High School Students' Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Perspectives from Health Sciences and Technology Academy Participants

Abstract

This paper examines the perspectives of Health Sciences and Technology Academy (HSTA) participants as they navigate through their West Virginia (WV) high school learning environments (i.e., in-person, blended/hybrid, complete virtual) during the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-19 (COVID-19) pandemic. In March of 2020, the participants in this out-of-school-time (OST) academic enrichment program for exceptionally driven, yet underprivileged, at-risk students, with over 70% living in rural areas, started receiving remote learning instruction through learning management systems or via paper packets. In August of 2020, school systems provided parents and caregivers alternative learning environments for their student(s). In order to understand the learning experiences of HSTA students during these unprecedented times, HSTA released the 2020 Learning Outcomes Survey to participants in December of 2020. We performed chi-square test of independence to test the relationship between participants' learning environments, their satisfaction with the education they were receiving, their ability to keep up with their school-work, teacher availability to help when needed and teacher feedback supporting them in their learning environment. The results show significant differences between the learning environments and keeping up with school-work as well as teacher feedback supporting them in their learning; however, Phi and Cramer's V tests for effect size show weak correlations. This study provides a small glimpse into HSTA students' learning experiences as they attempted to continue to learn in their regular school environment during the COVID-19 pandemic while in HSTA.

Keywords: Health Sciences and Technology Academy (HSTA); Learning Environments during COVID; chi-square analyses; financially disadvantaged; first generation; high school; out-of-school-time programs; rural; student perspectives on learning amidst the COVID pandemic; underrepresented.

Figure 1.

Responders’ Race/Ethnicity

Figure 2.

Responders’ Access to a Computer or Device (Other than a Smartphone) and Internet Services.

Figure 3.

Frequency of Internet Disconnecting or Going ‘On and Off’ During Class Time.

Figure 4.

Responders’ Levels of Confidence with Doing the Above Tasks.

Figure 5.

Responders’ Levels of Confidence with Doing the Above Tasks.

Figure 6.

Responders’ Levels of Confidence with Doing the Above Tasks.

Figure 7.

Responders’ Levels of Confidence with Doing the Above Tasks.

Figure 8.

Responders’ Ways in Which They Learn Best.

Figure 9.

Word Cloud of Qualitative Comments on Improving HSTA Programming.

Figure 10.

Word Cloud of Qualitative Comments on Improving Schools.