Impact of COVID-19 Lockdowns on Australian Primary and Secondary School Students' Online Learning Experiences

The impact of COVID-19 has seen many schools across the globe transition from face-to-face teaching to emergency remote teaching in a short period of time. This has impacted the quality of students' educational experiences. The study reported here draws on data collected from students, teachers, and parents in eight schools in New South Wales, Australia using a qualitative approach including surveys, and draws a Community of Inquiry framework to understand the experiences of students. Results of the study showed that social impacts were extensive and that limited interactions resulted in the loss of engagement and motivation for a majority of students who also reported a high level of understanding of what was expected of them but felt the workload was too high. It is suggested that more time be provided for social engagement to support motivation and engagement.