ABSTRACT

Research Findings: During COVID-19 many countries, including the U.S., implemented stay-at-home policies that closed most schools and childcare centers. This research focuses on the home learning environment reported by parents for U.S. children ages two through nine during the COVID-19 crisis. Parents in the U.S. (N = 162) completed an online survey of multiple choice and short-answer questions about the home literacy and digital environment. All data in this convenience sample were collected during the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis (May 2020). Despite the limited, nonrepresentative sample, these findings provide an initial, mainly descriptive report about the home learning environment during COVID-19. Key findings are related to home literacy and digital activities during COVID-19. Children, regardless of age, engaged in more at-home digital activities during COVID-19 than before. Children in first grade and older increased digital use significantly more than younger ones. There was a significant correlation between frequency of digital usage and home literacy activities. Practice or Policy: Virtual learning opportunities are becoming a reality for even the youngest children in the U.S. This has increased with in-school closures during COVID-19 and may continue as some children return to school. Using digital devices for participating in literacy activities may be an effective means of promoting children’s literacy development.

摘要

研究结果：在 COVID-19 期间，包括美国在内的许多国家/地区实施了居家政策，关闭了大多数学校和托儿中心。这项研究的重点是父母在 COVID-19 危机期间为 2 至 9 岁美国儿童报告的家庭学习环境。美国的父母（N= 162) 完成了一项关于家庭素养和数字环境的多项选择题和简答题的在线调查。此便利样本中的所有数据都是在 COVID-19 危机开始时（2020 年 5 月）收集的。尽管样本有限，没有代表性，但这些发现提供了关于 COVID-19 期间家庭学习环境的初步、主要是描述性的报告。主要发现与 COVID-19 期间的家庭识字和数字活动有关。无论年龄大小，在 COVID-19 期间，儿童在家中参与的数字活动比以前更多。一年级及以上的儿童比年幼的儿童增加了数字使用量。数字使用频率与家庭扫盲活动之间存在显着相关性。实践或政策：即使是美国最小的孩子，虚拟学习机会也正在成为现实，随着 COVID-19 期间学校停课，这种情况有所增加，并且随着一些孩子重返学校，这种情况可能会持续下去。使用数字设备参与扫盲活动可能是促进儿童识字发展的有效手段。