





































English Language Teaching Educational Journal   ISSN 2621-6485 

Vol. 6, No. 2, August 2023, pp. 84-94  

       https://doi.org/10.12928/eltej.v6i2.9217         http://journal2.uad.ac.id/index.php/eltej/index          eltej@pbi.uad.ac.id  

 The impacts of the global pandemic on online learning in 

Vietnam  

Dat Bao a,b 

a, Dong Nai Technology University, Nguyen Khuyen Street, Block 5, Trang Dai Ward, Bien Hoa City, Dong Nai Province, Vietnam 
b Monash University, Wellington Rd, Clayton VIC 3800, Australia 
1 baodat@dntu.edu.vn; 2 dat.bao@monash.edu   

 

A R T I C L E  I N F O 

 

A B ST R ACT   

 

 

Article history 

Received 20 June 2023 

Revised 25 July 2023 

Accepted 22 August 2023 

 The global outbreak of COVID-19 has caused tremendous disruptions 
in the field of education, including in Vietnam. In response to the 
ongoing pandemic, online learning has emerged as the primary mode of 
education delivery, transforming the traditional learning landscape. 
This article reports a study that adopts a combination of reflection and 
text-based research. The project explores the impacts of the pandemic 
on online learning in the new normal within the Vietnamese education 
system. The work focuses mainly on learning motivation, student 
engagement, and digital competence. While the pandemic has led to 
increased acceptance and utilization of online learning platforms, it has 
also presented challenges, including issues of digital inequality and 
limited social interaction. Findings suggest that the Vietnamese 
education system needs to adapt to fully harness the potential of online 
learning in the new normal. 

This is an open access article under the CC–BY-SA license. 

    

 

 
Keywords 

online learning 

student engagement 

digital competence 

challenges 

opportunities 

 

 

 

How to Cite: Bao, D. (2023). The impacts of the global pandemic on online learning in Vietnam. English 

Language Teaching Educational Journal, 6 (2), 84-94. https://doi.org/10.12928/eltej.v6i2.9217 

1. Introduction: the Vietnamese educational context at the time of the pandemic 

This article examines the impacts of the recent pandemic on Vietnamese students' online learning, 
which is now known as the new normal. Specifically, this research aims to explore Vietnamese 
secondary and tertiary students' online learning regarding three aspects, namely learning motivation, 
student engagement, and digital competence. To achieve the aims mentioned above, this research will 
seek answers to the following question: What were the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on 
Vietnamese students' online learning nowadays? 

In 2020, the COVID-19 outbreak prompted all schools worldwide to shut down to minimise the 
spread of the virus, which disrupted students' learning. In response to school closures, UNESCO 
(2020) urged the implication of virtual learning and encouraged teachers to connect with students from 
remote areas to lower the possibility of educational interruption. To fulfill the request of UNESCO, 
Vietnamese education has attempted to maintain the learning spirit by claiming that ‘although students 
cannot go to schools, their education will not be disrupted’. Vietnamese Ministry of Education and 
Training also issued online teaching and learning guidelines to educational institutions nationwide 
(Nguyen, 2020). Unlike universities, secondary schools are unfamiliar with implementing virtual 
learning. As a result, the rapid switch from face-to-face to distance learning could affect Vietnamese 
learners. Therefore, it is crucial to comprehensively understand students' virtual learning experiences 
as they might struggle in their studies throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. While many researchers 
have examined the online learning experiences of Vietnamese undergraduates and postgraduates 

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ISSN 2621-6485 English Language Teaching Educational Journal 85 
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 Bao, D. (The impacts of the global pandemic on online learning .....) 

during the COVID-19 outbreak (Le et al., 2021; Nguyet Minh, 2021; Van et al., 2021), few projects 
have investigated Vietnamese students' experiences. 

1.1. The need for a flexible learning mode 

Online learning is ‘learning that takes place partially or entirely over the Internet’ (Means et al., 
2009, p.9). It includes a wide range of applications utilizing the Internet to provide access to 
educational materials and promote teacher-student interaction inside and outside classrooms. The term 
is also used similarly in several studies, such as online education, virtual learning, remote learning, 
and computer-based learning (Naveed et al., 2017).  

Researchers have discovered the advantages of online learning before and during the COVID-19 
outbreak (Sha et al., 2012; Tian et al., 2020). More specifically, online education offers flexible 
learning (You & Kang, 2014) and fosters learners' self-regulation (Sha et al., 2012). Besides, Tian et 
al. (2020) argued that utilizing technical information can assist in minimizing educational inequality 
as well as enhance students' academic achievement. However, this idea is opposed by Rovai et al. 
(2005) as they claimed that there is no discernible difference in students' academic performances 
between online and face-to-face learning. Likewise, Crawford-Ferre and Wiest (2012) also pointed 
out that it is more time-consuming to teach online than in person as teachers need to operate the 
technological applications and engage with students simultaneously. 

Due to the quarantine, the COVID-19 pandemic has pushed students worldwide, including 
Vietnamese students, to adjust to distance learning (Mark, 2020). At that time, online learning 
instruments were considered the top priority of every country (Rouadi & Anouti, 2020). Several online 
learning tools, including Microsoft Teams, Google Classroom, Blackboard, and Canvas, assist 
teachers in designing classroom activities, learning modules, and training programs (Coman et al., 
2020). These online platforms provide chatting, video calling, and file storage functions that help 
teachers organise their work and communicate with students and co-workers. While it is undeniable 
that changing to online learning is a practical solution during the COVID-19 pandemic, the rapid shift 
from traditional learning methods to online learning still creates many challenges for students 
(Amarneh et al., 2021). The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on Vietnamese students in this essay 
are discussed based on learning motivation, student engagement, and digital competence. 

1.2. New challenge to student motivation 

Learning motivation is ‘student intention or desire to participate in and make efforts on learning, 
which was performed on student choice of specific learning activity and the efforts on such activity’ 
(Lin & Chen, 2017, p.3556). In the classroom setting, learning motivation is developed from 
classroom experiences or inhered by the students (Hedge, 2001). In a virtual learning setting, learning 
motivation is mainly influenced by individual characteristics and specific contexts (Hartnett, 2011). 

Lim (2004) devised three theories to illustrate ways to motivate students in online learning. The 
three types of motivation are ‘reinforcement,’ ‘interest,’ and ‘affect.’ The first type of motivation is 
‘reinforcement,’ which remains and enhances the feedback frequency. Some of its motivating factors 
are marks, teachers' feedback, peer mentoring, and technical assistance. It is stated that students will 
achieve higher academic performances if they receive instructive rewards, including marks and 
comments (Rotter, 1990). ‘Interest’ is another type of motivation promoting learner involvement. It is 
argued that challenges, fantasy, and curiosity are needed to motivate students profoundly. The last 
type of motivation is ‘affect,’ which comprises students' emotions, worries, and interests during 
studying.   

Vietnamese students' learning motivation was negatively affected when they studied online during 
the COVID-19 pandemic. First, regarding ‘interest,’ many Vietnamese students said they struggle to 
maintain interest in online learning (Tran et al., 2021, p. 29) and want to study face-to-face (Van & 
Thi, 2021). Students needed to become more familiar with virtual learning, and teachers attempted to 
teach them quickly with inadequate content and resources (Tran et al., 2021). Secondly, regarding 
‘effect,’ most Vietnamese students complained that they were requested to complete many tasks with 
demanding requirements, which made them feel that their responsibility is a burden rather than joy 
(Van & Thi, 2021, p.135). This problem negatively impacted students' motivation since they 
considered learning a mission rather than for their benefit. Finally, regarding reinforcement, 
Vietnamese students complained about needing more academic support since the teachers spoke 
rapidly and some teaching resources were beyond the textbooks, making it challenging to comprehend 



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the lessons (Que, 2021). Therefore, teachers' lack of academic support led to a lack of ‘reinforcement,’ 
which affected students' motivation to learn.  

Although there has not been any research study on Vietnamese students' learning motivation during 
the COVID-19 pandemic, the findings above from studies on Vietnamese secondary, undergraduate, 
and postgraduate students indicate that older students with higher cognitive abilities than secondary 
students do not experience less difficulty in their learning motivation within the virtual space. Hence, 
the application of online knowledge in Vietnam is new to all stakeholders (Pham & Ho, 2020). 
Additionally, these findings align with other research on secondary students' barriers to online learning 
during COVID-19 in Malaysia (Basar et al., 2021) and Slovakia (Velichová et al., 2020). Therefore, 
it could be inferred that the effectiveness of three types of motivation, including the efficacy of 
‘reinforcement,’ ‘interesting,’ and ‘affect,’ were not maximised in Vietnamese students' learning, 
which resulted in demotivation in online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

A reasonable approach to tackling this issue is that Vietnamese schools should provide 
comprehensive training programs to encourage teachers' and students' technological competencies and 
efficient use of virtual teaching and learning. In addition, to maintain students' learning motivation, a 
clear and concise strategy should be made with systematic and practical teaching materials (subject 
matter, methods, and objectives) and more appropriate e-learning operating systems utilizing suitable 
virtual teaching aids (movies, motion graphics, quizzes, and digital games). Furthermore, Vietnamese 
schools and universities should develop more academic support programs such as peer and cross-age 
mentoring. These programs can help students become more motivated and enhance their tutoring 
abilities by allowing them to take on the role of instructional leader (Peterson et al., 2014). 
Additionally, teachers can use some rewarding strategies besides grades to boost learners' learning 
motivation in online learning (Lim, 2004). For example, they frequently check students' learning 
performance and give instant feedback and encouragement throughout the learning process. Another 
method to promote students' learning motivation is sharing positive examples of students' tasks or 
achievements. 

2. Methodology: a reflective and text-based study 

Adopting a reflective approach, this study informs the looming challenges that Vietnamese 
students are likely to encounter when they study online during a pandemic.  
The approach emphasises the role of introspection, reflexivity, and interpretation in the research 
process. It recognises that researchers' subjective experiences, biases, and preconceptions influence 
the research outcomes. By intentionally engaging in reflective practices, researchers can gain a deeper 
understanding of their own perspectives and biases, leading to richer insights and more nuanced 
findings. The reflective approach is characterised by three features, namely self-reflection, reflexivity, 
and interpretation: 

In performing self-reflection, the researcher consciously reflects on experiences, thoughts, and 
interpretations throughout the research process. Such introspection helps uncover hidden assumptions 
and biases, promoting greater transparency and critical awareness. 

Reflexivity involves acknowledging and critically examining the researcher's role in shaping the 
research process and outcomes. The researcher is aware that their own positionality and subjectivity 
can impact data collection, analysis, and interpretation. 

Through interpretation and Meaning-Making, the approach recognises that research findings are 
not merely facts but interpretations of social phenomena. Researchers engage in sense-making, 
interpreting data in light of their own experiences and existing knowledge to generate deeper insights. 

At the same time, the study also follows a text-based approach. This tradition refers to the 
collection and analysis of information primarily derived from textual sources such as books, articles, 
reports, and digital databases. With the exponential growth of digital content, researchers now have 
access to an unprecedented amount of information. This abundance has necessitated the development 
of new strategies to manage and process this vast wealth of textual data. 

The investigation helps policymakers design deliberate policies on the application of online 
learning to maximise its effectiveness even when COVID-19 is over. Pedagogically, educational 
institutions find this study beneficial in creating training programs and workshops to enhance the 



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effectiveness of online learning. Moreover, this investigation offers teachers and educators insights to 
support their virtual students and develop effective online teaching and learning strategies. 
Additionally, it proposes valuable suggestions for learners to make online learning a worthwhile 
experience. The research findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the subject matter and serve 
as a foundation for further studies in the future. 

The article argues that the COVID-19 pandemic impacted some aspects of Vietnamese students’ 
learning in challenging ways while students' digital competence assisted their learning. I will start my 
argument by discussing online learning throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and the impacts of the 
pandemic on Vietnamese students' online learning regarding learning motivation, student engagement, 
and digital competence. Finally, implications for this issue and the research's summary are mentioned 
at the end of the essay. 

3. Data and findings 

3.1. Finding one: new challenge to student engagement 

Sun and Rueda (2012, p. 193) defined student engagement as ‘the quality of effort students make 
to perform well and achieve desired outcomes.’ Student engagement is notably crucial in distance 
learning since learners have fewer chances to connect actively with their teachers and classmates 
online. Meyer (2014) claimed that a lack of student engagement in virtual classrooms can result in 
isolated, passive students. Although virtual learning has been proven to promote specific kinds of 
social interaction, like student-teacher interaction, it takes work to maintain an appealing online study 
experience (Buelow et al., 2018). 

There have been several studies that examined factors that promote student engagement in online 
learning, namely social support (Nortvig et al., 2018), learning environment (Khlaif et al., 2021), and 
Internet connections (Cullinan et al., 2021). The first factor is social support from teachers, parents, 
and classmates, which has been identified as a significant determinant of student engagement (Ansong 
et al., 2017). It is indicated that good student-teacher, student-student, and student-learning content 
interactions can boost their engagement in virtual learning (Nortvig et al., 2018). The learning 
environment is the second factor influencing students' online learning engagement (Tas, 2016). 
According to Tas (2016), studying in an active learning environment with sufficient academic support 
could improve learners' engagement. In addition, Khlaif et al. (2021) pointed out that poor access to 
the Internet could impact students' learning experience, resulting in low engagement in online 
learning.   

Vietnamese students' engagement in online learning was affected during the COVID-19 pandemic. 
First of all, while it is undeniable that students need to freely decorate and control their private study 
rooms in online learning (Amarneh et al., 2021), Van & Thi (2021) argued that Vietnamese students' 
learning environment were interrupted by their family members and loud noises from the 
neighborhoods during the COVID-19 pandemic. This problem is further explained as personal study 
spaces are rare in Vietnamese families, and they are required to do the housework even during their 
online classes (Van & Thi, 2021). I also witnessed this problem as many students from university in 
Vietnam were always told to perform small tasks during their online lessons when we were 
quarantined during COVID-19. The same problem also happened in other classes, as I learned when 
talking to other teachers about my students' issues. As a result, students need to be more capable of 
focusing on their studies without positive study spaces, resulting in decreased learning efficiency 
(Chang & Fang, 2020). For this reason, Vietnamese students' engagement was negatively affected 
since they were experiencing unforeseen obstacles during their study.  

Secondly, there needs to be more interaction in online learning for Vietnamese students. Although 
studying online can encourage shy and inactive students to connect with other classmates and teachers 
through the online chatting function, sitting for an extended period teaching and learning behind the 
computer screens can limit teacher-student and student-student interactions (Pham & Van Nghiem, 
2022). Hence, in contrast with students studying in traditional classrooms, online students receive 
restricted, inadequate, and ineffective feedback, negatively impacting their academic achievement 
(Martínez-Argüelles et al., 2013). This understanding implies that online learning prevents physical 
and genuine interaction between the teacher and the learner. Thirdly, Vietnamese students faced the 
weakness of the Internet during COVID-19, which can hinder their engagement in their studies (Pham 



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& Van Nghiem, 2022). This finding also aligns with the study of Indonesian secondary students 
(Hermanto & Srimulyani, 2021). Further evidence shows that poor Internet connection results in their 
failure to attend online classes and poor sound quality (Dinh & Nguyen, 2020). 

The above insights collected from Vietnamese high school, undergraduate, and postgraduate 
students pointed out that students with older ages and higher cognitive abilities than Vietnamese 
secondary students encountered some difficulties in online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. 
Furthermore, all stakeholders must familiarise themselves with implementing online learning in 
Vietnam (Pham & Ho, 2020). In addition, the above findings are consistent with other research 
examining Asian secondary students, such as Indonesian (Agustina & Cheng, 2020) and Indian 
students. Additionally, it has been proved that there is a connection between student engagement and 
learning motivation (Nayir, 2017). Lacking motivation in online learning during the COVID-19 
pandemic could also affect Vietnamese students' engagement. Overall, it is clearly stated that 
Vietnamese students' engagement in online education was affected during COVID-19 as they had to 
face the interrupting learning environment, the lack of teacher-student and student-student 
interactions, and the weakness of Internet connection. 

There are several pedagogical implications for solving this problem. First, to ensure the quality of 
teaching and learning over the long term, schools must implement advanced technologies, upgraded 
teaching tools in their core curriculum, and a blended learning approach (Hermanto & Srimulyani, 
2021). Second, teachers should offer explicit guidance and seek student feedback to foster a supportive 
virtual network and promote student engagement. Besides, teachers should be aware of students' 
online learning difficulties to encourage and engage them in studying. Providing appropriate and 
consistent feedback is another strategy to engage learners in active learning and maintain their learning 
motivation. In addition, to compensate for the lack of teacher-student and student-student interactions, 
teachers should enable interactive communication channels such as chat, debate, and group 
discussions among students and teachers (Lim, 2004). These kinds of activities have been proven to 
replace the physical interaction between students and their classmates and teachers (Coman et al., 
2020). Finally, parents must communicate more with their children and participate in several parenting 
programs to understand their problems and know how to support their learning. 

3.2. Finding two: the pandemic as an opportunity to develop digital competence 

Digital competence ‘involves the confident and critical use of Information Society Technology 
(IST) for work, leisure, and communication. It is underpinned by basic skills in information and 
communications technology (ICT): using computers to retrieve, assess, store, produce, present, and 
exchange information and to communicate and participate in collaborative networks via the Internet 
(Ferrari, 2012, p.12). It is stated that Vietnamese students' digital competence in online learning 
assisted them during the COVID-19 outbreak. First, all Vietnamese students have direct access to 
knowledge via online platforms. While Kanmani (2018) declared that there is a big gap between 
students' digital skills because of the different locations of living areas, Tran et al. (2020) opposed this 
idea by proving that Vietnamese students from both cities and the countryside receive an equal 
distribution of internet technology education. Secondly, Vietnamese students have had Information 
Technology as a compulsory subject since 2018, so they have practiced digital skills since grade 3 and 
find it easy to use digital devices (Tran et al., 2020).  

Therefore, their remarkable digital skills help to improve their online learning experiences (Tran 
et al., 2020). Although many Vietnamese students did not encounter any difficulties regarding digital 
competence during the COVID-19 pandemic, Dincer (2012) noticed that students tend to spend more 
time on the Internet and have more advanced digital skills than their parents. This situation could be 
challenging for parents to manage their children's activities on the Internet and protect them from 
online risks. To solve this problem, parents should join several practical parenting programs on digital 
skills to safeguard their children from exposure to toxic online information and promote a positive 
attitude toward Internet usag. In addition, teachers need to put more effort into training and supervising 
students' exposure to the Internet (Reynolds & Parker, 2018). Moreover, teachers should have more 
discussions with students on topics related to Internet usage to decrease their possible access to online 
threats. Overall, even though Vietnamese students' digital competence helped improve their online 
learning during the COVID-19 outbreak, several actions are needed for both parents and teachers to 
guide and protect students from Internet risks. 



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4. Discussion and implications from findings: proposed strategies for improving 

online learning 

This section offers suggestions for improving the Vietnamese educational online learning system, 
especially at the secondary level. Based on the research findings and implications mentioned above, 
several additional suggestions are made for the Vietnamese government, the Ministry of Education, 
schools, universities, teachers, and students. Recommendations for further research are mentioned at 
the end of this section. 

4.1. The need for a more accommodating policy 

First of all, the government should adopt deliberate policies on online learning to ensure that digital 
education can continue and its effectiveness can be maximised even when COVID-19 is over. Hence, 
the government should guarantee that every necessary facility and infrastructure is available. 
Regarding the weak connection to the Internet, the government should develop better solutions to 
bring equal Internet access to all Vietnamese students. Another way to cope with the absence of the 
Internet is that the Vietnamese Ministry of Education can provide hardcopy pedagogical resources to 
students from remote areas and deliver lessons through TV channels and radios to reach out to as 
many students as possible. This solution has been well carried out by France and New Zealand (Cerna, 
2020). Finally, the Vietnamese Ministry of Education might need to approve schools’ requests to 
maintain some face-to-face classrooms available for students with severely poor learning 
environments and those whose parents worked in essential services during the pandemic's peak. 

4.2. The need for academic support programs 

First, to ensure the quality of teaching and learning over the long term, Vietnamese schools and 
universities must utilise innovative technologies and modernised teaching aids in their core curriculum 
and promote a blended learning approach (Hermanto & Srimulyani, 2021). More importantly, 
Vietnamese teacher education programs should focus on comprehensive teacher training programs 
and develop further academic and technical assistance with up-to-date practical upgrades to create 
high-quality teaching and learning content. Educational support programs and digital course training 
workshops should be established to motivate their online studies and educate them on avoiding online 
risks. 

4.3. Enhanced pedagogy 

Concerning the degree of excitement in online learning, Vietnamese teachers should cut down the 
teaching content to make it simple and incorporate exciting ideas into the lessons to engage students. 
Moreover, supplementing the classes with more interactive projects and games or communication 
channels (chatting, debates, group discussions) could boost teacher-student and student-student 
interactions and improve the lessons' quality (Lim, 2004). Additionally, Vietnamese teachers should 
frequently check on students' learning performance, give instant feedback and encouragement 
throughout the learning process, and share positive examples of students' achievements. Finally, 
concerning the online risks on the Internet, teachers should focus more on training students' exposure 
to the Internet to decrease their possible access to online threats (Reynolds & Parker, 2018). 

4.4. More communication between schools and parents 

Regarding the interrupted learning environment of students, it is suggested that parents should 
communicate better with their children to understand their problems and give appropriate assistance 
to improve their online learning experiences. An excellent way to enhance parenting skills is to join 
several parenting programs so that they can understand their children better and adopt practical 
parenting strategies. Moreover, participating in parenting programs also helps parents prevent their 
children from online risks and create a positive attitude toward Internet usage. 

4.5. The need to assist students’ new mindsets 

The findings suggest that Vietnamese students should prepare for a positive mindset as they need 
to quickly adapt to the rapid changes in educational systems and find the stimulation in learning to 
overcome upcoming challenges in their studies. Besides, it is crucial for students to actively solve 
their problems in online learning by searching for help from parents, teachers, and peers. In addition, 
improving time management skills and avoiding distractions would be helpful for students to keep 
track of their tasks and effectively study online. 



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4.6. Recommendations for further research 

Several recommendations for future study are suggested. First, a survey of the impact of online 
learning throughout and after the COVID-19 pandemic on Vietnamese students' mental health, 
learning habits, and academic performances would be beneficial. Second, the researcher recommends 
examining how Vietnamese students' online learning experiences shift over time. This choice would 
allow the researcher to investigate changes within students from the beginning to the end of the 
COVID-19 pandemic. Finally, a significant next step is to examine how Vietnamese students cope 
with their difficulties in online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic to develop several student 
support programs for better distance education in the future. 

5. Conclusion 

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced all Vietnamese schools to shut down for one year and a half. 
As a result, all Vietnamese schools shifted from face-to-face to online learning. Apart from 
universities, Vietnamese schools and universities need to familiarise themselves with implementing 
virtual learning. It is argued in this research that the rapid switch to online learning during COVID-19 
could negatively affect Vietnamese students' learning motivation and engagement. At the same time, 
their remarkable digital competence assisted their knowledge.  

As mentioned in this work, some barriers are challenges in adjusting to online learning, overload 
of online tasks, inadequate teaching and learning resources, interrupting learning environment, lack 
of teacher-student and student-student interactions, and weakness of the Internet connection. While 
the researcher discovered that Vietnamese students improve their online learning experiences, they 
could easily be exposed to online risks on the Internet. Therefore, several implications for the 
Vietnamese government, the Ministry of Education, schools, universities, teachers, parents, and 
students were made to maximise the effectiveness of online learning even when the pandemic is over. 
The researcher also made some recommendations for further research in the future. Finally, the 
researcher was aware of the underlying limitation as additional research and statistics are needed to 
confirm these findings. 

 

Acknowledgment 

This project relies on existing published works and do not employ empirical data. Being grateful to 

the academics whose works are cited, the author of this article does not have research participants to 

say thank you to. 

 

Declarations 

Author contribution : Dat Bao is the sole author and hence responsible for all the writing process 

of this manuscript. 

Funding statement : This reflective study was self-supported and did not rely on any 

institutional funding. 

Conflict of interest : The author declares no conflicts of interest. 

Ethics declaration 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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This research did not require ethics approval as it did not involve any 

participants other than the author and the work was about a pleasant 

journey of self-reflection without any disturbing experience. 

We support English Language Teaching Educational Journal (ELTEJ) in 

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	1. Introduction: the Vietnamese educational context at the time of the pandemic
	1.1. The need for a flexible learning mode
	1.2. New challenge to student motivation

	2. Methodology: a reflective and text-based study
	3. Data and findings
	3.1. Finding one: new challenge to student engagement
	3.2. Finding two: the pandemic as an opportunity to develop digital competence

	4. Discussion and implications from findings: proposed strategies for improving online learning
	4.1. The need for a more accommodating policy
	4.2. The need for academic support programs
	4.3. Enhanced pedagogy
	4.4. More communication between schools and parents
	4.5. The need to assist students’ new mindsets
	4.6. Recommendations for further research

	5. Conclusion
	Acknowledgment
	Declarations


