COVID-19 and Schools

Data Analysis Reveals Increased K-12 Digital Engagement

• By Matt Jones
• 03/30/21

A news release from CatchOn, a data analytics and application monitoring solution used by K-12 schools, reveals that digital engagement among students has increased during the pandemic. A comprehensive data analysis suggests that even if districts saw a sharp dip during the beginning of remote learning, the level of engagement has since spiked above normal, pre-pandemic standards.

The Student Level Data Engagement Analysis report comes from app usage and device data from 47 school districts collected between January 2020 and January 2021. Before the pandemic, student users saw an average of 18 unique digital engagements per day. By fall 2020, this number had increased to an average of 35 per day. Likewise, on weeknights and weekends, the average number of digital engagements increased during fall 2020 as compared to the previous winter.

“What this data shows us is that despite the many obstacles and challenges thrown at our school districts this past year, educators and staff worked together to leverage the power of technology and keep students engaged and learning,” said CatchOn Manager of Strategic Relationships and Initiatives, Monica Cougan. “At a time when so much is being reported on the detrimental impact this pandemic has had on learning, and while it certainly has, this data paints a picture of hope and demonstrates the tenacity, commitment, and innovation of our educators, parents, and students in their pursuit of excellence.”

The aggregate data is intended to provide a wide-lens view of digital learning patterns—what apps students are using, when they’re using them, and how frequently.

“As education enters a new, truly digital era, having insight into application usage and engagement data at the student level is going to become increasingly important to promoting student achievement and ensuring fiscal accountability,” said Cougan.