High school students’ experience of online learning during Covid-19: the influence of technology and pedagogy

The Covid-19 pandemic resulted in New Zealand schools closing and teaching occurring through digital media. This article reports research which applied Kearney et al.'s framework as a lens to examine student experience of digital learning at home during Covid-19. This framework provides three characteristics that influence learners' experience when using digital devices for learning: personalisation, authenticity and collaboration. High school students in their final two years of schooling (n = 1975) responded to a questionnaire consisting of quantitative and qualitative questions, with qualitative data analysed thematically and quantitative data with descriptive statistics. Aspects of Kearney et al.'s framework were reflected in participants' experience, but further characteristics were identified. Authenticity and collaboration facilitated learning, but participants valued supportive pedagogies and motivational strategies which enabled academic progress and enhanced wellbeing. Effective use of technology mediated supportive pedagogies, and an alternative framework was developed to incorporate these additional findings.