Press Statement

Preasráiteas

14 February 2022

Go to release: Pulse Survey - Our Lives Online - Remote Learning November 2021

The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has today (14 February 2022) published analysis of Remote Learning from the ‘Our Lives Online’ CSO Pulse Survey. This report includes insights into online education experienced by survey respondents during the COVID-19 pandemic with additional analysis provided on future online learning opportunities. ‘Our Lives Online’ is a Frontier Publication and is part of the CSO ‘Take Part’ campaign.

Commenting on the results, Statistician, Dermot Kinane, said: “Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic (March 2020) access to traditional education resources in schools, colleges and other places of learning changed dramatically with schools and campuses closed at times as part of public health measures. This is why the CSO has produced ‘Our Lives Online: Remote Learning’, which is the third publication to be produced from the Our Lives Online Pulse Survey which was conducted in November 2021.

Respondents were asked a series of questions about their online education experience during the pandemic and their plans for returning to education in the future. In addition, respondents with children in school and college were asked to rate their children's online education experiences during COVID-19.

The results show that overall, more than four in 10 (42%) respondents whose educational course continued online as pandemic restrictions were introduced rated their online education experience as Excellent or Good. There was a difference in the experience reported by those in part-time education, where more than six in 10 (61%) respondents rated their online education experience during the pandemic as Excellent or Good to those in full-time education where less than three in 10 (29%) rated their online education experience during the pandemic as Excellent or Good. Similarly, two-thirds of those aged 45 years and older but just one-quarter of those aged between 18 to 24 years said their online education experience during the pandemic was Excellent or Good."

On the prospect of returning to education in the future, Dermot Kinane commented further: “Overall, almost three-quarters (74%) of respondents who plan to return to education in the future said they would be more likely to choose a course that consisted of remote or blended learning, with those aged 35 - 44 years in the age group most likely to choose a course that consisted of that method of delivery.”

Dermot Kinane made further observations about respondents who initially said they did not plan to return to education in the future: “Overall, 35% of respondents who when initially asked if they plan to return to education in the future said no, indicated they would reconsider it if remote or blended learning was available. Some 40% of those with Level 8 education (Honours Bachelor Degree) or above were more likely to reconsider a return to education if remote or blended learning was available than those with Level 7 education (Ordinary Bachelor Degree) or below at 29%. As the number of children (including adult children) living with a respondent increased so too did the likelihood of reconsideration of a return to education should remote or blended learning be available. One in three (33%) of those with one child said they would reconsider it compared to more than four in 10 (41%) for those with three or more children living with them.”

Of respondents with children in education Dermot Kinane commented: "Less than three in 10 (29%) parents rated their primary school children’s online education experience during the pandemic as Excellent or Good. This was higher for female parents (30%) than male parents (26%). Parents aged 18 to 34 years were least satisfied with their primary school children's online education experience during the pandemic with 41% of them rating it as Poor or Very poor, while parents aged 35 to 44 years were most satisfied with 32% rating it as Excellent or Good.

More than three in 10 (31%) parents rated their secondary school children’s online education experience during the pandemic as Excellent or Good, this was also higher for female parents (33%) than male parents (29%). Parents aged 35 to 44 years were most satisfied with 38% rating it as Excellent or Good. A higher proportion of parents with Level 8 education (Honours Bachelor Degree) or above (35%) rated their post-primary (secondary) school children's online education experience during the pandemic as Excellent or Good when compared to those with Level 7 education (Ordinary Bachelor Degree) or below (27%).

More than one-third (35%) of parents rated their third-level children’s online education experience during the pandemic as Excellent or Good. A higher proportion of male parents (38%) rated their children's third-level online education experience during the pandemic as Excellent or Good when compared to female parents (33%). More than four in 10 (41%) parents aged 35 to 44 years with children in third level rated their children's online education experience during the pandemic as Excellent or Good. This proportion fell to 32% for those parents aged 45 to 54 years."

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