Distance learning during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic: Examining K-12 students’ and parents’ experiences and perspectives

Abstract

This study examines K-12 students and parents in the United States’ experiences and challenges during the sudden shift to distance learning during the spring of 2020. The study also aims to analyze what can be done to better educate students in the case of continued distance learning during the COVID-19 crisis and during future emergencies. The study was conducted with an online survey of K-12 students and parents in the United States, and both qualitative and quantitative data was collected. However, the results should be interpreted with caution, as it was a smaller study that is not a representative sample of the population. The study results show that a variety of strategies were utilized to teach students online, and that from the perspective of the participants both successful and unsuccessful methods were utilized.