Students’ Perceptions of Distance Learning During COVID-19—Investigating Predictors Among Learning Behavior, Family Background and Demographic Characteristics

COVID-19-related school closures substantially disrupted students’ daily lives. While prior research has predominantly relied on externally assessed achievement data and proxy indicators of well-being, less is known about students’ own perceptions of their experiences during distance learning. This study addresses this gap, using a qualitatively informed quantitative analysis. First, open-ended responses from N = 698 students from German and Swiss schools were analyzed to identify perceived positive and negative aspects of distance learning, thereby providing experience-based indicators of how the pandemic affected students’ well-being. Quantitative content analysis revealed that students most frequently mentioned advantages such as being at home and experiencing greater independence, while common disadvantages included a lack of social contact and insufficient learning support. Second, random forest models were applied to identify individual, contextual, and background-related predictors of these perceptions. Students with stronger self-regulation skills, lower levels of procrastination, and better-equipped home learning environments were more likely to emphasize positive experiences. Conversely, younger students and those with weaker self-regulation and fewer home learning resources more frequently reported negative experiences. The findings reveal substantial variability in students’ perceptions of distance learning, shaped by learner-related, contextual, and broader background factors. They underscore the importance of fostering self-regulation and ensuring equitable access to learning resources to better prepare schools for future crises.