Students engagement in a forced distance learning: the relation to personality characteristics

In response to the challenges posed by the global COVID-19 pandemic, educational institutions have grappled with effectively engaging secondary school students through distance learning platforms. This study, conducted during a lockdown necessitated by the third wave of the coronavirus in Israel, aimed to explore the interplay between online engagement, personality traits, loneliness, and the use of Zoom as a learning tool. The research involved 235 students participating in an online survey with closed-ended questions analyzed statistically, and an open-ended question assessed by three independent reviewers. The findings reveal a positive correlation between higher levels of agreeableness, openness to experience, conscientiousness, and increased engagement in online learning. Additionally, active participation in Zoom and a positive perception of the platform are predictors of heightened engagement. Conversely, students experiencing elevated levels of loneliness, neuroticism, and extraversion tend to have a less positive experience with distance learning. These insights provide valuable guidance for educators, enabling them to tailor teaching approaches to the evolving learning environment. Armed with this knowledge, educators can enhance student engagement, whether during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic or in more typical educational settings.