Behind the Screen: A Case Study of Parent and Student Perceptions of Virtual Learning in Texas, USA

Abstract

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many public schools opted to begin the Fall 2020 school year with virtual instruction, despite some parent’s preference for their children to attend school on campus. Like any product, virtual learning is only as good as the benefits to the customer. In education, the customer is the student, but in the aspect of virtual instruction, the parent is also a customer. This study strives to identify the benefits and challenges revealed by the lived experiences of students learning in a virtual instruction setting and the lived experiences of parents who support their children’s virtual instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results of 14 individual, semi-structured interviews reveal that both parents and students perceive virtual instruction to have a number of drawbacks, but also some opportunities for growth. Virtual instruction is also perceived as a learning format with many challenges, including technology and expected parental support.

Keywords: virtual instruction, virtual learning, virtual school, virtual education, COVID-19, pandemic

DOI: 10.7176/JEP/12-20-02

Publication date:July 31^st 2021