Uses of Digital Mediation in the School-Families Relationship During the COVID-19 Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has sharpened the inequalities in our societies. In Spain, we observed that the impact on schooling varied according to socioeconomic, gender and sociocultural variables. In this article, we present a case analysis illustrating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on schooling i...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-06-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.687400/full |
| _version_ | 1818600037973753856 |
|---|---|
| author | Blanca León-Nabal Cristina Zhang-Yu José Luis Lalueza |
| author_facet | Blanca León-Nabal Cristina Zhang-Yu José Luis Lalueza |
| author_sort | Blanca León-Nabal |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The COVID-19 pandemic has sharpened the inequalities in our societies. In Spain, we observed that the impact on schooling varied according to socioeconomic, gender and sociocultural variables. In this article, we present a case analysis illustrating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on schooling in early educational grades (ages 3–6), which leads us to focus on school-family relationship. First, we present some studies that show the inequalities in education during the lockdown period, the digital divide faced by both schools and families and how digital mediation impacts school-family relationships. Then we will introduce our study, which aims to explore the uses, potentials and limitations of an app intended to facilitate the relationship. Our study took place during September 2020-January 2021, when social restriction persisted. It took the form of a telematic ethnography in which we monitored the meetings of the Early Childhood Education teachers and their interaction with the families via an app-based communication tool. Results have allowed us to identify that most conversations are initiated by the school and their aim is to show families the classroom activities. We have also observed some advantages regarding the use of this app: communication can become more direct and immediate, and teachers have developed strategies to foster proximity in this relationship, as well as to respond inclusively to diversity. Regarding the challenges, we identified the lack of involvement of some families, the need to transform the roles played by families and children, and the difficulty to maintain personalized relationships. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-16T12:29:08Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d97a85d4259a42859ae20e81ce7975ed |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-16T12:29:08Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-d97a85d4259a42859ae20e81ce7975ed2022-12-21T22:31:45ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782021-06-011210.3389/fpsyg.2021.687400687400Uses of Digital Mediation in the School-Families Relationship During the COVID-19 PandemicBlanca León-Nabal0Cristina Zhang-Yu1José Luis Lalueza2Department of General, Developmental and Educational Psychology, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra, SpainDepartment of Psychology, Institute of Educational Research, University of Girona, Girona, SpainDepartment of General, Developmental and Educational Psychology, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra, SpainThe COVID-19 pandemic has sharpened the inequalities in our societies. In Spain, we observed that the impact on schooling varied according to socioeconomic, gender and sociocultural variables. In this article, we present a case analysis illustrating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on schooling in early educational grades (ages 3–6), which leads us to focus on school-family relationship. First, we present some studies that show the inequalities in education during the lockdown period, the digital divide faced by both schools and families and how digital mediation impacts school-family relationships. Then we will introduce our study, which aims to explore the uses, potentials and limitations of an app intended to facilitate the relationship. Our study took place during September 2020-January 2021, when social restriction persisted. It took the form of a telematic ethnography in which we monitored the meetings of the Early Childhood Education teachers and their interaction with the families via an app-based communication tool. Results have allowed us to identify that most conversations are initiated by the school and their aim is to show families the classroom activities. We have also observed some advantages regarding the use of this app: communication can become more direct and immediate, and teachers have developed strategies to foster proximity in this relationship, as well as to respond inclusively to diversity. Regarding the challenges, we identified the lack of involvement of some families, the need to transform the roles played by families and children, and the difficulty to maintain personalized relationships.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.687400/fullfunds of knowledgedigital interactionschool-families interactionschools on pandemicsmobile app uses |
| spellingShingle | Blanca León-Nabal Cristina Zhang-Yu José Luis Lalueza Uses of Digital Mediation in the School-Families Relationship During the COVID-19 Pandemic Frontiers in Psychology funds of knowledge digital interaction school-families interaction schools on pandemics mobile app uses |
| title | Uses of Digital Mediation in the School-Families Relationship During the COVID-19 Pandemic |
| title_full | Uses of Digital Mediation in the School-Families Relationship During the COVID-19 Pandemic |
| title_fullStr | Uses of Digital Mediation in the School-Families Relationship During the COVID-19 Pandemic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Uses of Digital Mediation in the School-Families Relationship During the COVID-19 Pandemic |
| title_short | Uses of Digital Mediation in the School-Families Relationship During the COVID-19 Pandemic |
| title_sort | uses of digital mediation in the school families relationship during the covid 19 pandemic |
| topic | funds of knowledge digital interaction school-families interaction schools on pandemics mobile app uses |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.687400/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT blancaleonnabal usesofdigitalmediationintheschoolfamiliesrelationshipduringthecovid19pandemic AT cristinazhangyu usesofdigitalmediationintheschoolfamiliesrelationshipduringthecovid19pandemic AT joseluislalueza usesofdigitalmediationintheschoolfamiliesrelationshipduringthecovid19pandemic |