Only 34% of pupils felt motivated to learn remotely

Only 34% pupils had felt actively motivated during remote learning, with the majority neutral or actively disinterested.

This is according to research done by ImpactEd, commissioned by Texthelp, which looked at the impact of remote and blended learning on pupil motivation and how technology can help address this going forward.

The ‘Lockdown and beyond: Learning in a changing landscape’ report draws on ImpactEd’s longitudinal research project surveying more than 11,000 UK students throughout lockdown, and existing evidence on how COVID-19 impacts student motivation in the UK, US and Australia.

It shows lockdowns in each country have not only created a range of new challenges for educators, but also deepened existing long-term problems and inequalities. In particular, the evidence shows COVID-19 has led to acute challenges in three linked areas –  student motivation, teacher workload and student wellbeing.

The paper provides insights on how schools can get the most impact from technology in a remote or blended learning environment. Whilst the paper highlights the ‘Zoom boom’ in edtech, with a 158% global surge in edtech tool downloads in March 2020, it concludes research-based tools that encourage engagement through real-time feedback and gamification, as well as provide pupil autonomy, will likely have the best impact on student outcomes and teacher workloads.

The report also highlights how teacher working hours have increased by 60-65% as a result of the pandemic, and how teacher burnout is significantly associated with weakened motivation in pupils.

It also found that lockdown has had a bigger impact on girls, with the wellbeing scores of those surveyed a full 5% lower than boys.

Commenting on the findings of the report, Texthelp’s CEO Martin McKay said: “As educators increasingly look to technology to support their practices, this paper highlights the importance of prioritising evidence-based solutions that drive student motivation. Writing, for example, is one area where real-time feedback from a research-backed tool can have significant impact, encouraging students to write more and for longer periods when they do not have the motivating benefit of a teacher in the room.

“At their most effective, edtech tools should complement in-person learning, reducing teacher workloads so they can focus on what really matters – teaching. The rapid digitisation in education brought about by necessity presents opportunities to embed solutions and practices that best support learning, both during this pandemic and beyond.”