When the parent becomes the teacher - attitudes on distance learning in the time of corona-teaching from parents’ perspective

ABSTRACT

This research paper’s focus is to portray and analyse different ways of how participants of the educational system in the Republic of Croatia have reacted to the pandemic caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2. Pupils’ right to education, as one of their basic rights, was enabled by the Government of the Republic of Croatia’s decision to organise distance learning. The part of the system which encountered most challenges during transitioning to online education was in classes first to fourth due to the pupils, because of chronological age and digital and computer literacy level, requiring parents' assistance in order to successfully accomplish educational outcomes. The involvement of parents, who because of child's impossibility to independently carry out duties, have taken on a role of a substitute teacher overnight which consequentially resulted in their overload. The key element in distance learning is independence of pupils which is questionable in the chosen segment of the educational system. In addition to independence of pupils, this paper distinguishes two other important factors: pupils’ spatial-material-technical learning conditions necessary to undertake distance learning and cooperative relationship between parents (as substitute teachers) and “real” teachers which takes on a new dimension in the newly emerged situation.

The empirical research's goal was an inquiry into parents’ attitudes and experiences in three categories (independence of pupils, spatial-material-technical conditions and teachers’ requirements). Research results show the existence of difference in parents’ attitudes considering their structural characteristics (age, sex, educational status). Furthermore, research participants show mostly positive feedback information in relation to general attributes of distance learning, and results confirm the existence of differences in attitudes in questioned categories.

Based on research results we can conclude that distance learning asks of parents, whose children are pupils of classes first to fourth, for a new level of investment for which they require pedagogical support and guidance.