COVID-19 and online education: Digital inequality and other dilemmas of rural students in accessing online education during the pandemic

It is widely assumed among academicians that the COVID-19 pandemic has negative implications for the education of school students. However, institutions tried to balance that limitation by using online education, and there exist some inequalities among students. Most of the studies conducted during COVID-19 on online education focused on urban school students and their access to online education. In particular, rural school students and their online education remain an open question. Twenty in-depth interviews with rural student respondents determine the fundamental problems and challenge the rural school students’ face in online education during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. The study identifies six major problems of rural students: inadequate technology, unacquainted academic atmosphere, digital disconnect, physical well-being, the distractions inherent with the medium, and digital illiteracy. The identified constraints draw inferences to a critical concept in online learning that is digital inequality. Digital inequality refers to the disparity in the access, distribution of technology, information because of various socio-economic and cultural factors. The study also discusses the suggestions of rural students regarding the betterment of online education. The recommendations from the rural students include providing appropriate technological infrastructure, facilitating technical assistance and providing a convenient academic atmosphere. The suggestions are pointing towards the idea of digital inclusion that is vital in online education. Digital inclusion is defined as the ability of individuals or groups of people to access and use information and communication technologies. It is not only about access in a broader sense the opportunities of using innovative hardware and software technology, content and services, getting proper digital literacy pieces of training and the effective use of these services. The findings of the study will help to bridge the disparities in online education. These findings will help the academic community to identify the needs of rural children. It will help build infrastructure for online learning and give extensive support to the school children of rural communities. These findings are also vital for the communication scholars as the disparity in the distribution of information and knowledge is a prime concern for them.

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COVID-19 School Closure-Related Changes to the Professional Life of a K–12 Teacher

Education Sciences ◽

10.3390/educsci10060165 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (6) ◽

pp. 165 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Ute Kaden

Keyword(s):

Online Learning ◽

Online Education ◽

Single Case ◽

School Teacher ◽

Well Being ◽

School Closure ◽

Professional Life ◽

Case Study Methodology ◽

K 12

The COVID-19 pandemic forced K–12 school closures in spring 2020 to protect the well-being of society. The unplanned and unprecedented disruption to education changed the work of many teachers suddenly, and in many aspects. This case study examines the COVID-19 school closure-related changes to the professional life of a secondary school teacher in rural Alaska (United States), who had to teach his students online. A descriptive and explanatory single case study methodology was used to describe subsequent impacts on instructional practices and workload. Qualitative and quantitative data sources include participant observations, semi-structured interviews, artifacts (e.g., lesson plans, schedules, online time), and open-ended conversations. The results of this study demonstrate an increase and change in workload for the teacher and that online education can support learning for many students but needs to be carefully designed and individualized to not deepen inequality and social divides. The forced move to online learning may have been the catalyst to create a new, more effective hybrid model of educating students in the future. Not one single model for online learning will provide equitable educational opportunities for all and virtual learning cannot be seen as a cheap fix for the ongoing financial crisis in funding education.

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Disrupted Class, Undisrupted Learning: A Study on the Effect of Online Learning Among Primary and Middle School Students

Studies in Microeconomics ◽

10.1177/23210222211024436 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 232102222110244

Author(s):

Li Yuelin ◽

Liu Yujie ◽

Shu Xiaohui

Keyword(s):

Middle School ◽

Online Learning ◽

Middle School Students ◽

Online Education ◽

Secondary School ◽

Secondary School Students ◽

Learning Effects ◽

School Students ◽

Primary And Secondary School

In the first half of 2020, primary and secondary school teaching was transformed into online teaching in China, and the teaching effects have attracted considerable attention. This article collects relevant data on the effects of online learning among primary and middle school students through questionnaire surveys to study the impact of parents and teachers on learning effects, provide an experience for future online education and improve the quality of online education for primary and secondary school students in the future. Through empirical analysis, this article draws three main conclusions. First, parents improve students’ offline social presence, while teachers or classmates improve their online presence. Both changes have a significant positive impact on students’ subjective learning effects. Second, parents are more helpful with regard to the improvement of students’ objective learning effects. Third, in terms of age, parents have a greater influence on younger students. The innovation of this article is that the object of the study is primary and secondary school students. The article considers not only the role of teachers but also the role of parents, thereby filling gaps in the previous literature. JEL codes: I20, I21, I25

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Academic development through a pandemic crisis: Lessons learnt from three cases incorporating technical, pedagogical and social support

Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice ◽

10.53761/1.18.5.1 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (5) ◽

pp. 2-16

Author(s):

Murat Sumer ◽

◽

Tracy Douglas ◽

Kwong Nui Sim ◽

◽

...

Keyword(s):

Online Learning ◽

Online Education ◽

Well Being ◽

Just In Time ◽

Case Scenario ◽

Staff Support ◽

Lessons Learnt ◽

Effective Delivery ◽

E Learning ◽

The Impact

Distance or online learning is more than simply uploading and delivering learning resources to learners but in fact, it is a process that provides learners with autonomy, responsibility, flexibility and choice. This can be a challenge for many academic teachers. In 2020, as universities globally shifted to online learning, in response to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, a variety of staff have supported colleagues to develop e-learning techniques ‘just-in-time’ for effective delivery to students in fully online platforms. This has required a transformation of educational development and faculty support globally. This paper will reflect on mechanisms of support demonstrating tailored staff support to transform education in three case scenario contexts, during the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in three different countries. Our case studies illustrate that support lies beyond technological capability building to also incorporate the essentials of holistic well-being and resilience reinforcement. This paper demonstrates temporary solutions to a global crisis in online education and reflects on lessons learnt and how eteaching and e-learning support may transform beyond the pandemic.

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Activeness Analysis Learns Elementary School Student On Online Learning During The Pandemic

Dinamika Jurnal Ilmiah Pendidikan Dasar ◽

10.30595/dinamika.v13i2.11571 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 93

Author(s):

Trisno Yuwono ◽

Ana Andriani

Keyword(s):

Elementary School ◽

Online Learning ◽

Online Education ◽

Literature Study ◽

School Students ◽

Student Activity ◽

Language Research ◽

The Subject ◽

Data Collection Technique ◽

Pdf Format

Lack of student education activeness in online learning during the pandemic is the background of this research. This study aims to provide an overview of how active elementary school students learn in online learning during the Covid-19 Pandemic and find out the factors causing the lack of student learning activeness in online education. The type of research used is literature study research. The data collection technique used is to collect theoretical studies and references sourced from articles and journals that have been accredite. This literature uses literature published in 2020-2021which can be accessed in full text in pdf format. The criteria for the articles reviewed are articles in Indonesian language research journals with the subject of student activity. Based on the results of literature research from several journals that have been written by previous researchers, it shows that in online learning, student activity is influenced by several factors, namely factors from teachers, parents, and students themselves.

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Access to Online Education for Indonesian Incarcerated Students

Digital Press Social Sciences and Humanities ◽

10.29037/digitalpress.46372 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 6 ◽

pp. 00006

Author(s):

Ila Rosmilawati

Keyword(s):

Online Learning ◽

Online Education ◽

Well Being ◽

Educational Institutions ◽

Access To Education ◽

Learning Program ◽

Volunteer Teachers ◽

Face To Face ◽

Security Breaches ◽

Advanced Technologies

The covid-19 pandemic forced numerous educational institutions to deliver online learning to students. However, nonformal school at prison face a difficult choice as greater access to advanced technologies in prison is security breaches. The majority of incarcerated students in formal and nonformal school in the prison are cut off from the internet and the options for distance learning are limited. On the other hand, many volunteer teachers at prison schools are not allowed to teach by face-to-face methods during the pandemic. This study uncovered the possibility of nonformal school at Serang prison to offer online learning by collaborating with university. However, the online learning program and curriculum is modified to meet the current needs of students and condition. Therefore, the online education programs provide various materials of personal and social skills to the incarcerated students. These programs are important for mental and personal well-being of incarcerated students during ‘lockdown’ or limited access situation in prison. The accessibility to online learning education for incarcerated students in prison-based schools will transform the Indonesian corrections system in the future. For educational purpose, though, prisons that offer educational services such as Equivalency Programs, need to provide the IT facilities for the incarcerated students to access their education. By offering access to education, it will give young inmates the opportunity to build a better life after release.

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Will ICMT Access and Use Support URM Students’ Online Learning in the (Post) COVID-19 Era?

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su12208433 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (20) ◽

pp. 8433

Author(s):

Sunha Kim ◽

Suzanne Rosenblith ◽

Yunjeong Chang ◽

Shira Pollack

Keyword(s):

Online Learning ◽

Online Education ◽

Structural Equation ◽

The United States ◽

Sem Analysis ◽

Equation Modeling ◽

Underrepresented Minority ◽

Digital Inclusion ◽

Negative Effect ◽

Using Data

In view of the United Nations’ (UN’s) Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) for education (SDG4), this study explored how information and communications and media technology (ICMT) access and uses for learning have influenced students’ perceived success during the COVID-19 pandemic era and the differential effects of ICMT access and use on underrepresented minority (URM) and non-URM students. This study applied structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis using data from students who experienced online transition in one large public university in the United States. The results showed that ICMT uses for learning benefitted URM students but lack of ICMT access had a negative effect on online learning among URM students. We discussed the implications of these findings in the context of online education, digital inclusion, and the UN’s SDG4.

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Academic Anxiety of Vietnamese Secondary School Students as a Reason for Applying Online Learning

Journal of Intellectual Disability - Diagnosis and Treatment ◽

10.6000/2292-2598.2020.08.04.16 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (4) ◽

pp. 730-739

Author(s):

Phan Trong Ng ◽

◽

Vu Dung ◽

Le Minh Nguyet ◽

Vu Thi Khanh Linh ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Online Learning ◽

Secondary School ◽

Secondary Students ◽

High Performance ◽

Secondary School Students ◽

Learning Experience ◽

Rural Students ◽

School Students ◽

Academic Anxiety ◽

College And University

Academic anxiety is one of the major problems in student psychology across the world. It applies equally to students of all ages, from elementary school to college and university students. Research shows that learning online is an effective way to defuse feelings of academic anxiety. Elimination of anxiety is clearly visible regardless of age, gender, or prior online learning experience. The study aims to identify academic anxiety as one of the most important reasons for moving to online learning or blended learning in secondary school. The study investigated academic anxiety among secondary school students in Vietnam. After surveying 677 students in classroom learning, the results showed that 13.7% of secondary students suffered from frequent anxiety, and 3.0% of them suffered from very frequent anxiety. Lower anxiety was observed among students actively participated in-class activities, and students with excellent academic performance. These factors can be optimally enhanced through blended and online learning. There were no differences in academic anxiety among male and female students, urban and rural students. There was a moderate correlation between a student's anxiety level and pressure of the school, parental expectations, students' motivation for high performance, and especially, among students who have the melancholic temperament. And the influence of these negative factors can also be optimally reduced with the help of online learning. Regression model could provide useful suggestions for parents, teachers and students in reducing academic anxiety for students, including the use of full or blended online learning.

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School from Home during COVID-19 Pandemic, a Descriptive Study: Effectivity of Learning towards High School Students in West Sumatra

KnE Social Sciences ◽

10.18502/kss.v4i15.8231 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Meria Susanti ◽

Izzanil Hidayati ◽

Nila Anggreiny ◽

Yantri Maputra

Keyword(s):

Online Learning ◽

High School Students ◽

Online Education ◽

Online Teaching ◽

Quantitative Research ◽

Survey Design ◽

School Students ◽

Safe Place ◽

Research Survey ◽

West Sumatra

COVID-19 pandemic has forced several countries to manage regulations in order to minimize the spread of virus. Learning from home, or school from home (SFH) is one of the responses towards COVID-19. This study aims to explore the effectivity of SFH in West Sumatra. This study uses descriptive quantitative research survey design. The effectivity of SFH measures by using 9 aspects related to teaching practices: communicating effectively, guiding students’ knowledge, promoting individual learning, engaging students with content, ensuring content accessibility, maintaining academic integrity, keeping the course a safe place, meeting students’ needs, and scaffolding. Statistical analysis uses to explore the effectivity of learning during SFH. Results indicates that averagely subjects perceived that all aspects have fulfilled by school teachers (M= 2.7-3.2). Its can concludes that SFH is quite effective for student in West Sumatera. On the other hand, open-ended questionnaire showed the overview of the implementation SFH during initial months of pandemic. 53.3% of learning are using WhatsApp, television (TVRI; 2.3%), Google Meet (8.2%), Zoom (6.5%), and other media (29.5%). Moreover, all subjects preferred face-to-face learning than online learning. Majority of subjects (30.7%) suggested online learning to be more creative and attractive, and using easy to understand methods (27%). Implications are suggested for the field of teachers or educational sectors in creating online education programs to reach optimal learning. Keywords: school-from home, online-teaching, learning effectiveness

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Social Media and Students’ Wellbeing: An Empirical Analysis during the Covid-19 Pandemic

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su131810442 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (18) ◽

pp. 10442

Author(s):

Hedviga Tkáčová ◽

Martina Pavlíková ◽

Zita Jenisová ◽

Patrik Maturkanič ◽

Roman Králik

Keyword(s):

High School ◽

Social Media ◽

High School Students ◽

Young People ◽

Online Education ◽

Online Social Networks ◽

Slovak Republic ◽

Well Being ◽

School Students ◽

Wide Range

Various forms of social media (SM) appear to be very popular among young people because they provide information and entertainment, including a wide range of web technologies such as blogs, wikis, online social networks, and virtual networks. SM plays a huge role in the lives of children and teenagers, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the computer becomes not only a means of entertainment or leisure, but also a necessary and everyday means of education and communication with other people. Thus, COVID-19 has brought a radical change, not only in the daily schedule and leisure time of pupils and students, but also in the perception of the procedures used by this specific group in the online space. Through our own research, using structured interviews and a questionnaire, we examine the use of SM as a tool to promote sustainable well-being in a group of high school students from various schools in central Slovak Republic (formerly Czechoslovakia). The research confirms that during the pandemic, the use of SM by the young respondents contributes significantly to well-being. This is the case when SM is used by high school students as a tool in promoting: (1) personal interests; (2) motivation; (3) communication and interpersonal connectivity; (4) preferred forms of online education; and (5) online games. The article presents a set of recommendations regarding the use of SM as a tool for sustaining the well-being of young people during the pandemic.

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