**3.2 Research approach**

The design of the survey instrument for this study was based upon an extrapolation of several concepts from the literature review including learning disruption, student resources, assessment effectiveness, and educational outcomes. To ensure comparability, the instrument was structured into multiple sections which included the following core elements:


Where three of the prompts offered write-in responses relating to student experiences during digital learning, the open-ended feedback was aggregated and compared for similar themes. The survey was designed to be administered to students remotely via a dedicated SurveyMonkey link that was standardised and pasted into e-mail communications. The procedure involved identifying a possible sample population, distributing a targeted query letter to students, capturing evidence, and normalising and analysing the findings. The extensive data was analysed categorically to match the research objectives in technological advancement, challenges, and future projections and recommendations,
