distance learning should be included in initial teacher education.

Future planning

1. Learners, schools and homes need to be provided with the hardware and internet connectivity required to be able to respond to any future disruption akin to the impact of the pandemic.
2. The impact on teacher workload and wellbeing during such periods of disruption needs consideration.
3. Learners, teachers and parents/carers need information on how best to respond to disrupted schooling.
4. Distance and blended learning should be more strongly represented within the curriculum.

Further information

The full research report will be published in the summer of 2021 in the NSERE area of Hwb. For further information contact Dr Susan Chapman, School of Education, Aberystwyth University scc@aber.ac.uk