Impact of learning from home on educational outcomes for disadvantaged children

Most schools across Australia were completely unprepared for the coronavirus (COVID-19) and for moving to virtual learning. Unequal internet access is just the tip of the iceberg of the challenges some students face in doing their schooling online. A number of studies show that while online courses work well for some and offer little disruption, for others there are major challenges and the disruption is likely to lead to widening gaps in school learning over what would have occurred had they remained in face to face classrooms. This paper, commissioned by the Federal Government and the Australian Government's Department of Education, Skills and Employment, looks at the limited available research showing the impact on learning of remote teaching, and models the potential impact for disadvantaged groups.