Home broadband and student engagement during COVID-19 emergency remote teaching

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, school buildings worldwide closed for often prolonged periods, necessitating a shift to emergency remote teaching. This study assessed the influence of high-speed broadband availability on second-level student engagement with distance learning during this period in Ireland. Employing data from a representative sample of second-level schools, we assessed the extent to which students were seen to engage with their learning and whether this varied across different types of schools and according to broadband coverage in schools’ catchment areas. Other studies have highlighted that the use of, and access to, technology and digital media have been important factors in shaping the learning experience during the pandemic. However, our study is unique in that it identifies schools located in areas characterised by lower availability of high-speed broadband using objective information.