Online Learning for Primary School Children during the COVID-19 Pandemic

As in many countries worldwide, as part of the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, all schools in Romania were closed in March 2020. Although schools partially re-opened in September, only to be closed once again in November, far-reaching restrictions remain in place, and any prediction as to when closures will end completely seems hardly possible at the moment. Consequently, teachers and students face significant challenges in adapting to online classes.  

Although the extensive school closures occurred during an era that has generally been shaped by rapid transformation in technological innovations, online learning for primary school children has brought to light a series of problems, ranging from the lack of access to the online learning environment (either for economic or logistic reasons), lack of computer skills, to problems relating to effective communication or the understanding of the material taught.

Thus, the present paper aims at bringing forward the difficulties or weaknesses of online learning and discussing how these can affect the overall learning experience.

In what the method is concerned, the data collection took place through a semi-structured online survey designed for both parents and children in November 2020, at which time schools were completely closed. A sample of 110 participants from Galati was used and, thus, the effect of online learning has been studied only from the point of view of children who live in the urban area. Moreover, since this research is a primary, cross-sectional study, it may be added that the results revealed at this point may suffer changes in time.