The impact of parental confidence in using technology on parental engagement in children’s education at home during COVID-19 lockdowns: evidence from 19 countries

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic brought dramatic changes to society, and many temporary changes, such as lockdowns and school closures, have had lasting effects on education and learning. School closures temporarily moved education to the home, where parents had to take responsibility for their children’s education, and technology became an essential tool for supporting learning. This study examines the impact of parental confidence in using technology on parental support for children’s education at home during the first COVID-19 lockdowns. Researchers and educational officers from 19 countries conducted an online survey from May to July 2020 and collected data from 4600 parents with children 6–16 years old. Participants were selected via snowball sampling. Data were analyzed quantitatively using simple tabulation, correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression. The results showed a relationship between parental support for children’s education at home and parental confidence in using technology in all participating countries except for Pakistan. Furthermore, the data indicated that in almost all participating countries, parental confidence in using technology greatly impacted parental engagement in children’s education at home, even after controlling for socioeconomic status. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s43545-023-00672-0.

Views of Parents on Using Technology-Enhanced Toys in the Free Play of Children Aged One to Four Years

“…Consistent with prior research by Martinez et al [44], parents' advanced educational level increases the effectiveness of parenting techniques and children's academic performance. Parents with a strong educational background can more easily help their children engage with digital technology and digital play at home, as also supported by previous research [45,46]. According to Apdillah et al [47], parents who possess advanced digital skills and maintain a favourable outlook on media generally report better experiences and views on technology-based learning.…”