Maintaining High-Quality Community And Academics In Distance Learning: A Covid-19 Action Research Case Study

This action research study aimed to better understand the experiences with distance learning in a small, regional Catholic school during the 2020-2021 school year during the COVID-19 pandemic. Teachers, students, and parents each have unique perceptions of distance learning. An explanatory, mixed methods design was used to assess their feelings around community and academics. Mixed methods allow for multiple data sources which creates triangulation of data, increasing the validity of the study (Creswell, 2014). Self-report surveys were administered to all three stakeholder groups. Data were collected and analyzed. Each stakeholder group was broken into subgroups with an emphasis on in-person and distance learners’ perceptions. The in-person learners acted as a comparison group to help see deficits in the experiences of distance learners. A follow-up teacher interview helped enrich the survey data. When taken together, areas of concern were identified. The main areas of concern centered around teacher-student relationships and the use of technology. Five recommendations are made to enhance the experience of distance learners