How to structure distance learning in these times of coronavirus
Monica Conz, Sara Vianello, Alberta Xodo, Luana Buffon
On the 30th January 2020, the World Health Organisation declared the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak a public health emergency of international concern. After a few weeks, Italy, one of the first countries affected by the virus, closed all places of aggregation, including schools. In a matter of hours, children found themselves in a completely new situation, forced to face not only the interruption of their school activities, but also a stay at home order in effect until further notice. 55 children aged between 6 and 13 from the Province of Treviso were asked to express their thoughts about distance learning through narrative interviews carried out over Skype during the first ten days of lockdown. From a thematic analysis of the recurring themes, it emerged that the search for informative and emotional support was left in the hands of children, who internalised the rules independently and enacted personal coping strategies. An ad-hoc educational programme aimed at encouraging children’s development of self-regulatory skills and social skills, fostering an informed use of technology, appears to have been necessary.
Keywords
SARS-CoV-2, Pupils, Lockdown, Distance learning, Narrative research.
