Gifted Irish students’ perception of academic experiences during the pandemic

Covid-19 had direct impact on education systems worldwide with school closures affecting learning for many students, including gifted adolescents. This study explored students’ perceptions of emergency online learning at school and how these differed to in-person classes and online classes they attended in the Centre for Talented Youth, Ireland (CTYI). Data analyses identified four factors of student responses (N = 322): Teacher Support, Self-Regulated Learning, Motivation Support, and Resource Access. Overall, CTYI received the highest mean scores across all categories and students favored in-person learning to online learning. Results highlighted a significant difference in scores between students in junior cycle of secondary school and senior cycle. Senior cycle students consistently reported less positive perceptions of their online learning than did junior cycle students. Using cluster analysis, patterns of online learning responses were identified. Despite differences in group comparisons, both senior and junior cycle students were found in clusters with positive attitudes and in clusters with negative attitudes. The findings have implications for future research, which should explore motivational and support changes that may be occurring in the transition from junior to senior cycle, as well as differences in self-regulation abilities.