Izzivi Prihodnosti (Nov 2023)
Effectiveness and Effects of Distance Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic through the Eyes of Custodians of Children in Slovenia
Abstract
Research Question (RQ):Does the assessment of satisfaction with the distance learning course and the assessment of the ability to coordinate work obligations, home obligations, and participation in the distance education differ according to the guardian's additional workload from working from home and with respect to the division of responsibility for participation in the distance learning course between the guardian and other guardians? Does the assessment of satisfaction with the course of distance learning and the assessment of the ability to coordinate work commitments, home commitments, and participation in distance learning differ depending on the way the educational process is organized?Purpose:By this research, we wanted to find out if guardians’satisfaction with distance learning and their evaluation of coordinatingtheir own work obligations were different based on chosen factors of guardian's, professor's and if distance learning was set up in such a way that it required child's guardian to participate in it.Method:The research was carried out during two longer waves of school closures in Slovenia and within implementation of distance learning by conducting an online survey of child’s custodians whose attended distance learning. Withinthe analyse, we used the methods of univariate statistical analysis and descriptive statistics (frequency distributions, mean values, asymmetry, flattening),some methods of bivariate statistical analysis (t-test, Pearson correlation coefficient)and factor analysis.Results:Distance learning course had a better evaluationby respondents as well/or the possibilities for coordinating obligations with other obligations, especially if the respondent/custodian is not the one transferred to of carrying out the pedagogical process and if there are no simultaneous burdens on the custodians with home obligations. Correlation was shown ifteacher/professor wasproactive andhaverequestedfeedback from the children, if the one who provides an adequate material explanation and ensures that the pedagogical process takes place in a way that puts as less additional burden possible on the custodians.Organization:The research represents important contribution within the field of setting the baseline for possible implementation of distance learningin the future.Originality:The Slovenian education system found itself in the unique situation of systemic closure of educational institutions, which appeared in that extent and in such a way for the first time.At the time of conducting the research and preparing the article, we had not foundany research that would address stated research problem at the same time and from perspective as effect of custodian’sparticipation in the implementation of the pedagogical process.Limitations / further research:As limitation, we would highlight the characteristic of the realized sample, which is not random and which limits the possibility of generalization, and the fact that timeline of implementation and the moment we had wanted to cover in conducting the research did not allow for a more complex way of testing the questionnaire. There are many possibilities for further research. It would make sense to repeat the research and ask the custodians to take into account the time distance until the implementation of distance learning during the closure of educational institutions during the COVID-19 epidemic.
Keywords
