Parents’ Lived Experiences of Virtual Education Consequences in First-Grade Elementary Students in COVID-19 Era: A Qualitative Study

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Educational Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz Branch, Tabriz, Iran

2 Department of Educational Sciences, Tabriz University, Tabriz, Iran

Abstract

Background: Virtual education has become essential during the COVID-19 pandemic, covering all subjects and educational levels. It is still widely used in cases where face-to-face education is not possible. This study aimed to investigate the parents’ lived experiences of virtual educations’ consequences on first-grade elementary students.
Methods: This study is based on a qualitative approach and a descriptive phenomenology method to examine the lived experiences of parents during the 2021-2022 academic year. The lived experiences of 14 parents of first-grade students in Urmia City, Iran, have been investigated using one focus group interview and 15 individual semi-structured interviews. The selection of the participants was made using purposeful sampling methods of intensity cases and snowball. The research data's reliability was assessed according to Lincoln and Guba's criteria, with review methods conducted by 10 participating individuals and four non-participating experts. The data analysis was done based on Colaizzi’s strategy.
Results: Upon conducting the data analysis, 56 codes with two main concepts concerning the consequences of virtual education and seven main themes were found. The educational concepts were included (Teacher: 9 codes, classroom: 13 codes, educational evaluation: 5 codes, and supplementary activities: 6 codes), and contextual concepts included (Individual: 9 codes, Family: 9 codes, and Social: 5 codes).
Conclusion: Considering the implications of virtual education during the COVID-19 pandemic underscores the emerging challenges that educational institutions are confronting. This emphasizes the critical need for well-designed programs that address the resultant consequences and challenges effectively.

Highlights

Masome Keyvani (Google Scholar)

Behnam Talebi (Google Scholar)

Keywords

References

  1. Hekmati, N. A Qualitative Study on Teaching Visual Texts by Using Reciprocal Teaching Approach in a Virtual General English Course During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Interdiscip J Virtual Learn Med Sci, 2022;13(1):15-22. doi: 10.30476/ijvlms.2022.91127.1094.
  2. Garg, R., Singh, A. Were the Online Training Courses Imparted to Consultants in the COVID Era Really Effective? Interdiscip J Virtual Learn Med Sci, 2022; 13(1): 66-67. doi: 10.30476/ijvlms.2022.94510.1136.
  3. Christakis DA, Van Cleve W, Zimmerman FJ. Estimation of US Children's Educational Attainment and Years of Life Lost Associated with Primary School Closures During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic. JAMA Netw Open. 2020;3(11): e2028786. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.28786. PubMed PMID: 33180132; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7662136.
  4. Bergdahl N. Engagement and disengagement in online learning. Comput Educ. 2022;1(188):104561. doi: 10.1016/j.compedu.2022.104561.
  5. Yumeng Z, Hongfeng Z, Johnny F.I. L. Cultural Diversity Influences Students’ Online Learning Engagement with Online Technologies—A Narrative Analysis. Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Education and Training Technologies. 2022 April 16-18; Macau, China. New York: Association for Computing Machinery; 2022. doi: 10.1145/3535756.3535758.
  6. Mirzaei E, Alinejad M, Daneshmand B. Explaining Faculty Members’ Perceptions of Virtual Learning Based on Various Types of Educational Interactions During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Outbreak: A Qualitative Content Analysis. SDME. 2022;19(1):31-43. doi: 10.22062/sdme.2021.196681.1083.
  7. Nosratabadi M, Masoudiyekta L, Majidipour N, Sarabi N. The Effect of Virtual Education on Fear Caused by COVID-19 Pandemic in Pregnant Women: A Quasi-Experimental Study. Journal of Midwifery and Reproductive Health. 2022;10(2):3248-57. doi: 10.22038/jmrh.2022.62694.1784.
  8. Najafi H. Comparing of the effect of Blended and Traditional Teaching on Learning. Research in Medical Education. 2019;11(2):54-63. [in Persian]. doi: 10.29252/rme.11.2.54.
  9. Sadeghzadeh N, Rahimi S, Ahmadzadeh J, Parizad N. Satisfaction Rate with Virtual Education Programs during COVID-19 Pandemic and Its Relationship with Their Academic Performance among Nursing Students. Journal of Health and Care. 2022;24(1):40-51. [in Persian], doi: 10.52547/jhc.24.1.40.
  10. Zamani, F., Talebi, B. Comparing Students’ Academic Engagement Based on How Much They Use Social Networks in Learning English. Interdiscip J Virtual Learn Med Sci, 2018; 9(2): e65552. doi: 10.5812/ijvlms.65552.
  11. Panakaje N, Rahiman HU, Rabbani MR, Kulal A, Pandavarakallu MT, Irfana S. COVID-19 and its impact on educational environment in India. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2022;29(19):27788-27804. doi:10.1007/s11356-021-15306-2. PubMed PMID: 34981385; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8723802.
  12. Haelermans C, Korthals R, Jacobs M, and colleagues Sharp increase in inequality in education in times of the COVID-19-pandemic. PLOS One. 2022;17(2): e0261114. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0261114. PubMed PMID: 35108273; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8809564.
  13. Hoffman JA, Miller EA. Addressing the Consequences of School Closure Due to COVID-19 on Children's Physical and Mental Well-Being. World Med Health Policy. 2020;12(3):300-310. doi:10.1002/wmh3.365. PubMed PMID: 32904951; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7461306.
  14. Van Lancker W, Parolin Z. COVID-19, School Closures, and Child Poverty: A Social Crisis in the Making. Lancet Public Health. 2020;5(5):e243-e244. doi:10.1016/S2468-2667(20)30084-0. PubMed PMID: 32275858; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7141480.
  15. Armitage R, Nellums LB. Considering inequalities in the school closure response to COVID-19. Lancet Glob Health. 2020;8(5): e644. doi:10.1016/S2214-109X(20)30116-9. PubMed PMID: 32222161; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7195275.
  16. Sarkar B, Islam N, Das P, Abdul M, Manoj Da, Manoj De, Ranjan R. Digital learning and the lopsidedness of the education in government and private primary schools during the COVID-19 pandemic in West Bengal, India. E-Learning and Digital Media. 2022; 20(5). doi:10.1177/20427530221117327.
  17. Lappalainen P, Lappalainen R, Keinonen K, Kaipainen K, Puolakanaho A, Muotka J, Kiuru N. In the shadow of COVID-19: A randomized controlled online ACT trial promoting adolescent psychological flexibility and self-compassion. J Contextual Behav Sci. 2023; 27:34-44. doi: 10.1016/j.jcbs.2022.12.001. PubMed PMID: 36514308; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9731646.
  18. Iosif L, Țâncu AMC, Didilescu AC, Imre M, Pițuru SM, Ionescu E, Jinga V. Perceptions and Expectations of Academic Staff in Bucharest towards the COVID-19 Pandemic Impact on Dental Education. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023;20(3):1782. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20031782. PubMed PMID: 36767150; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9914722.
  19. Marchant E, Todd C, James M, Crick T, Dwyer R, Brophy S. Primary school staff perspectives of school closures due to COVID-19, experiences of schools reopening and recommendations for the future: A qualitative survey in Wales. PLOS One. 2021;16(12):e0260396. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0260396. PubMed PMID: 34855789; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8639092.
  20. Ashta JK, Weingart R, Gazmararian JA. The Impact of COVID-19 on Education Experiences of High School Students in Semi-Rural Georgia. J Sch Health. 2023;93(4):257-265. doi: 10.1111/josh.13269. PubMed PMID: 36414540; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC10006293.
  21. Bonal, Xavier, and Sheila González. The Impact of Lockdown on the Learning Gap: Family and School Divisions in Times of Crisis. Int Rev Educ. 2020;66(5-6):635-655. doi: 10.1007/s11159-020-09860-z. PubMed PMID: 32952208; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7490481.
  22. Oostdam R, van Diepen M, Zijlstra B, Fukkink R. Effects of the COVID-19 school lockdowns on language and math performance of students in elementary schools: implications for educational practice and reducing inequality. European Journal of Psychology of Education. 2023; 39:129–149. doi: 10.1007/s10212-023-00679-4.
  23. Wright S, Park YS, Saadé A. Insights from a Catholic school’s transition to distance learning during COVID-19. Open Learning: The Journal of Open, Distance and e-Learning. 2024;39(1):37-51. doi: 10.1080/02680513.2022.2152667.
  24. Pashayee, J., Talebi, B., Daneshvar, Z. School Human Resource Development's Policymaking Model: A Grounded Theory Study. School Administration. 2021;9(4):148-161. doi: 10.34785/J010.2021.002.
  25. Casimir OA, Blake SC, Klosky JV, Gazmararian JA. Adaptations to the Learning Environment for Elementary School Children in Georgia during the COVID-19 Pandemic. J Child Fam Stud. 2023;32:1585–1598. doi: 10.1007/s10826-022-02531-7. PubMed PMID: 36714375; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9872751.
  26. Al Lily AE, Ismail AF, Abunasser FM, Alhajhoj Alqahtani RH. Distance education as a response to pandemics: Coronavirus and Arab culture. Technol Soc. 2020;63:101317. doi: 10.1016/j.techsoc.2020.101317. PubMed PMID: 32836570; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7387275.
  27. Fisher HH, Hawkins GT, Hertz M, Sliwa S, Beresovsky V. Student and School Characteristics Associated With COVID-19-Related Learning Decline Among Middle and High School Students in K-12 Schools. J Sch Health. 2022;92(11):1027-1039. doi: 10.1111/josh.13243. PubMed PMID: 35989509; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9538687.
  28. Fattahiyan M, Okati-Aliabad H, Seraji M. Psychopathology in Virtual Education for Primary School Students in the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Analysis. J Educ Health Promot. 2022;11:289. doi: 10.4103/jehp.jehp_1537_21. PubMed PMID: 36439005; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9683463.
  29. Sadeghi M, Niazazari K, Taghvaie Yazdi M. The Impact of Virtual Approach Substructures on Competency-Based Education towards Fourth Generation Universities. Educational Development of Judishapur. 2019;10(4):363-375. [In Persian] doi: 10.22118/edc.2019.99757.
  30. Beauregard PL, Connolly M, Haeck C, Molnár TL. Primary School Reopenings and Parental Work. Can J Econ. 2022;55(Suppl 1):248-281. doi:10.1111/caje.12566. PubMed PMID: 38607861; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9111663.
  31. Schweingruber, H., Dibner, K., Bond, E. C., eds. Reopening K-12 Schools During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Prioritizing Health, Equity, and Communities. Washington, DC: National Academies Press (US); 2020. doi:10.17226/25858. PubMed PMID: 33231959.
  32. Neil-Sztramko SE, Caldwell H, Dobbins M. School-based physical activity programs for promoting physical activity and fitness in children and adolescents aged 6 to 18. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2021;23;9(9):CD007651. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD007651.pub3. PubMed PMID: 34555181; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8459921.
  33. Zamani F, Talebi B. Explaining the effects of language learners' use of virtual social networks on their academic engagement with PLS approach. Technology of Education Journal (TEJ) 2021;16(1):49-58. [in Persian]. doi: 10.22061/tej.2021.6136.2339.
  34. Tosto SA, Alyahya J, Espinoza V, McCarthy K, Tcherni-Buzzeo M. Online learning in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic: Mixed methods analysis of student views by demographic group. Soc Sci Humanit Open. 2023;8(1):100598. doi: 10.1016/j.ssaho.2023.100598. PubMed PMID: 37366390; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC10284669.
Interdiscip J Virtual Learn Med Sci
Volume 15, Issue 3 - Serial Number 58
September 2024
Pages 289-299

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics