COVID-19 and its effects: On the risk of social inequality through digitalization and the loss of trust in three European education systems

Abstract

This paper develops informed assumptions on the potential loss of trust as an unintended side-effect of the measures in education to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Well-founded concerns according to which the pandemic-induced closure of educational facilities and the shift to digitalized distance education are contributing to increased social inequality in education serve as a starting point for the argumentation. The paper contends that together with the temporary changes in the style of educational governance, in the medium term an exacerbated social inequality in education can cause a potential trust problem for the central actors imposing the measures. To support this line of reasoning, the exploratory study describes the context conditions which are relevant for the implementation and participation in digitalized distance education (measures, access and competent use of digital devices in education, level of trust) and combines them with the findings of a qualitative analysis of relevant documents from three European countries (Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany). A neo-institutional view is applied to exploring the implications of the changes in education governance and their potential side-effects on trust.

Why Teachers Do Not Take Child Sick Leave? Emotional Strategies, Micropolitics, and the Self-Conception of Teachers with Small Children in a Pandemic

“…Omezení prezenční výuky pro mateřské a základní školy [detailní průběh a související legislativa srov. Čeladníková et al 2022] trvala dlouho, a to i v mezinárodním srovnání [Bormann et al 2021]. Dalším podstatným rysem provozu škol bylo, že režimové změny byly oznamovány maximálně s několikadenním předstihem a některé z nich ani neměly šanci být uvedeny v platnost (např.…”

How does research knowledge about social inequality in education matter during the pandemic? Results of an analysis of a public discourse in Germany

“…For the analysis, an earlier exploratory content analysis was extended to include the discourse analytic perspective for some of the texts (Bormann et al, 2021). Texts were analyzed in accordance with the approach of the coding discourse analysis (Truschkat & Bormann, 2020).…”

“…In contrast to Zhao and Watterson (2021), who posit that the innovations faced by educational systems during the pandemic are unstable in the long term, this paper assumes that the shortterm changes such as school closures and increased digitalization in education may lead to an increase in social inequality in education, which in turn may lead to an erosion of trust in institutions in the long term (Bormann et al, 2021). Establishing and maintaining equal opportunities is one of the central tasks of institutions, which can lose their public trust if they are perceived to be violating these guiding principles (Lepsius, 2017).…”

Chances and Challenges of Digital-Based Education

“…This adjustment has a significant impact on students' abilities. According to some previous studies, pandemics cause learning loss [4][5][6]. Learning loss is a decrease in learning ability caused by a learning process that is not optimal [7].…”

“…In addition, digital learning must continue to be developed and applied to welcome the Education and Industry 4.0 revolution to improve the quality of human resources. The role of government and institutions in mitigating the pandemic's negative effects on education is critical, notably through optimizing education's digitization, providing ICT facilities, and fostering public trust [4].…”