Title: Young children and online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic: Saudi mothers' perspectives

Authors: Rana Saleh Alghamdi; Sarah Abdullah Alberaidi

Addresses: Northern Border University, Saudi Arabia ' Shaqra University, Saudi Arabia

Abstract: COVID-19 disease forced schools in Saudi Arabia, as in most countries worldwide, to shift to online learning. This shift impacted the families' role in their children's education. This study aimed to explore Saudi mother's perceptions of online learning during COVID-19. A qualitative research method was used to investigate the research question. The sample consisted of 25 kindergarten mothers recruited using criterion sampling, a purposive sampling method. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect relevant data. The study results revealed negative and positive mothers' perceptions towards online learning during COVID-19. Saudi mothers express negative perceptions towards online learning for their children, including the lack of learning atmosphere, lack of concentration, lack of physical activities, and the time children spend in front of screens. Moreover, findings also revealed positive attitudes toward online learning, including improving teacher-mother communication and using various technological tools on the Rawdaty platform. Implications for teachers and policymakers will be discussed.

Keywords: young children; online learning; COVID-19 pandemic; mothers.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTEL.2024.137653

International Journal of Technology Enhanced Learning, 2024 Vol.16 No.2, pp.157 - 172

Received: 23 Jan 2023
Accepted: 31 Mar 2023
Published online: 02 Apr 2024 *

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