Unusual Experience in the COVID-19 Pandemic: Young Children’s Readjustment from Home to Preschool following School Closures in Different Risk Regions

Abstract

Children’s readjustment to preschool following long-term school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic merits special attention. This study examined children’s preschool readjustment using a survey of 1008 teachers in a high-risk region and 1399 teachers in a fluctuating-risk region of China. Results found are as follows. (1) children’s preschool readjustment was at a medium level after the long-term school closures. However, children’s preschool readjustment scores in the fluctuating-risk region were significantly lower than those in the high-risk region. (2) Children in both regions were divided into four profiles based on their preschool readjustment: low-level, middle-level, upper-middle-level, and high-level groups. (3) Preschool transition practices and teachers’ turnover intention are common factors relating to preschool readjustment in both regions. Teachers’ professional development support impacted children’s preschool readjustment only in the high-risk region. The findings inform the design of targeted interventions to help children readjust to preschool across different risk regions.

New challenges in mitigating climate change: Digital teaching for the sustainable development and innovation

“…Among all sectors, the educational system is bound to be the hardest hit. According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the COVID-19 outbreak has affected nearly 1.6 billion students in more than 190 countries, including students from different countries [ [10] , [11] , [12] , [13] , [14] ], different majors [ [15] , [16] , [17] , [18] ], and different stages [ [19] , [20] , [21] , [22] , [23] ]. COVID-19 has caused many challenges globally, including overall governance capacity, education level, construction capacity, and level of education informatization of a country [ 24 ].…”