‘It is no longer scary’: digital learning before and during the Covid-19 pandemic in Irish secondary schools

ABSTRACT

The use of digital technology to support teaching and learning in schools has been rising for years, but in March 2020, it became the only option when the Covid-19 pandemic resulted in the closure of almost all educational institutions worldwide. This article reports on a survey of secondary school leaders (n = 72) in Ireland, conducted three months after the closures. Leaders’ beliefs about technology, digital practices before the pandemic and responses to the emergency are considered. The findings suggest that leaders are positively disposed towards technology, and that, prior to the crisis, approaches to digital learning were aligned with some best practice recommendations. Although schools endeavoured to continue provision during the closures, challenges were reported, particularly in rural schools and those serving disadvantaged cohorts. Leaders perceived teachers’ ‘digital competence’ as an area in need of development, and noted that the pandemic may have provided an impetus for this.

KEYWORDS:

• Digital learning
• school leaders
• Covid-19

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

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Notes on contributors

Darina Scully

Dr Darina Scully is an Assistant Professor of Child & Adolescent Learning and Development at Dublin City University’s Institute of Education. She holds a PhD in Psychology from Trinity College, Dublin, and she is currently lecturing in quantitative research methods and social, personal & health education. Her research interests span various assessment, teaching and learning issues in primary, post-primary and higher education contexts.

Paula Lehane

Paula Lehane is a PhD candidate in Dublin City University at the Centre for Assessment Research, Policy and Practice in Education. She previously worked as a primary school teacher and was the Special Educational Needs (SEN) coordinator of a large urban primary school. Her research interests include SEN, educational and workplace assessment, and technology-based assessments.

Conor Scully

Conor Scully is a PhD candidate at Dublin City University at the Centre for Assessment Research, Policy and Practice in Education. His doctoral work is focused on the reliability of nursing Objective Structured Clinical Examinations. He holds a BA in Philosophy, Political Science, Economics and Sociology from Trinity College Dublin and an MSc in Sociology from the University of Amsterdam.