U.S. Parents’ Reports of Assisting Their Children with Distance Learning during COVID-19

Preparing for the next pandemic: predictors and effects of COVID-19 remote learning

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic forced school closures and rapid transitions to distance learning, which were widely associated with negative effects on educational attainment and mental health among youth. Research is now emerging about the relationship between distance learning and educational outcomes, as well as factors that sped or delayed the return of in-person learning in specific geographic regions. In the state of Massachusetts, in the United States, high schools (9th-12th grade) varied in the length of time that passed before in-person learning was offered. This study investigated (1) what factors were associated with the date at which schools implemented hybrid/in-person learning, and (2) what factors, including time in remote learning, were associated with loss of educational attainment.

Methods

The sample included N = 267 regional/local high schools. Analyses investigated whether time to hybrid/in-person learning was associated with the percentage of students from low-income households and from minority ethnic/racial groups, local political affiliations and COVID incidence rate in September 2020, and the size of the district. The second set of analyses examined whether the high schools' observed losses in standardized math test scores between 2019 and 2021 were associated with the amount of time students remained in exclusively remote learning, as well as the percentage of students from low-income households and minority ethnic/racial groups, the COVID cumulative incidence rate in the region by April 2021, and the size of the school district.

Results

Multiple linear regression analysis examining variance in the date at which hybrid/in-person learning was implemented was most strongly predicted by the size of the school district. Multiple linear regression analysis examining variance in the loss of educational attainment was most strongly predicted by the percentage of students from low-income households in the high school. Exploratory analyses comparing charter schools with regional public high schools found that charter schools showed significantly greater loss of educational attainment, contrary to hypotheses.

Conclusion

Additional protections for students from larger school districts, lower-income families, and charter schools are needed in case of future population-level disruptions in education.

Reading to Dogs at Home: A Pilot Study

In summer 2021, during the coronavirus pandemic, 8 parent-child dyads were recruited to participate in a pilot project to investigate the potential benefit of an at-home adaptation of an Animal-Assisted Intervention (AAI) for literacy. After completing a demographic survey and the Perceived Stress Scale-10 (Cohen et al., 1983), children's reading level was established using the Fry method and past report card information. Parents were given access to an online levelled-reader e-book provider along with written instructions and video training. Parent-child dyads engaged in the at-home AAI literacy support for 6-weeks during which time children's reading level was tracked online. Parental stress was assessed again upon completion. Findings indicate that reading level increased in 6 out of 8 cases, although not significantly. Parental stress, however, increased significantly from the start to end of the project. This descriptive pilot project discusses the potential and pitfalls of an at-home AAI literacy intervention.

The Impact of Helping Children with Distance Learning During COVID-19 on U.S. Parents' Alcohol Consumption

We examined the impact of distance learning-related parental stress due to COVID-19 on parental alcohol consumption using an online survey in May 2020 with a convenience sample of U.S. adults. This article focuses on the 361 parents who had children under the age of 18 living with them. Seventy-eight percent had children who were engaged in distance learning; 59% reported being stressed because they were not sure how to help their children with distance learning. Stressed parents reported consuming significantly more alcohol and binge drinking more often than parents who were not stressed by distance learning. We hope that public health professionals can use our findings to better target alcohol prevention programs aimed at parents to reduce parental stress, and hopefully, parental alcohol consumption.

Predicting Parental Mental Health During COVID-19: Economic Pressure, COVID-19 Stress, and Coping Strategies

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, understanding connections between economic pressures and mental health experiences is critical in comprehending how stressful global events can affect families. Although economic pressures and stress can negatively impact mental health, approach coping strategies may provide reductions in negative mental health experiences for parents compared to avoidant coping strategies. Despite recent work showing that stress resulting from the pandemic can have negative implications for the mental health of parents with young children, there is little known about the mental health of parents with adolescents. This study utilized a longitudinal sample of 198 parents (194 biological parents; 103 Fathers, and 91 Mothers) of adolescents and examined the mediating impact of COVID-19 stress on the relationship between economic pressure and subsequent depressive and anxious symptoms. Additionally, approach and avoidant coping strategies were examined as potential moderators between COVID-19 stress and later mental health. Results indicated that parents who experienced economic pressure reported worsening mental health across the school semester, with COVID-19 stress mediating this pathway. Further, approach coping strategies moderated the association between COVID-19 stress and later anxiety symptoms such that higher levels of coping associated with greater rates of later anxiety symptoms, while lower levels of coping associated with less anxiety symptoms later. Avoidant coping strategies also moderated these associations, such that greater use associated with greater depressive and anxious symptomology later. These findings emphasize that parents are experiencing worsening mental health following the onset of the pandemic and that there is an urgent need for increased mental health services to assist families during this time.

Elementary School Children’s Home Learning Environments: Mathematics, Reading, Science, and Written Language

It is well accepted that the home learning environment impacts school performance; however, much of the previous research has focused on preschool children. This exploratory study used an online, Qualtrics survey to ask parents (N = 177) of elementary students about the home learning environment. Our research questions addressed (1) the amount of time children spend on mathematics, reading, written language, and science at home, and differences by subject and/or grade; (2) parental beliefs about the importance of engaging in home learning activities in each of the four subjects; (3) parental confidence in supporting each of the four academic subjects; (4) parental and child enjoyment of the four academic subjects; and (5) who (parents, child, or teacher) initiated home learning activities in the different subject areas. The results indicated that elementary school-age children were engaged in reading, mathematics, science, and written language activities at home; however, the most time was spent on reading activities. Parents reported viewing engagement and assistance with academically related activities at home as important; however, they were more confident assisting with reading and written language than mathematics or science. Strong associations were noted between parental enjoyment of a subject and their confidence in assisting their child. Overall, teachers initiated more activities for older children and were more likely to initiate mathematics activities. When children initiated an activity, it was typically reading related.

"This will likely affect his entire life": Parents' views of special education services during COVID-19

Research continues to emerge about the impact of COVID-19 on education; however, reports about the impact on students receiving special education services are more limited. This study examined parental views of distance learning for students with disabilities during the COVID-19 crisis. Using a survey disseminated via social media, we examined parents' views (N = 153) of PK-12 education for students receiving special education services during COVID-19. Results indicated three main themes: (1) special education and related service hours were decreased during virtual learning; (2) parents reported that their children were unable to participate in virtual learning without significant adult support; (3) parents often were unable to provide their children with assistance due to other commitments including work and childcare.

Facilitating Preschool Children’s Mathematics Development in China, Japan, and the United States: Is the Classroom Library Considered?

The two studies examined in this paper compare the different mathematical opportunities provided in preschool classrooms in China, Japan, and the United States, with an emphasis on mathematical-themed books in classroom libraries. Study one presents the results of an online survey to examining the content of preschool classroom libraries in China (N = 134), Japan (N = 168), and the United States (N = 291). Study two presents data obtained from semi-structured interviews of teachers in China (N = 8), Japan (N = 8), and the United States (N = 8). The interviews examined teacher perceptions of how they teach mathematics, the importance of teaching mathematics, and the use of the classroom library as a venue for mathematics. Study one results indicated that teachers from all three countries encourage classroom library use; however, teachers from China reported more mathematics storybooks than their Japanese or United States counterparts. Study two results indicated that teachers from all three countries viewed mathematics as important and provided various mathematics learning opportunities to children throughout the school day. Chinese teachers reported providing the most mathematics learning opportunities using whole group instruction, mathematics centers, and free play. Japanese teachers reported few whole group forms of instruction other than circle time but reported providing opportunities for using mathematics during free play and other embedded activities. United States teachers indicated that mathematics learning occurred using whole group instruction and mathematics centers.