Using smartphones to disseminate home learning support to primary caregivers: An exploratory proof‐of‐concept study

Abstract

During the Covid‐19 pandemic, kindergartens in Hong Kong have sought ways in which to support children's learning at home while schools were closed. We report on a proof‐of‐concept study: short videos intended to support playful learning at home were distributed to parents/caregivers of preschool children via a smartphone app; toys and a storybook were provided to their children. No significant changes were observed in the importance attached to literacy and numeracy by parents/caregivers over time, perhaps because parents/caregivers place high value on children's academic progress in Hong Kong. However, significant increases in mean scores were observed for the intervention group but not the control group with regard to reported frequency of playing counting games and discussing/participating in weighing or measuring activities. Readily accessible opportunities to recognize learning in playful activities may have contributed to changed practices at homes. Highlights Reports the extent of the impact of short videos distributed via a smartphone app on parents'/caregivers' HLE practices during Covid‐19 kindergarten closures. Survey data reveal parent/caregiver practice unchanged by 4x weekly videos. However, practices increased across waves in the intervention group. Smartphone dissemination of HLE demonstration videos holds promise as a strategy, but threshold conditions require further research.