Using appreciative approaches to explore New Zealand youth perspectives of online learning support during COVID-19

Abstract

COVID-19 lockdowns and interruptions have necessitated large scale, immediate transitions to remote education. The influence of school and university closures on educational progress and achievement is not to be underestimated. This study contributes a New Zealand perspective to discussions and learning from these exceptional circumstances. The study focuses on findings from qualitative analysis of open-text survey responses from youth (aged 16-24). The young people were reporting on their perspectives of remote learning support during the four-week COVID-19 lockdown in New Zealand in March 2020 (n=2,014). Three overarching categories corresponding to individual support, teacher and institute communication, and affordances of online learning were identified. Appreciative approaches provided a conceptual and analytical framework for interpreting the data in terms of national policy and institute-level support, teacher support and practice, and individual youth resilience. At individual student level, it is important to develop their capabilities to learn online. Exploring Appreciative Intelligence with young people as a concept and quality could support them to identify and take positive steps to support their own learning online in challenging circumstances.