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Emergency Remote Education, Family Support and the Digital Divide in the Context of the COVID-19 Lockdown

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  • María José Sosa Díaz

    (Department of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Teacher Training, University of Extremadura, 10003 Cáceres, Spain)

Abstract

To contain the COVID-19 pandemic, governments all over the world implemented strong lockdown measures to a large part of the population, including the closing of educational centres. Teachers were urged to transform their teaching methodology, moving from a face-to-face model to an emergency remote education (ERE) model, characterised by the use of technologies to continue with lectures and maintain the physical distance with the students. The aim of the present study was to analyse the existence of socio-digital inequalities and the educational challenges posed by the development of an ERE model, hence, contributing to the literature by proposing a systematic and holistic approach on this phenomenon. Based on the characteristics of the research problem and the objectives set, a qualitative methodology was applied. On the one hand, a semi-structured interview was conducted with 136 active teachers as the main data gathering technique. On the other hand, grounded theory was key in interpreting the results, with the aim of generating the theory in a systematic and holistic manner. It can be asserted that ERE was very useful during the lockdown of schools, and its potential to transform education was demonstrated. However, it was also shown that the development of an ERE model can cause socio-digital inequalities among students, due to the lack of access to digital devices and Internet connection, mainly due to factors, such as the socio-educational level of the family and the rural or urban context of the centre.

Suggested Citation

  • María José Sosa Díaz, 2021. "Emergency Remote Education, Family Support and the Digital Divide in the Context of the COVID-19 Lockdown," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(15), pages 1-18, July.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:15:p:7956-:d:602860
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ertl, Bernhard & Csanadi, Andras & Tarnai, Christian, 2020. "Getting closer to the digital divide: An analysis of impacts on digital competencies based on the German PIAAC sample," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    2. Iivari, Netta & Sharma, Sumita & Ventä-Olkkonen, Leena, 2020. "Digital transformation of everyday life – How COVID-19 pandemic transformed the basic education of the young generation and why information management research should care?," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 55(C).
    3. Bacher-Hicks, Andrew & Goodman, Joshua & Mulhern, Christine, 2021. "Inequality in household adaptation to schooling shocks: Covid-induced online learning engagement in real time," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 193(C).
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    Cited by:

    1. Naureen Durrani & Vanessa Ozawa, 2024. "Education in Emergencies: Mapping the Global Education Research Landscape in the Context of the COVID-19 Crisis," SAGE Open, , vol. 14(1), pages 21582440241, February.
    2. Naureen Durrani & Gulmira Qanay & Ghazala Mir & Janet Helmer & Filiz Polat & Nazerke Karimova & Assel Temirbekova, 2023. "Achieving SDG 4, Equitable Quality Education after COVID-19: Global Evidence and a Case Study of Kazakhstan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(20), pages 1-23, October.
    3. José Juan Carrión-Martínez & Cristina Pinel-Martínez & María Dolores Pérez-Esteban & Isabel María Román-Sánchez, 2021. "Family and School Relationship during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-18, November.
    4. Mingyue Wen & Liao Liao & Yilin Wang & Xunzhi Zhou, 2022. "Effects of Healthcare Policies and Reforms at the Primary Level in China: From the Evidence of Shenzhen Primary Care Reforms from 2018 to 2019," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(4), pages 1-19, February.
    5. Mario Ferreras-Listán & Coral I. Hunt-Gómez & Pilar Moreno-Crespo & Olga Moreno-Fernández, 2021. "School–Family Relations: An Educational Challenge in Times of COVID-19," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(20), pages 1-13, October.

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