Learning During COVID-19 - Our Voices

This presentation sheet summarises art and interview data generated during the research project "Children's experiences and conceptions of learning at home during COVID-19". The project was held in three primary schools in Tasmania with children aged 8-12. Children were invited to participate in an art workshop to create a collage about an aspect of learning at home during COVID-19. If they chose, the children could then discuss the artwork and their experiences of learning at home in a one-to-one interview with researchers from the University of Tasmania. Interviews were recorded and analysed to generate themes. Children reported diverse learning experiences that included school curriculum-based learning, online learning, and informal learning in families and communities. They also reported on the importance of relationships, such as spending time with immediate family and pets and the role of friends, teachers and extended family.

This work arises from a child-centred workshop at a primary school in Hobart, Tasmania, 2020. The workshop consisted of a focus group and choice of methods (letter-writing, maps, drawings and verbal responses) to investigate children's experiences of the informal learning program Children's University Tasmania. Participation was voluntary and students aged 8-12 took part. The workshops constitute part of a broader impact evaluation of the Children's University Tasmania program.