Preschool Parents’ Views of Distance Learning during COVID-19

Abstract

Research findings:While research is beginning to emerge about the educational landscape during COVID-19, little attention has been paid to preschool. This mainly descriptive study examined U.S. parents' views on distance learning for their preschool children during the COVID-19 crisis. Using a survey distributed via social media groups to U.S. parents of preschoolers (N = 166), we examined the following: the types of activities parents engaged in, obstacles to preschool distance learning, and the types of resources parents needed. Results of the online survey indicated that parents received and engaged in more literacy based activities than mathematics ones. Additionally, parents reported few opportunities for social emotional engagement. Responding parents indicated that time was a major factor in assisting their children with distance learning and would prefer activities that did not take significant time, and allowed for social interaction with other children. Policy orPractice: Current research (e.g. Barnett & Jung, 2021) indicates that preschool children missed critical learning during the COVID-19 crisis. Children who enter kindergarten following the COVID-19 crisis, may need additional support in mathematics and social emotional engagement given that parents are reporting lower levels of such activities during distance learning. And, if distance learning continues or reoccurs, mathematics and social opportunities as well as teacher training need more consideration.

The Effects of COVID-19 on Young Children’s and Their Parents’ Activities at Home

“…One, most children were not able to complete the learning tasks independently. This finding was consistent with Stites et al (2021). Two, although many parents were dissatisfied with distance learning, not surprisingly, those without access to online learning were more dissatisfied.…”

“…Only Dore et al (this issue) addressed the short-term impact of an intervention. As many have noted, an important limitation of virtual instruction for young children is the lack of a context the fosters children's social/emotional development (Hirsch-Pasek et al, 2020;Stites et al, 2021). Future research should document children's academic and social/emotional development as they return to and progress through school.…”

“…The first three studies in this special section document the home learning activities, particularly literacy, that children from the United States and Spain participated in during COVID-19. The paper by Stites, Sonnenschein, and Galczyk (2021) addresses what activities preschool teachers in the U.S. assign to children for distance learning and parents' views of these activities. One hundred sixty-six parents of preschoolers in the U.S. responded to questions presented with a Qualtrics online survey.…”

U.S. Parents’ Reports of Assisting Their Children with Distance Learning during COVID-19

“…Studies investigating aspects of the home learning environment during COVID-19 have focused primarily on children in preschool and the first few years of school [3][4][5][6]. However, the demands and expectations of schooling change as children age.…”

“…Therefore, it is critical to expand the focus from the early years of school through twelfth grade. Additionally, it is important to learn which, if any, distance learning activities are associated with stress for parents [6,7]. Such information will be helpful and important as in-person school resumes.…”