Assessing Student Engagement Pre-, During and Post- COVID-19

This study examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on student satisfaction, perceived knowledge usefulness and mentorship ratings in a project-based learning digital competence course over six academic years, divided into pre-COVID, during-COVID and post-COVID periods. Adopting a mixed methods approach, survey data from 201 students were analysed through quantitative Likert-scale responses and a qualitative thematic analysis of open-ended feedback. The results indicate that student satisfaction peaked during COVID-19 and declined post-pandemic, while knowledge usefulness ratings remained consistently high and mentorship ratings remained stable. A positive correlation was found between satisfaction and the perceived usefulness of knowledge. Thematic analysis identified themes such as support and guidance, knowledge and skill acquisition, and course structure feedback. These findings emphasise the importance of continuous teacher support and effective mentorship in sustaining student satisfaction and engagement, and highlight the necessity of ongoing investment in digital literacy professional development for educators to ensure equitable post-pandemic learning experiences.