The broken link: Learning habitus of rural students in county key high schools during COVID-19 related school closure in China

School closures and remoted learning during the COVID-19 pandemic have negatively affected students worldwide, particularly those from disadvantaged families. This study examines the experiences of remote learning in county key high schools in China, which link selected rural students with urban educational resources and future social mobility. Our qualitative data suggest that during the school closure, the cultivation of a learning habitus of hardworking sprits and aspiration of upward mobility at school was disrupted, despite the devoted efforts of teachers and staff, and the students largely felt lost in their home environment in rural villages. Only a few of the students were pulled back to the school learning habitus by committed teachers, educated family members, or self-disciplining, combating the adverse impacts of COVID-19 related school closures. Implications for habitus change, remote learning, county key high schools, and educational development in rural China are also discussed.