Learning loss during Covid-19: An early systematic review

Area of Science:

• Education
• Public Health
• Economics

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic caused unprecedented disruption to global education systems.
• Concerns have arisen regarding the impact on student learning progress and potential learning loss.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and consolidate evidence on student learning loss between March 2020 and March 2021.
• To document findings reported in the existing literature regarding the educational impact of the pandemic.

Main Methods:

• A systematic review methodology was employed.
• Analysis focused on eight studies documenting learning loss evidence from March 2020 to March 2021.

Main Results:

• Seven out of eight studies found evidence of student learning loss.
• One study noted learning gains in a specific subgroup, while another found overall learning gains.
• Four studies indicated increased educational inequality, with certain demographics disproportionately affected.

Conclusions:

• The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrably impacted student learning, with learning loss being a prevalent outcome.
• Significant increases in educational inequality were observed, necessitating targeted interventions.
• Further research is crucial to expand the scope, geographical representation, and sample sizes of studies on pandemic-related learning loss.