Is it Any Wonder, I Reject You First: Pre-Pandemic Perceptions of K-12 Online Learning

Abstract

Similar to previous iterations, this action research study examined student perceptions of K-12 online learning as part of an action research project working to improve a graduate course on using internet-based instruction in the classroom. Additionally, since the data were collected prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, additional analysis of the qualitative data shines a light on why K-12 education struggled with the transition to remote teaching in the spring of 2020. Qualitative analysis of student artifacts, particularly student blog posts, revealed a general lack of awareness about the scope of online learning at the time, an evolving consensus of whether online learning was suitable for various ages, and how adults support online learning. Recommendations for future iterations of the course take these themes into account, along with how the pandemic may have already changed the opinions of future students in the course.