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

• Published in: Social sciences & humanities open Vol. 7; no. 1
• Main Authors: Boström, Lena, Rising Holmström, Malin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2023
• Subjects: Now-and-then; Pandemic; Salutogenes Upper secondary school; Well-being
• ISSN: 2590-2911; 2590-2911
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ssaho.2023.100489

This study aims to explore how students in upper secondary schools in Sweden perceived changes to their prepandemicstudy habits and well-being that took place during the pandemic. Because our study is based ontheoretical perspectives relevant to learning and well-being, our framing loosely follows concepts from the workof 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 wellbeingduring and before the pandemic. Results show that most students perceived significant differences betweentheir situations before and during the pandemic, which in turn significantly affected their school performanceand well-being. Although many of the students described poorer management of their studies and deteriorationof their study strategies, no difference was shown in self-regulated learning. From this, it can be concluded thatthe students previously had a low awareness of self-regulated learning. The study’s contribution is that the resultsare based on students’ perceptions during the pandemic which preventing an ex post facto design. Implications ofthis study both for practice and policy is to address a salutogenic process and curricula to strengthen academicperformance and health and give young people readiness for action for unexpected situations and for coping withlife.