Home Learning Environments During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Caregivers’ and Children’s Perceptions

ABSTRACT

In this study, we explored Pre-K through 3rd-grade children’s home learning environments and caregivers’ perceptions, strategies, and attitudes regarding home learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants included 10 caregivers and their Pre-K through 3rd-grade children. Data were collected via caregiver and child interviews, and a caregiver survey in Summer 2020. Descriptive statistics, and open, axial, and selective coding were used to analyze research data. Findings indicated that caregivers provided academic support for children’s learning, supervised their children’s technology use for academic purposes, and created study areas. Children’s learning activities were mainly in mathematics and language arts. During COVID-19, children completed homework and participated in activities with caregivers and siblings. Children reported missing their schools, friends, teachers, and school activities. Findings deepened our limited understanding of the home learning environment during the COVID-19 pandemic from caregivers’ and children’s perspectives and illuminated possible pathways to improve children’s learning at home with the assistance of caregivers and technology use.

KEYWORDS:

• Caregivers
• children
• COVID-19
• elementary school
• home environment
• remote instruction

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by Florida Gulf Coast University.