Abstract
This paper examines the perspectives of Health Sciences and Technology Academy (HSTA) participants as they navigate through their West Virginia (WV) high school learning environments (i.e., in-person, blended/hybrid, complete virtual) during the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-19 (COVID-19) pandemic. In March of 2020, the participants in this out-of-school-time (OST) academic enrichment program for exceptionally driven, yet underprivileged, at-risk students, with over 70% living in rural areas, started receiving remote learning instruction through learning management systems or via paper packets. In August of 2020, school systems provided parents and caregivers alternative learning environments for their student(s). In order to understand the learning experiences of HSTA students during these unprecedented times, HSTA released the 2020 Learning Outcomes Survey to participants in December of 2020. We performed chi-square test of independence to test the relationship between participants' learning environments, their satisfaction with the education they were receiving, their ability to keep up with their school-work, teacher availability to help when needed and teacher feedback supporting them in their learning environment. The results show significant differences between the learning environments and keeping up with school-work as well as teacher feedback supporting them in their learning; however, Phi and Cramer's V tests for effect size show weak correlations. This study provides a small glimpse into HSTA students' learning experiences as they attempted to continue to learn in their regular school environment during the COVID-19 pandemic while in HSTA.
Highlights
In March of 2020, global pandemonium occurred shaking multifaceted systems to the core by an international pandemic
Oftentimes, Field Site Coordinators perform an important role in helping and encouraging students to complete program requirements so that they can achieve their goal of attending college. This descriptive study provides a unique glimpse into the perspective of a subsection of the U.S high school student population during the COVID-19 pandemic—those who are educationally motivated and driven to succeed but possibly lacking the resources to pursue post-secondary degrees
Health Sciences and Technology Academy (HSTA) recognizes the importance of addressing the racial and social barriers that exist for at-risk student populations of West Virginia and believes that if underserved high school students have the potential and the desire to pursue a college degree and a health professions/STEM career, with support, they can reach their goals
Summary
In March of 2020, global pandemonium occurred shaking multifaceted systems to the core by an international pandemic. In the midst of this pandemic, educational leaders at every facet in the system (i.e., parents, teachers, principals, school boards, state and federal departments of education, governors, etc.) encountered the daunting task of developing alternative systems to replace in-person learning. Educational entities worldwide had to develop alternative systems for instructional delivery to protect teachers and students from the threat of possibly contracting the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-19 (COVID-19) virus (Reimers et al, 2020; WVDE, 2021; WVDE, n.d.). On February 8, 2020, the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) Superintendent of Schools issued a memo recommending all 55 counties “review their emergency preparedness plans for infectious disease outbreaks” (WVDE, 2021). Governor Jim Justice issued a State of Preparedness for West Virginia. On March 13, 2020, the Governor ordered that all West Virginia schools move to a remote
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