A Thematic Analysis on Challenges and Coping with Online Learning in Parents of Preschool Children

Abstract

Preschoolers have been enrolled in online classes since the COVID-19 pandemic. The transition from offline to online learning was necessary during a pandemic; this has led to a massive change in teaching and learning. The study aims to investigate the difficulties parents of preschool children face and the coping techniques adopted by these parents to deal with these issues. The data was collected through semi-structured interviews with 11 parents of preschool children. The data collected was subjected to qualitative synthesis in the form of thematic analysis. The results present six main themes: the impact of online learning on children; problems faced by parents of preschool children; the roles of teachers; strategies applied by parents to improve online learning; and environmental factors that impacted learning. Varied opinions regarding online learning by the participants have also been discussed. This study will benefit schools, institutions, and organisations. It may help them realise that working fathers should be granted paternity leave; children of other ages may benefit from the findings; and it may also aid in enhancing the attention span of pre-schoolers. In addition, the parents’ coping skills may benefit as other parents could utilise these tactics to help their children learn more effectively.