Families and Tech During COVID-19 Study

• In Event: Remote Research Methods to Understand How Families and Educators Are Navigating Youth Learning During the Pandemic

Abstract

Objective
This research aims to understand parents’ experiences with technology in the home during this pandemic, through the Asynchronous Remote Communities (ARC) method. Our goals were to identify and share the greatest stressors families face, and design recommendations for improving everyday family tools such as remote learning technologies. Our research questions include: what tactics, technologies, and social resources do families use to meet daily needs and structure their lives? What are the top concerns and barriers that marginalized families face? Finally, through co-design activities, we support families to envision potential solutions to address their needs during times of crisis and prolonged social isolation.

Methods & Data
320 families completed a screener survey indicating interest in participating. We enrolled diverse 30 families with children (ages of 3 to 13, preschool through 8th grade) and divided them into three groups. Our study applies the ARC methodology (developed by Haley Macleod and researchers), which supports engaging harder to reach populations, communities who face stigma, and geographically disparate communities over time. Over ten weeks, we used the Slack platform to ask families about their home technology needs, to refine their problem statements and identify resources, and to co-design solutions. Weekly prompts ranged from a diary study to community resource and information mapping and co-design activities. Data from the Slack group contributions includes conversation threads, artifacts (i.e., love and break-up letters to technology), and drawings from co-design activities. The data is being analyzed thematically through open coding. In July-August 2020, the team will be conducting compensated follow-up interviews, and determining next steps.

Preliminary Results
The families in the study shared many requests to improve the remote learning systems infrastructures and learning expectations. These include refining features that support finding, tracking, and updating assignments as well as clearly communicating critical information between schools and parents. Other requests include supporting more child autonomy in remote learning. In addition, there are greaters risks in falling behind for children who need extra support, such as children with learning disabilities and limited device access at home . Special efforts need to be made to accommodate students with Individualized Education Program and limited device and broadband access for remote schooling.

As parents juggle their work commitments, they also create and maintain new structures, routines, and technology habits for children during the pandemic. Many parents have had to radically shift their expectations on issues such as appropriate amounts of screen time and learning goals and outcomes while negotiating daily decisions based on shifting COVID-19 related policies. At home, they often struggle with sharing spaces, devices, and childcare “shifts.” We urge employers, school systems, and communities to design for reducing parents’ burdens for juggling work and remote learning. For example, workplaces can support parents with more flexible working hours, optional meeting attendance, and opportunities for asynchronous work collaboration.

Significance
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, schools are continuously deciding their remote learning policies. Our research can help advocate for families’ lived experiences so that policy and technology-based decisions are made in service of families’ well-being.

Authors

• Julie Kientz

• Sean Munson

• Jason Yip, University of Washington - Seattle

• Rebecca Michelson