Adolescent schooling and technology use in urban and rural Peru: a longitudinal study before and after the COVID-19 pandemic

• In Event: Overcoming Barriers and Navigating Processes: Expanding Technology Use in Education

Proposal

The COVID-19 pandemic and massive school closures had a significant impact on education worldwide, with differentiated effects on societies defined by cultural psychology as WEIRD [Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich and Democratic] (Heine, 2016) and non-WEIRD. In the former, the transition to distance education has been facilitated by greater access to technology and clear structures for achieving distance learning goals (Abizanda et al., 2022; UNESCO et al., 2021). In non-WEIRD societies, such as Peru, the reality was different. It experienced one of the longest periods without face-to-face education -two years- and forced digitisation exacerbated existing inequalities. Thus, digital and socio-economic disparities hindered the appropriate use of technology, negatively impacting learning and student well-being. This study was guided by the following question: To what extent have the schooling and learning experiences of adolescents in Peru changed before and after the pandemic? Specifically, we aimed to explore how they perceive technologies, as new cultural artifacts, to have influenced their educational experiences, and how they value their learning when comparing face-to-face and distance education.

To understand this scenario in non-WEIRD and culturally diverse environments, we conducted research based on a cultural psychology framework aimed at analyzing the experiences of school culture, learning and the use of technologies among adolescents in Peru (Cole, 2003). Using a framework rooted in Vygotsky's (1978) cultural-historical theory, we understand that mental functions emerge and develop through social interactions and are then internalized, which happens through the mediation of cultural artifacts. In this context, we understand Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) as cultural artifacts that mediate educational experiences and have the potential to facilitate learning.
From this perspective, schools are understood as enculturative institutions, since it is not possible to understand development and learning without considering the socio-cultural context in which it occurs (Cole, 2003). Therefore, it is also important to understand school culture, which is defined as a system of beliefs, norms, values, and traditions historically transmitted in the school, shared by its members, and shaping their relationships (Cullingford, 2002; Deal & Peterson, 1999). Most existing research on this topic comes from WEIRD societies, leaving a gap in understanding how these issues play out in non-WEIRD contexts like Peru, especially in rural areas. Furthermore, there is a lack of longitudinal studies that examine educational experiences before and after the pandemic.

To address this gap, we conducted an exploratory longitudinal study with a qualitative phenomenological design and thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006). This design allows an in-depth exploration of experiences, understood from cultural psychology as cultural constructs that are transformed according to each person's assessment of reality (Esteban, 2008). The study followed 22 adolescents (16 males and 16 females) across two rounds (2019 and 2022). Since the study sought to generate representative information from sectors historically segregated by academia, the participants belonged to seven schools across Peru: three from the capital Lima (north, south-central), two from Cusco (rural and urban), and two from Tarapoto (rural and urban). These regions were selected due to their medium Human Development Index (HDI), representing average Peruvian adolescents.

The findings reveal that digitization was a disruptive phenomenon in the seven schools due to the limited digital literacy of the schools, teachers and students. Before the pandemic, the most commonly used ICT was the smartphone, and was primarily used for socialization among peers and with their families. In schools, technologies were not integrated into the teaching structure. After the pandemic, the use of ICT ceased to be an alternative and became a necessity. Teaching, mainly done through WhatsApp, consisted of sending materials through PDFs or explanations through messages and audios. Video calls were made in some schools, but only at the individual initiative of some teachers. In rural areas where internet access was limited, education relied on radio and television, difficulties that led some students to disengage entirely from school.

School satisfaction changed markedly due to the pandemic. Prior to the pandemic, most adolescents had mixed feelings about school, highlighting positive peer and teacher relationships, but pointing out negative aspects such as traditional teaching. During the pandemic, the assessment of distance education became predominantly negative. This was associated with limited interaction with teachers and students, the disorganization of virtual classes and the lack of adequate spaces in their homes to study. Even those who had previously rated school positively and had high academic performance expressed that they "learned nothing" during the pandemic. This realization led students to recognize the importance of ICTs and advocate for their integration into school curricula. However, upon returning to face-to-face education, these technologies were largely abandoned, highlighting a resistance to digitalization and a lack of resources that keep the educational system outdated and ill-prepared for 21st-century challenges.

This shows that 21st-century adolescents, especially in non-western cultural contexts, do not necessarily possess technological skills. In fact, the advance of ICTs contributes to the widening of the digital, educational and social gaps. Particularly, affecting adolescents in more precarious regions and schools. While digital literacy is an urgency for full access to education, it should be a gradual and non-disruptive process, alongside a deeper transformation in teaching and learning methods. Moreover, it is crucial to acknowledge the role of social interaction in learning, which adolescents report as fundamental. Therefore, ICTs should enhance social interaction while emphasizing the continued value of face-to-face experiences. In these contexts, the use of local cultural artifacts can provide a contextualized and culturally relevant ICT learning and adoption.

Authors

• Maria Angélica Pease, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú

• Natalia Elena Figueroa Casas, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú

• Ariadna Quintanilla, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú