Children and COVID-19 Research Library

The introduction of technology into education has never – alone – solved the problems that education faces. Yet processes of digitalisation have transformed education – and will continue to do so – in ways that are complex, evolving, and deeply unequal. Despite resurgent interest in technology in education policy, planning and practice, as well as in research, many areas that are critical to understanding the digitalisation of education remain under-studied, and the evidence that does exist remains under-shared. This multi-disciplinary publication brings together 24 contributions presented in digestible format across six themes. The publication resulted from a Policy Dialogue convened by NORRAG in partnership with the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education. Over 20 experts who took part in the expert consultation process contributed to this publication, which aims to surface and amplify under-represented expertise about the digitalisation of education.

This study aimed to find out the technological device using behaviors of the children and the attitudes of their families regarding this during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. The study was a descriptive research composed of the mothers of 0- to 18-year-old children who were contacted through social media. Descriptive statistics of data were carried out with frequency and percentage distribution based on the demographic characteristics of the mothers. The mean age of the parents included in the study was found to be 35 ± 7 years; 89.1% were females and 31% were secondary school graduates.

Technological advancement has ushered Computer studies which is also regarded as Information and Communication Technology (ICT) instruction into educational curriculum. The aim of ICT studies in secondary school system is to equip every student with the prerequisite skills and competence to function effectively in the contemporary society that is characterized by emerging technologies. Therefore, the main objective of this research was to assess students’ satisfaction with ICT instruction in secondary schools in Calabar Metropolis, Cross River State, Nigeria. Three research hypotheses were formulated to give direction to the study. The study sample was 5245 students drawn from the population of Senior Secondary (SS) 2 and Senior Secondary (SS) 3 classes across public and private schools in 2019/2020 academic session. A survey research design was adopted for the study. The instrument for data collection was a questionnaire entitled "Secondary School Students' Satisfaction with Computer Studies Questionnaire (SSSSCSQ)". The data collected were analyzed using population t-test and independent t-test.

In March 2020, after the coronavirus cases in Bangladesh were confirmed, both Humanitarian Play Labs (HPL) and mainstream Play Labs temporarily stopped their face-to-face operations according to the government mandate. The pandemic endangered people’s physical health and highly impacted their socio-economic and mental health conditions. Hence, BRAC explored alternative approaches and designed a telecommunication model, Pashe Achhi, to support all the direct beneficiaries during the pandemic. The objective of the intervention was to be connected with the beneficiaries and promote children’s wellbeing and development through play-based learning, positive parenting, and self-care practices of caregivers. Since caregivers are the core agent for children’s learning and development during the pandemic, the model provides psychosocial support and learning support to them. To facilitate the calls, the model trained facilitators on ECD, learning through play, playfulness, and mental health. Pashe Achhi is a telecommunication model consisting of tele-counseling and tele-learning components. After receiving the training, the Play Leaders started to call the families every week to conduct a 20 minutes phone session (10 minutes with the mother and 10 minutes with the child) based on the scripts delivered. In the first 10 minutes, Play Leaders give mothers and caregivers basic psychosocial support, tips on engaging with children and discuss health and hygiene issues.

This research examines the implementation of technology-based learning, such as the use of android, personal computers, and IPads. The action of this research is the use of digital technology for early childhood on the role of parents during the COVID-19 pandemic. This method was chosen because the researcher wanted to identify the parents' responses through a questionnaire on the use of technology as well as some of the roles of parents towards their children during taking advantage of this technology. That way, the survey method is considered very suitable to be used and in line with the function of survey research, namely to collect and explain opinions or opinions from a group of people (samples) on a particular topic. The number of samples in this study was 385 respondents (parents). The simple random technique is the sampling technique of choice used by researchers in sampling. Location research is Bahawalpur City. This research data was obtained online through the google forms platform. The instrument used is a questionnaire regarding the use of technology through the role of parents. The statements in this research questionnaire are 10 statements. There are five Likert scales used, namely very often (5), often (4), sometimes (3), never (2), and never (1).

This study explores how the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic influenced family routines, relationships and technology use (smartphones and tablet computers) among families with infants. Infancy is known to be an important period for attachment security and future child development, and a time of being susceptible to changes within and outside of the family unit. A qualitative design using convenience sampling was employed. A total of 30 mothers in Perth, Western Australia participated in semi-structured interviews by audio or video call. All mothers were parents of infants aged 9 to 15 months old. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed, and data were analysed using thematic analysis to code and identify themes in an inductive manner.

This report examines the role that digital technologies and online solutions can play in ending child, early and forced marriage (CEFM) in the Asia-Pacific region. Based on an in-depth literature review and key informant interviews, it explores the ways in which Plan International Asia-Pacific Regional Hub (APAC) and other child-rights based development organisations have integrated digital technologies in their programmatic and influencing approaches towards eliminating CEFM in the region. It also introduces some of the digital technologies that have been developed by the private sector, which can be effective in CEFM prevention. Drawing on these insights, the report develops a series of recommendations about how digital technologies can be leveraged most effectively to reach scale and generate impact in eradicating CEFM.

COVID-19 significantly affects all our normal life daily especially health care services, so it’s important to find and implement innovative approaches to help individuals at a high risk to resume normal life daily. The usage of digital technologies and social networking has grown rapidly over the last decades, and these technologies are increasingly being incorporated into health education. In this study, we discussed the importance of using the mHealth technology for schoolchildren with chronic disease during the COVID-19 era, and we have used Social Learning Theory and Technology Acceptance Model from the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) as the theoretical framework for the present study. The previous study concluded the mobile device being studied is a reliable way of helping schoolchildren increase awareness their disease, but further research efforts should assess the impact of application usage on disease outcomes over a more extended follow-up period as compared to traditional care.

2.2 billion children and young people aged 25 years or less do not have internet access at home, according to the How Many Children and Youth Have Internet Access at Home report, a joint effort by UNICEF and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Using the latest available household survey data, the report finds significant inequities between countries, regions, wealth groups and urban-rural settings. For example, only 5 per cent of children and young people in West and Central Africa have internet access at home compared to the 33 per cent global average. Differences are starker yet between rich and poor countries, with only 6 per cent of children and young people in low-income countries having internet access compared to 87 per cent in high-income countries.

Significantly expanding internet access is vital for ensuring that all children and young people are learning and acquiring the knowledge and skills they need to support a sustainable future. To this end, UNICEF has joined forces with ITU to launch Giga, an ambitious global initiative to connect every school to the internet. With the support of Generation Unlimited, UNICEF is also working under the Reimagine Education initiative, which aims to address the learning crisis and transform education by giving children and young people equal access to quality digital learning.

In 2017, the National Association of School Psychologists described tele-assessment as the least researched area of telehealth. This became problematic in 2020 when COVID-19 curtailed the administration of face-to-face assessments. Publishers began to offer computer-adapted tele-assessment methods for tests that had only previously been administered in person. Recommendations for adapted tele-assessment practice had to be developed with little empirical data. The current study analyzed recommendations from entities including professional organizations, test publishers, and governmental offices.

This report, and the survey findings behind it, provides a unique insight into the perspectives of EdTech experts regarding the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on education in Africa. It is based on the findings of a survey of the eLearning Africa network, which attracted approximately 1650 responses from respondents in 52 countries in Africa.

The COVID-19 pandemic is asking specialists in the field of child neuropsychiatry and rehabilitation to at least partially shift to tele-medicine programs. This unprecedented period of healthcare and socio-economic crisis can become an opportunity. Indeed, by improving our ability to use innovative technologies to respond to the special healthcare needs of children with disability and their families, we may proceed forward to build more inclusive societies and smarter healthcare systems.

This case study explores the role of technology in education among low-income Latino residents living in a mobile park in Silicon Valley. Through surveys and in-person interviews with parents and children, qualitative data on home Internet access and availability of technological devices utilized for school-related purposes are reported. The results of this study indicate that despite having a baseline level of access to technology as well as an understanding of its importance in the context of a child’s education, our study population currently faces significant barriers to having adequate access to technology at home due to socioeconomic barriers.

Smart phone applications are the debatable and burning issue of different organizations during Covid-19, which is focusing on learning activities of students. This paper aims to implement the Smart phone applications towards the learning activities of both primary and secondary level education. Primary data was collected by firsthand (Primary source of information) producing the set of questions in English language consisting of two factors of variables using five point measuring scale (strongly agree, agree, neutral, disagree, and strongly disagree). Whereas, Secondary data has also been used for literature review that justifies our research work; in the light of numerous academic articles of various authors.

The purpose of this review is to provide evidence on four effective distance learning modalities that can be implemented in USAID-recipient countries during and beyond emergencies. These four distance learning modalities—radio/audio, video/television, mobile phone programming, and online learning—are examined alongside the technologies used to access distance learning (radios, mobile phones, televisions, tablets, and, to a lesser extent, computers). While these modalities can be implemented in conflict settings and during crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic when learning institutions are closed, their utility also extends beyond these extreme circumstances in order to promote inclusion and to increase access to quality teaching and learning.