New project to examine how effective homeschooling has been

The project, led by Dr Roberto Filippi and Dr Matt Somerville, will look at whether the distance learning measures and procedures put in place by secondary schools during the pandemic are effective and how parents support their children in these difficult times.

As well as examining how distance learning has changed pupils’ engagement and motivation to learn, the project will also explore the impact it has had on children’s lifestyle.

The researchers will interview pupils about their learning and collect data about parental involvement, including how their families are supporting them.

Dr Filippi said: “The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting all sectors in our societies with education being one of them. Long-term school closures may have detrimental effects on school attainment in both disadvantaged and better-off students, let alone the uncertainties around GCSEs and A-Level exams. Secondary schools and colleges in the UK have put in place contingency measures heavily relying on digital systems and distance learning.

“This survey aims to investigate the effectiveness of these contingency plans by gathering evidence from the students' experience at this particular moment in their lives. Specifically, we want to understand and evaluate their levels of engagement, how they self-regulate learning, build and sustain motivation during lockdown.

“We envisage that remote learning will become a more integral part of the education provision. Therefore, we hope to provide education practitioners with valuable information that will allow them to improve their current offer, engage the parents and, overall, guarantee all students a qualitatively sustainable learning experience.”

Links

• View Dr Roberto Filippi’s research profile
• View Dr Matt Somerville’s research profile
• Department of Psychology and Human Development
• Centre for Language, Literacy and Numeracy: Research & Practice
• Multilanguage and Cognition Lab