Students’ experience of Uncertain times: Learning and well-being in Swedish upper secondary schools during the pandemic

Abstract

This study aims to explore how students in upper secondary schools in Sweden perceived changes to their pre-pandemic study habits and well-being that took place during the pandemic. Because our study is based on theoretical perspectives relevant to learning and well-being, our framing loosely follows concepts from the work of Antonovsky. For this purpose, we have analyzed the responses of 209 students who completed a web survey. The study adopts mixed methods, combining analyses of data gathered via the Holistic Student Assessment (HSA), questionnaire surveys, and open-ended questions focusing on students' perceptions of learning and well-being during and before the pandemic. Results show that most students perceived significant differences between their situations before and during the pandemic, which in turn significantly affected their school performance and well-being. Although many of the students described poorer management of their studies and deterioration of their study strategies, no difference was shown in self-regulated learning. From this, it can be concluded that the students previously had a low awareness of self-regulated learning. The study's contribution is that the results are based on students' perceptions during the pandemic which preventing an ex post facto design. Implications of this study both for practice and policy is to address a salutogenic process and curricula to strengthen academic performance and health and give young people readiness for action for unexpected situations and for coping with life.