From Lockdown to Learning: Understanding Motivation Shifts in High School Students Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic induced profound disruptions to the educational landscape, significantly impacting high school students' motivation to learn. This thesis explores how these disruptions affected students' intrinsic and extrinsic motivations through the lenses of three motivational theories: Self-Determination Theory, Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, and Expectancy-Value Theory. By examining changes in the learning environment, social connections, and mental health before, during, and after the pandemic, this study identifies key factors that shaped changes in students' academic engagement. The shift to online learning during the pandemic, combined with social isolation and increased mental health challenges, diminished students' intrinsic motivation and weakened their sense of competence and relatedness. Post-lockdown, students faced ongoing challenges in re-establishing social connections and emotional well-being, further hindering their motivation. The findings suggest that rebuilding student motivation requires an intentional focus on fostering belonging, purpose, and resilience, particularly in response to the lasting effects of the pandemic. This thesis highlights the importance of prioritizing mental health, teacher-student relationships, and student-centered learning environments in educational recovery efforts.