Rethinking parents’ participation in early childhood education against the

backdrop of COVID-19 pandemic.

Penyeni Alpha Charity

c7355682

Independent Study

MIS Supervisor: Dr A Temple Clothier

Carnegie Faculty

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CONTENTS

Keywords ………………………………………………….

Chapter 1 - Introduction
…………………........................

Chapter 2 - Literature Review

……….............................

Chapter 3 - Methodology and

Data…………………........

Chapter 4 - Data Analysis

…….......................................

Chapter 5 - Reflections
…………………………………...

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References………………………………………………...

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted a need to reevaluate parents'

participation in early childhood education. The pandemic presented new
challenges to early childhood education, with remote learning replacing
traditional in-person teaching. This topic suggests exploring new ways of
engaging parents in the remote learning process to enhance the educational
experiences and academic success of children. The aim is to reimagine parental
involvement and engagement in early childhood education to address the
potential negative impact of the pandemic on education, especially for
underprivileged communities. The study examines teachers' perspectives on
parental participation during schools shutting down and investigates the
encouragement involvement in a distance learning setting. The goal is to
conceptualize parental participation in schooling and identify the obstacles
parents face in participating in education, especially in underprivileged
communities. The study will make use of secondary analysis of qualitative data
from published documents, past research works, websites, books, and journal
articles. Ultimately, the objective is to enhance the academic success of children
by reimagining parents' participation in kindergarten education in the midst of a
pandemic.

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Keywords: Parental engagement / Parental involvement, early childhood
education, remote learning, school closures, Covid-19 pandemic, teachers’
perspective

Introduction

Research studies have indicated that parents of today are more attentive to their
children's educational development than ever before. However, it is important to
note that the level of engagement is not as evident when it comes to preschool
education. Many preschools have structured schedules and provide
transportation to and from school, with some even offering door-to-door pick-up
services. As a result, parents may only be involved in escorting their children to
and from the pickup points without giving much thought to their child's learning
process. This situation has created a gap within the community of practice,
where responsible parents are encouraged to be involved in their child's
educational process actively journey. Wenger (1998) asserts that learning is a
three-party relationship, with the child at the center with parents and practitioners
playing separate but equally significant roles in the exchange process. To ensure
that the child has the assistance needed to reach their greatest potential, all
parties must be actively involved.

The outbreak of COVID-19 caused unforeseen challenges for early childhood

education, requiring parents, teachers, and children to adapt to remote learning.
However, this highlighted a pre-existing gap in the learning environment where
many parents struggled to keep up with the demands of distance learning. As a
result, in-person learning within a traditional school setup may give way to more

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community-based learning, where parental participation will be more important
than ever. Regrettably, some children have dropped out of school or failed to
complete daily tasks, indicating that the lack of proactivity among parents is
worsening educational inequalities.

This study is both important and timely in light of the shift towards inclusive
education and the growing fosters parental engagement in the education of
young children, particularly with the emergence of online distance learning
options for preschool children.

Chapter 2

Literature Review

The research of Epstein (1991), a renowned expert in the area of early childhood
education, has impacted the current perspective on parental involvement in and
commitment to their children's education. Parenting, communication,
volunteering, at-home learning, and community involvement are just a few of the
different kinds of parent involvement techniques that Epstein highlighted
(Epstein & Dauber, 1991). This emphasizes the interdependence of the home,
school, and community—three important factors that have an impact on
children's education. These areas are where early education and learning take
place. The COVID-19 epidemic forced the closure of schools in over 190
countries, which resulted in an abrupt transition to remote teaching and distance
learning without a clear conclusion in sight, were followed by another in 2021 as
COVID-19 cases surged for a second time. This change had a significant impact
on students' academic achievements, as unanticipated school closures have
been identified as a major challenge for schools and families (Marcotte and
Hemelt, 2008). This, in turn, exacerbates educational disparities and inequalities,
as previously noted by Andrew et Al (2020).

As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, schools worldwide were closed and

students switched to remote learning. This highlighted the need to differentiate

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between parents who are engaged in their child's education and those who are
actively involved. Engagement is seen as more passive, while involvement
requires active participation, responsiveness, and accountability for the outcome.
The term "parent" is used broadly in this context, including all adult family
members responsible for the child, such as biological parents, grandparents,
foster parents, and other family members.

According to UNESCO (2020), there is a problem with unequal access to modern

technologies such as computers and the internet in many parts of the world
regarding distance learning, particularly in low-income families and global south
regions. This means that many students lack access to the necessary technology
and reading materials required for their academic level. The issue of access also
has an impact on the community of practice - this involves the collaboration of
teachers, students, families, and the community to promote socially-engaged
education.

Nexus between Parental Involvement and Engagement

Contemporary understandings of parental engagement and involvement with

education have largely accepted and developed on Epstein's work on the six
forms of parental involvement and the three realms of influence (home, the
school they attend, and the community they hail from) where children's learning
takes place. The term "parents" in this sense refers to the adult(s) in charge of
parenting the child, which can include the child's biological parents, other family
members, foster parents and even careers. Parental participation occurs in
school settings as well as the community, for instance, by volunteering in the
classroom and attending workshops and social events. It also occurs outside of
the classroom, such as during free time and family activities, where parents play
a part in supporting their child's academic performance and learning by
maintaining a positive home environment. This distinction between "parental
involvement" and "engagement" has grown in significance in light of the COVID-
19 school closures.

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Goodall and Ghent (2014, 347) observed a distinction between "parental
engagement with children's learning" and "parental involvement with the school.”
In their research, they noted that not all parental engagement and involvement-
related activities have the same benefits. They observed that helping and
supervising a child's homework has little to no effect on their academic
development and might even be harmful. On the other hand, research indicates
that a supportive home environment for learning, including educational talks,
participation in the school activities, expectations and goals, parents have for
their children, all this has a favourable outcome and effect on children’s
academic progress (Goodall, 2013). Research generally shows that parents'
participation in their children's education has a major positive impact on their
performance and achievement.

The Covid-19 Epidemic and the Closing of Schools

Physical interactions between parents and teachers have become difficult as a

result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the closing of schools. As a result, various
types of parental participation activities, like cultural outings and club
memberships, were discontinued. Although these activities are important, it may
be claimed that other aspects of parental participation, such creating a
welcoming home environment for learning and reading to children, have become
more important than ever (Torre & Murphy, 2016). However, the COVID-19
epidemic also reduced the number of adults, such as grandparents and other
family members, who could have typically taken part in engagement activities
with children. Since schools were closed, it was mainly left to parents and other
primary careers to support their children's academic learning. Yet, research has
shown that parental engagement and involvement can range greatly amongst
different parent groups, which might have an effect on children’s learning and
academic accomplishment (Goodall, 2013). Certain parental engagement
practises, such as parent-teacher conferences and two-way communication,

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were changed for distant learning contexts in response to pandemic constraints
in order to retain a link between schools and parents.

Factors affecting familial involvement and engagement

Parental involvement and engagement in their children's education can be

influenced by a number of things. Parental involvement may be hampered by bad
experiences with prior schools or teachers, issues with the parent's own
education, a lack of confidence in one's own academic abilities, and the
conviction that the school is in charge of the education of one's children. Middle-
class parents use a "concerted nurturing" approach to their kids' academic and
social growth, according to Lareau (2011). In addition to paying close attention to
their schooling and extracurricular activities, this strategy involves offering
children a wide variety of extracurricular and cultural activities. Outside of the
classroom, whether at home or during free time and family activities, parental
participation entails acts that support the child's academic achievement and
learning as well as a positive mindset.

Early studies revealed that more parents experienced problems assisting their
children's academic achievement at home owing to COVID-19, which led to
school closings (Andrew et al., 2020) As an outcome regarding this. The research
being conducted concentrated on the three research subjects presented
beneath. (1) What did teachers think about parents participating in school
closings? (2) How did instructors in a distance learning environment support and
promote family involvement? (3) Were there any variations in parental
engagement activities in disadvantaged families that the teachers noticed? In
order to engage with parents and teachers to encourage children's learning at
home during and after school closures, it is important to understand the answers
to these research questions.

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Chapter 3

Methodology and Data collection

This article's analysis pertains to both early childhood education centers as well
as traditional schools with preparatory learning spaces, although the term
"school" will be used henceforth. This article explains the process for data
collection. The study utilized secondary data analysis, which entails using data
from previous studies to answer questions that were not part of the original study.
To gain a different perspective on previous researches that other scholars had
already undertaken, my research employed a secondary data analysis approach.
To this end, I conducted a comprehensive analysis of Mahere (2021) writings,
which extensively discussed the Covid-19 epidemic and its impact on
Zimbabwean schools. Additionally, I examined the works of Durisic and Bunijevic
(2017), who highlighted the role of parents in their child's education.

Research Issues and Questions

The study aims to address the following research questions:

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1. what are the vital roles that parents could engage in to support their child's
early development?

2. What are the resources and platforms that schools are providing to support
parents with online learning?

3. What is the practitioners' opinion on digital tools for communication in distance

learning?

4. How do practitioners perceive the significance of digital communication with

parents in the COVID-19 pandemic aftermath?

Chapter 4

Data Analysis

During the study, the researcher transcribed data from multiple sources and
conducted an in-depth analysis of the information. Jakuya (2009, 75) suggests
that data analysis should pay attention to recurring themes in transcripts. This
refers to ideas, thoughts, images, and stories that are similar and constant.
According to Neuman (2006; 322), data analysis involves identifying and
analyzing the content of written material. Using a thematic content analysis
approach, this study examined the data to answer the primary research
questions. The methodology involved identifying recurring themes in the literature
works that were available to the researcher.

In this section, the researcher discusses the validity and reliability criteria that
must be met for the study to be meaningful. Mqulwane (2010, 61) highlights four
properties - transferability, dependability, credibility, and conformability - that
must be considered.

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The term "transferability" describes how well the study's conclusions can be used
in different contexts or circumstances. To increase transferability, the researcher
clarifies the study design's assumptions and research background in the
qualitative analysis.

Dependability

It is concerned with the study's consistency and stability of results over time,
considering the frequently changing research environment. Although the analysis
of literature and previous studies is not conducted in real-time, changes that
occur during data transcription must be described and documented.

Credibility

This refers to the degree of trustworthiness and believability of research findings.

To improve credibility, the researcher identifies recurring themes and verifies the
study's results through various methods. Conformability, on the other hand, is the
extent to which results can be supported and verified by others. It can be
improved by documenting the data collection and analysis process and
conducting a data audit at the study's conclusion.

Data presentation

In this section, the researcher presents the study's data and findings. The
research provides a fresh insight into the expectations from parents in terms of
their involvement during school closures, which the researcher terms as "parental
participation in the process of learning." The research contributes to the pool of
research on parental engagement. The researcher also identifies that the
underprivileged groups and several others face difficulties when enrolling in

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schools, and some practical parenting initiatives are successful and effective,
and they extend beyond the impact of school closures.

Parents' involvement as seen by teachers

Teachers stated that during closures, there were noticeable disparities in the
extent of parental involvement in their children at-home education. Though some
parents were keenly involved, other students' living conditions were a major
cause of concern for educators. Several earlier research studies suggested that
particular groups of students were significantly affected negatively by school
closures due to their family situations. Teachers also discussed various obstacles
that parents faced when attempting to reinforce their children's learning,
particularly those who belong to underprivileged backgrounds.

Some parents had difficulty adopting the role of a "teacher" instead of a "parent"
and assuring that their children completed their schoolwork. Parents viewed
schoolwork as a separate task from household activities and play that their
children were supposed to complete, but many parents were unable or
disinclined to enforce this due to other demands on their time. According to
teachers, parents in higher socio-economic groups also faced challenges
participating in their children's learning due to busy work schedules. During the
second round of closures, when more parents returned to work, the difficulty
became worse across all groups, and educators observed a decrease in parental
involvement in education relative to the first round. In light of these challenges for
parents, during the closures, teachers played a crucial role in promoting parental
involvement.

Promoting Parental Involvement

Overcoming Technology Access Challenges:

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Schools recognized the importance of technology access in promoting parental
engagement during school closures. However, not all children were qualified for
this program, according to Spear (2021), who stated that during the initial school
closures in England, the government's laptop program gave electronic gadgets to
underprivileged students. These options were not ideal because devices were in
high demand, occasionally unavailable, or easily damaged. Some schools
offered their own devices to families as a help, but this was not always a good
idea. Consequently, some schools used alternative solutions, such as providing
paper copies of homework, to ensure all students could participate in learning
activities. Schools faced significant technology access challenges during school
closures, and while government schemes and school-provided devices provided
some relief, they were not always sufficient. Schools need to explore alternative
solutions to ensure equitable access to technology for all students to promote
parental engagement in distance learning.

Teachers were crucial in encouraging parental involvement by offering materials

and staying in touch with families frequently while schools were closed. Teachers
provided a larger breadth of school-supported learning across many disciplines
during the second remote learning session, increasing parental involvement in
their children's education. Schools that had been using online learning tools prior
to the closing of the schools were better able to give work remotely and monitor
students' use of the tools, creating new opportunities for parent communication.

During the time when schools were closed, teachers and families communicated
using a variety of methods, such as phone or video calls, app-based messaging,
and home visits. To deliver materials or address specific issues about a child's
learning, home visits were occasionally required. Schools improved their
knowledge of different families' domestic circumstances by boosting teacher
interaction outside of the typical school day. The technology used, along with

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improved parent-teacher contact, had the ability to promote parental engagement
even after the remote learning session had ended.

Parental involvement was greatly encouraged during school closures by the

resources provided by instructors and communication with families. The success
of online learning resources, improved parent-teacher communication, and home
visits gave schools some understanding of what went on in the homes of their
kids. Schools can continue to encourage family involvement even after the
shutdown by using these insights and the better communication technologies.

Which type of pedagogy?

The emphasis on academic learning often led to the neglect of other activities
that could enhance children's development. This has already been noticed by
Goodall (2013), who found that many parents make contributions to their
children's education that aren't properly acknowledged by educators and
institutions. Some teachers adopted a more accepting stance during closure
periods on the importance of common family activities and play, such as outings,
cooking meals with the family, and reading aloud to children. This lessened the
burden on parents' current role construction and was in line with how parental
engagement was interpreted in the study.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the digital divide

The pandemic was made more complex by the already existing digital gap. The
"digital gap" makes it challenging for members of underprivileged groups to
connect between home and school and for parents and children to engage in
online learning. Scholars have identified three factors that contribute to the digital
divide: (1) access to information and communication technology (ICT, such as
computers, cellphones, and the internet); (2) understanding of and practices in

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utilizing ICT; and (3) outcomes of ICT use (Van Deursen & Helsper, 2015). The
injustices that were exposed during the school closures had an effect on both the
first and second levels. According to Andrew et al. (2020), there is less of a
chance for disadvantaged populations to have the internet connection and
technology needed for remote learning. Teachers discovered that just granting
access to technology to families did not always lead to success, pointing to
variations in how parents and children used ICT as well as their willingness and
capacity to use it for education purposes in their homes.

Personal Reflections

The parental participation studies I've seen exhibits a bias in favor of the wealthy
and pays little attention to individuals who appear to come from poor
circumstances. We need to think about concerns with internet access and other
technological tools before we can examine how all parents can engage in
practice. Due to accessibility issues alone, some parent groups could find it
difficult to collaborate with schools. Further research involving parents from all
walks of life would be good.

To further understand parents' perceptions of distance learning including their

children, more study should be conducted with parents from diverse
socioeconomic and geographic backgrounds. Not to mention, this study only
reviewed the body of earlier research and writing on parental engagement. Doing
a study with the use of in-person interviews and surveys is crucial to developing
a phenomenological knowledge of these kinds of inquiries. It is challenging to
generalize research findings on a large scale because school closures have
various effects in different countries. Further research across several counties
would offer new perspectives on the current challenges as well as best practice
approaches that can aid teachers, parents, and children well beyond the
pandemic.

Recommendations

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In my capacity as a researcher, I do hereby make a number of recommendations
for early childhood educators and the schools generally to really engage with
parents in so far as distance learning is concerned bit more broadly to form a
tripartite relationship with parents, children, and practitioners so as to have better
community of practice networks that support the well-being of children in and out
of schools. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the inclusion/exclusion tension
between parents and schools, which was a sobering realization. There is need to
move toward socially engaged learning and pedagogy.

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