An exploration of parental support during the Coronavirus pandemic lockdown: Learning from the nature, form, possibilities and constraints in supporting their child’s education.

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted and led to major disruptions in South Africa and worldwide. In the context of education, the pandemic altered the methods of learning for learners, as educational institutions had to transition to emergency remote learning as a substitute for traditional face-to-face learning methods. With this transition, parental support became crucial, as learners were now required to continue with their education from home. However, many parents faced new challenges stemming from both the pandemic and existing socioeconomic factors, heightening their support for their children's education. A total of eleven people were chosen as participants through purposive sampling and maximum variation. The data was generated through semi-structured interviews using a multiple-case study design and analysed using thematic analysis. The study was guided by Epstein’s (1995) Framework of Six Types of Parental Involvement and Hoover-Demspey and Sandler's (1995) model of parental involvement process. The study's findings indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic created unique challenges, which challenged pre-existing school practices and led to the emergence of new norms and educational processes that redefined teaching and learning environments, as well as parental support. Parents would benefit from this study as it provides an expanded notion of parental involvement and would then be able to better understand the needs of their child in supporting their education. They would also be able to plan ahead and make provisions for the things needed to support their child’s education.