Wave II: April 10 – April 12, 2020

Learner Pulse Report

Global

2PEARSON GLOBAL LEARNER PULSE REPORT

Among the headlines:

Peoplearemoreunitedthaneverinthebelievethatofficeandschoolclosureweretherightthingtodo.

However,amonthintothelockdown,realityhaskickedinandtheshineiswearingoffaslearningandworkingfromhome-especiallywhentheyarehappeningunderthesameroof.

Peopleareespeciallyconcernedabouttheschoolexperienceforyoungpeopleandareworriedthatchildrenaregoingtofallbehind.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused the largest single upheaval of work and education in modern history. It’s important that we all hear the voices of learners and workers during this unprecedented time. That’s why Pearson, as the world’s learning company, has been surveying people in the US and UK to find out how they are coping and adapting to this new reality.

Thefirstwaveofthesurveytookplaceinmid-March,justafterWHOannouncedtheglobalpandemic,butbeforemassiveglobalclosuresandlockdownsandwillberepeatedmonthly.Thesecondwaveofresearchtookplace April10–12,2020.Thisreporthasfoundsomekeydifferencesinopinionsasthepandemichasprogressed.

Detailed Findings3PEARSON GLOBAL LEARNER PULSE REPORT

1 There is nearly unanimous agreement that school and workplace closures are warranted.

• Agreementaboutthenecessityofworkplace closuresishigherthanitwasinearlyMarchinboththeUSandUKwith88%intheUSand92%intheUKagreeingtoday,versus79%USand77%UKwhoagreedinearlyMarch.

• Closelymirroringthissentimentaboutworkplaceclosures,mostdothinkschool closuresaretherightresponseandthissentimentisevenstrongernowwith90%intheUSand92%intheUKagreeingversusinearlyMarchwhen82%intheUSand74% intheUKagreed.

2 Going online is a viable crisis response.

• 9-out-of10peopleinbothcountriesagreethatonlinelearning isaneffectivealternativeincrisissituationslikethese (88%US,88%UK).

• About3-in-4parentsinboththeUSandUKalsoagreethatlearningonlineathomehasbeenapositiveexperience fortheirchild.

• Eight-in-tenareconfidentthattheirkidscancontinuetheirlearningonlinewithsomesupportfromtheschoolsystem,atrendthatisconsistentsinceMarch(85%USpresent,81%USMarch,80%UKpresent,79%UKMarch).

• About8-in-10ofthosewhoareemployedintheUSfeeltheircompaniesarewell-equippedtoshareup-to-dateaccurateinformationabouthowbesttoapproachworkandtravelduringtheoutbreak.IntheUK,employeesareseeingbetterresponsesfromtheiremployerswith77%whonowsaytheiremployersarewell-equippedversusjust72%inearlyMarch.

3 Thenoveltyofworkingremotemayhavewornoffsince early March.

• Peoplehadmoreconfidenceinworkingremotelywhenitwasn’treality.InMarch,only30%intheUSand36%intheUKsaidthattheythoughtthatpeopleweremoreeffectiveworkingfromtheofficeversusbeingathome.InApril,thisnumberjumpedto38%and42%respectively.

• SatisfactioninremoteworkingisdownfromMarch.Only82%ofthoseintheUSarecurrentlysatisfiedwithworkingremotelyversus93%inearlyMarch.IntheUK,81%arecurrentlysatisfiedversus90%inearlyMarch.

• Outlookonremoteworkingafterthiscrisisisoveralsodown.65%intheUSarelikelytocontinueworkingremotelyevenaftertheoutbreaksubsidesvs.76%inearlyMarch.IntheUK,65%arelikelytocontinueworkingremotelyversus78%inearlyMarch.

4PEARSON GLOBAL LEARNER PULSE REPORT

4 In the education environment, there are concerns about moving to digital, stemming from the need for teacher training and concerns around students not fully mastering their subjects.

• Justabout2-in-3saythatstudentswhohavehadtofinishtheremainderoftheireducationonlineorvirtuallyduetotheCoronavirus(COVID-19)won’thaveretainedasmuchinformation–valuesthathaveincreasedsinceMarch.

IntheUS,thesenumberswentupfrom58% inMarchto65%atpresent

IntheUK,thesenumberswentupfrom62% inMarchto66%atpresent

• Peoplearesplitonwhetherlearningathomecanbeaseffectiveasabrick-and-mortarsetting.58%intheUSand59%intheUKbelievethatitcanbejustaseffectivewiththerighttoolsanddiscipline.

• MostintheUSandtheUKbelievethateducatorsneedmoretrainingtoeffectivelyteachonline(87%intheUS,88%intheUK).

5 As schools close, parents of school-age children are grappling with a lot of emotions—like a sense ofconfidencethatlearningcancontinueonlinethatsits alongside a lingering worry that their kids may fall behind.

• Morethantwo-thirdsareconcernedtheirchildrenmayfallbehindduetoschoolclosures,valuesthatarehighernowthaninMarch(69%USpresentvs.64%USMarch,75%UKpresentvs. 66%UKMarch).

• ThoseintheUKarebecomingmoreconcernedabouttheirchildrenmissingcriticalexamsorteststhatarenecessaryforcollege/universityadmissionoracademicprogress(63%USpresent,64%USMarch,69%UKpresent,60%UKMarch).

• ThoseintheUKarealsostartingtofeelthechallengesofchildrenathomemoresothantheyhadinMarch.Previously60%intheUKagreed,andnow68%agree.USisconsistentaround60%.

6 There is pessimism around schools opening up on time this fall, and around the accessibility of technology.

• Morethan2-in-3intheUSandUKareconcernedoverthedelayorpossibleinterruptionoftheschoolyearinthefall.

• 9-in-10saythatnoteveryonehasaccesstotechnologythattheyneedtolearneffectivelyonline.Thissentimentisevenstronger intheUS,where57%stronglyagreeversusjust46%of thoseintheUK.

7 People are more likely to believe that online learning is here to stay than they thought a month ago.

• Peoplebelievethatlearningonlinewillbecomemorecommonplaceinthefuture(88%US,86%UK).

• 78%intheUSand80%intheUKsaythatstudentswhohavebeenabletoattendclassesandcompleteassignmentsonlinewillcontinuetodosoaftertheoutbreak–valuesthathavejumpedsinceMarchwhen~70%inboththeUSandtheUKagreed.

Detailed Data (April and March 2020)5PEARSON GLOBAL LEARNER PULSE REPORT

Q9. Which statement comes closest to your view?US

(April)UK

(April)US

(March)UK

(March)

Base:TotalRespondents 1012 1010 1010 1010

Ithinkthatpeoplearegenerallymoreeffectiveworkingfromtheofficeversusbeingathome. 38% 42% 30% 36%

Ibelievethatwiththerighttoolsanddiscipline,workingfromhomecanbejustaseffectiveasworkingfromtheoffice. 62% 58% 70% 64%

Q15. How likely are you to continue working remotely even after the outbreak subsides?US

(April)UK

(April)US

(March)UK

(March)

Base:Workingremotely 505 514 467 450

%Agree(Strongly+Somewhat) 65% 65% 76% 78%

Q15A. How satisfied have you been with your experience working remotely?US

(April)UK

(April)US

(March)UK

(March)

Base:Workingremotely 505 514 467 450

%Satisfied(Very+Somewhat) 82% 81% 93% 90%

6PEARSON GLOBAL LEARNER PULSE REPORT

W16D_1-4. To what extent do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements? % Agree (Strongly + Somewhat)

US (April)

UK (April)

US (March)

UK (March)

Base:TotalRespondents 1012 1010 1010 1010

Remoteworkingisjustasgoodasworkinginanoffice. 65% 65% 81% 72%

Thissituationwillmakeremoteworkmorecommonplaceinthefuture. 86% 85% 87% 85%

TheclosureofworkplacesistherightresponsetotheCoronavirus(COVID-19). 88% 92% 79% 77%

[AMONGTHOSEEMPLOYED]Mycompanyiswell-equippedtoshareup-to-date,accurateinformationabouthowbesttoapproachworkandtravel

duringthisoutbreak79% 77% 80% 72%

Q21. Which statement comes closest to your view?US

(April)UK

(April)US

(March)UK

(March)

Base:TotalRespondents 1012 1010 1010 1010

Ithinkthatlearningforstudentsisgenerallymoreeffectiveinabrick-and-mortar(inperson)setting. 42% 41% 41% 49%

Ibelieve,withtherighttoolsanddiscipline,learningfromhome/onlinecanbejustaseffectiveasinaphysicalbuilding. 58% 59% 59% 51%

Q22A-Q22BB. Thinking about the start of the school year in 2020, how concerned are you that…% Concerned (Very + Somewhat)

US (April)

UK (April)

US (March)

UK (March)

Base:TotalRespondents 1012 1010 1010 1010

TheCoronavirus(COVID-19)willaffectordelaythenewschoolyearforelementaryorprimary,orsecondary/highschoolstudents 77% 74% 60% 54%

Elementary,primary,orsecondary/highschoolstudentswillreturntoschoolontime,buthavetheirschoolyearinterruptedagain

duetoanotheroutbreak76% 73%

7PEARSON GLOBAL LEARNER PULSE REPORT

TheCoronavirus(COVID-19)willaffectordelaythenewschoolyearforuniversitystudents 71% 69% 58% 50%

Universitystudentswillreturntoschoolontime,buthavetheirschoolyearinterruptedagainduetoanotheroutbreak 70% 67%

Q23_1-8. Thinking about the current state of education and Coronavirus (COVID-19), to what extent do you agree or disagree with the following? % Agree (Strongly + Somewhat)

US (April)

UK (April)

US (March)

UK (March)

Base:TotalRespondents 1012 1010 1010 1010

StudentswhohavehadtofinishtheremainderoftheireducationonlineorvirtuallyduetotheCoronavirus(COVID-19)won’thaveretained

asmuchinformation.65% 66% 58% 62%

TheclosureofuniversitiesandschoolsistherightresponsetoCoronavirus(COVID-19). 90% 92% 82% 74%

StudentswhohavebeenabletoattendclassesandcompleteassignmentsonlinebecauseoftheCoronavirus(COVID-19)willcontinue

todosoaftertheoutbreak.78% 80% 70% 71%

Educatorsneedmoretrainingtoeffectivelyteachonline. 87% 88%

OnlinelearningisaneffectivelearningalternativeduringcrisissituationsliketheCoronavirus(COVID-19). 88% 88% 87% 85%

Ibelievethatthissituationwillmakeonlinelearningmorecommonplaceinthefuture. 88% 86% 82% 76%

Ibelievethatschoolsshoulddomoretoteachdigitalskills,likevirtualcollaborationandvirtualcommunication,thatwillprepareyoungpeoplefor

atechnologydrivenworld.88% 88%

Theuseoftechnologyinschoolwillmakestudentsmorepreparedforfuturejob(s)liketeleworkingorvirtualcollaboration. 90% 89%

8PEARSON GLOBAL LEARNER PULSE REPORT

Q23_1-8. Thinking about the current state of education and Coronavirus (COVID-19), to what extent do you agree or disagree with the following? % Agree (Strongly + Somewhat)

US (April)

UK (April)

US (March)

UK (March)

Base:Parents 348 371 323 359

Iamconcernedmychildrenmayfallbehindduetoschoolclosures. 69% 75% 64% 66%

DuringtheCoronavirus(COVID-19)schoolclosures,Ihaveadequateresourcestokeepmychildrenathome. 81% 81% 87% 74%

I’mconfidentthatmykidscancontinuetheirlearningonlinewithsomesupportfromtheschoolsystem. 85% 80% 81% 79%

I’mconcernedaboutmychildrenmissingcriticalexamsorteststhatarenecessaryforcollege/universityadmissionoracademicprogress. 63% 69% 64% 60%

Havingmychildrenhomefromschoolhasposedasignificantchallengetomeormyfamily. 61% 68% 62% 60%

Theuseoftechnologyforlearningwillmakemychildmorepreparedforthedemandsoftheirfuturejob,liketeleworkingorvirtualcollaboration. 85% 84%

Learningonlineathomehasbeenapositiveexperienceformychild. 74% 72%

Iwouldconsiderfull-timeonlineschoolingformychildafterthis. 57% 46%

Methodology:InpartnershipwithDynata,wefieldedanonlineflash-pollamong1012USand1010UKadults.ThestudywasinfieldfromtheeveningofFriday,April10,throughtheafternoonofSunday,April12,2020.ThesurveywasdeployedtoensurecensusrepresentationinboththeUSandUK,andquotasweresettoensurethatallkeydemographicbucketswerealsowithin+/-2percentagepointsofthedistributionfromthe2019GlobalLearnerSurvey.