DIGITAL DIVIDE AND BEYOND - AN EXPLORATORY STUDY ON THE CHALLENGES AND RESOURCES OF HOME-BASED LEARNING AMONG LOW-INCOME FAMILIES

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic forced school closure and shifted learning towards full online Home-Based Learning (HBL). Parents were thrust into a position where they had to supervise and assist their children with their learning needs, on top of their Work-From-Home or usual household duties. Literature cautioned the dangers of the widening digital divide on unequal learning outcomes for students from high and low SES families during HBL. The disparity can be attributed to unequal digital access, digital capability, absence of a conducive learning environment at home amongst a plethora of stressors that low-income families experience. This explorative study utilized McCubbin and Patterson’s (1983) Double ABCX Model of family crisis to examine the stressors, resources, and perceptions that mediates the home-based learning experience of low-income families with primary school children. This study hypothesized that (1) families who reported insufficient digital access will experience higher parental stress during home-based learning than families who reported sufficient access and (2) families who reported more stressors (and hardships) will experience greater dissatisfaction with their home-based learning experience. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight respondents that were recruited through door knocking, an assisting social service agency, and snowballing. Qualitative thematic analyses, both thematic coding and open coding, were employed to identify meaningful themes. The findings of this study corroborate with prevailing literature and media reports on the digital divide and common challenges of HBL among low-income families. More importantly, the study identified emerging themes on parenting competence, children’s disposition, and marital relationships that influence the adaptive coping of families during HBL.