Exploring (Dis-)Engagement in K-12 Online and Blended Learning

As many of our readers can no doubt attest, engaging young learners in online and blended learning can be challenging, and during the height of the pandemic when in lockdown, particularly so. The critical nature of student engagement in online and blended learning has been highlighted to teachers, school leaders and parents alike. Online, teachers cannot rely on enthusing or motivating students through their personality alone, trusting that their engaged and positive persona will somehow seep through the screen and lead to engagement. Instead, they must continue developing their skills in understanding online engagement and designing engaging learning activities beyond what was learnt during the pandemic, particularly given the move for many schools to continue implementing forms of hybrid, blended and online learning going forwards. The articles in this issue reflect the current position of engagement research as follows: the first and second papers both explore how engagement can vary in the different phases of learning. The third and fourth articles explore disengagement, while the fifth, along with the sixth and final article, focuses on supporting and informing teacher professional development