Pandemic and Online Learning: Is it for protection from Covid-19 or Health destruction? Voice of Indian parents

Abstract

Background: Globally, 1.2 billion children are out of the classroom due to schools shut across the world owing to the covid -19 pandemic. Besides children, parents too struggled to embrace this sudden change and adapt to online learning. The present study aimed to assess parental perception towards children's online learning during the covid-19 pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional web-based survey was carried out among 550 parents of children attending classes online during the covid-19 pandemic. Data were collected after obtaining ethical approval using a self-report questionnaire on parental perception of children's online learning and online class characteristics. Collected data were analyzed using R software. Results: Out of 550 parents approached online, only 300 had responded to the survey with a response rate of 55%. More than half of the children attended online classes using an android mobile phone (71.1%), in the Zoom app (52.2%) with an average duration of online classes was 180±30 minutes/day. Mean parental perception towards online learning score was16±6.3. Parents (80.3%) were concerned about children's general health, including vision, due to continuous exposure to screen in online classes quandary, they agreed (93.3%) online learning protects children from covid infection. Parents were interested in traditional classroom teaching and only 26.1% perceived online learning was effective. Conclusion: Parents, students are eagerly waiting to get rid of home-schooling. The success of online learning relies upon the cooperation of the school authority, teachers, parents, and students. The school education department has a great scope to understand and attend to parental concerns, also maintaining healthy schooling once shut down get relaxed. Also, it should focus on strengthening and supporting home-schooling and helping children balance physical and psychological health.