Home Learning Environments Bolster Students’ Academic Resilience during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Evidence from PIRLS

• In Event: AERA Poster Session Wednesday 7:45am
  In Poster Session: Insights from Large-Scale Assessments: Advancing Methods, Measurement, and Learning Opportunities

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic caused widespread educational disruptions, negatively impacting student learning process. However, few studies have examined factors that mitigate these adverse effects. In this study, we use data from PIRLS 2016 and 2021, to investigate how home learning environments during early childhood and the present moderated the relation between school closure duration and changes in reading achievement. Results show that while longer school closures were linked to greater declines in reading achievement across all groups, those from homes with more supportive learning environments experienced less severe impacts. These findings suggest that home learning environments serve as both a longitudinal and concurrent protective factor against educational disruptions.

Authors

• Yufang Ruan, Zhejiang University

• Alec Kennedy, IEA Hamburg

• Rolf Strietholt, IEA Hamburg