Parents’ perspectives on their children’s and their own distance learning experiences during Covid-19 lockdown
Abstract: The Covid-19 pandemic has dramatically changed teaching and learning practices. Quarantines and social distancing regulations have encouraged the implementation of distance learning using various information technologies. Over the past year, most studies have focused on the experiences of teachers and students. This exploratory and descriptive study focuses on the experience of parents who have become learning mediators, especially for younger children. It examines parents’ perspectives on their children’s learning experiences, their own challenges, and their perceptions of the best practices for distance learning. Participants were 249 parents of primary school children who responded to an online questionnaire. The parents perceived distance learning to be important, as their children could keep their daily routine, maintain their social connections, and continue their education; however, it failed to address their children’s emotional needs. Parents also reported having technical problems and experiencing tension within the family because of distance learning. We discuss the findings and offer suggestions for promoting distance learning.
Presider: Melissa Scotch, Walden University