The global pandemic changed the way that young people engage with education. This project focused on the impact and opportunity of digital teaching and learning in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Project Overview
Role Lead User Researcher
Team UX Research, Service Design, Business Analyst, Project Manager, Technical Architect.
Process Discovery
Methods Desk research, focus groups, depth interviews, survey design, collaborative sensemaking workshops, journey mapping, universal design methods
Project Length 14 weeks
Challenge
Conduct research with young people who have been the most negatively impacted by pandemic learning
Influence future policy decisions on digital teaching and learning
Assess the current maturity of digital teaching and learning across local authorities and schools
Approach
To begin, desk research was conducted. The team also underwent safeguarding training to ensure care and safety of young people throughout the project.
A research proposal and approach was drafted, focusing on the principle of universal design, focusing not on ‘normal users’ and then adapted for special populations like visually impaired or disabled but rather, from the outset, designed so that it can be used by the maximum number and range of users. This led to the definition of user groups focusing on those who had been the most negatively impacted by pandemic learning - ASN (additional support needs) learners and learners in areas of high multiple deprivation.
Consent forms, research approach, and file storage were all assessed and approved through a rigorous ethical approval process prior to engagements.
4 focus groups with groups of 4 - 6 learners were conducted in their school environment. 4 depth interviews were conducted with family units. Materials used were designed alongside educators to ensure they were engaging and relevant to young learners.
A national educator survey was also conducted, with over 500 respondents.
Data was anonymised, stored and analysed in collaborative sensemaking sessions with working groups to reduce bias. Survey data was analysed using PowerBI.
Results
Evidence and understanding of the impact of pandemic learning on young people
Defined need statements for learners, learner families and educators
Clear recommendations on next steps in the form of a research report