Palestinian mothers’ perceptions about online learning at public and private elementary schools during COVID-19: challenges and recommendations

Abstract

Abstract This research study investigated Palestinian mothers’ perceptions about online learning due to the sudden shift to online learning under COVID-19. The study focuses on the time period: March 5, 2020 to August, 2020 before the new school year 2020/2021 began. The primary purpose was to reveal the challenges mothers of children in grades 1-4 faced while helping their children learn at home. The researcher distributed an online questionnaire to a sample of mothers in Ramallah area, Palestine to which 131 mothers responded. Out of that sample, 8 mothers were interviewed. Results indicate that mothers found online learning extremely challenging, especially mothers who worked. Although they realized this was an emergency situation, they recounted a lack of preparation, a lack of technology, ineffective, uninteresting, and demotivating online instruction, and a lack of overall Ministry preparation for such a crisis. Recommendations are offered to minimize such challenges in the future under the same or similar situations.