“It’s Not the Same as School”: Online Learning During COVID-19 for Families Facing Socially Disadvantaging Circumstances and the Role of a Community Organization

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18357/jcs511202622167

Keywords:

COVID-19, school, community organization, children, social disadvantage

Abstract

Based on the transition to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, we studied the experiences of families and children facing socially disadvantaging circumstances in Montréal in navigating this novel learning environment, with a focus on community organization supports. These families faced pronounced difficulties adapting to online learning due to disorganized communication with schools, unexpected shifts in parents’ roles, and resource constraints. However, the community organization was instrumental in supporting families and promoting a sense of agency in children. Policymakers ought to prioritize investment in community organizations that target educational supports to prevent/reduce adverse outcomes associated with pandemics or other public health emergencies.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Araújo, L. A., Veloso, C. F., Souza, M. C., Azevedo, J. M. C., & Tarro, G. (2021). The potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on child growth and development: A systematic review. Journal of Pediatrics, 97(4), 369–377. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jped.2020.08.008 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jped.2020.08.008

Blagg, K., Blom, E., Gallagher, M., & Rainer, M. (2020). Mapping student needs during COVID-19: An assessment of remote learning environments. https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/84bf7674-6900-4853-9a5b-a04643ed23bb/content

Bradshaw, C., Atkinson, S., & Doody, O. (2017). Employing a qualitative description approach in health care research. Global Qualitative Nursing Research, 4, 2333393617742282. https://doi.org/10.1177/2333393617742282 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/2333393617742282

Braveman, P., & Gottlieb, L. (2014). The social determinants of health: It’s time to consider the causes of the causes. Public Health Reports, 129(1_suppl2), 19–31. https://doi.org/10.1177/00333549141291s206 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/00333549141291S206

Caelli, K., Ray, L., & Mill, J. (2003). “Clear as mud”: Toward greater clarity in generic qualitative research. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 2(2), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1177/160940690300200201 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/160940690300200201

Carnevale, F. A. (2020). A “thick” conception of children’s voices: A hermeneutical framework for childhood research. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 19, 1609406920933767. https://doi.org/10.1177/1609406920933767 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1609406920933767

Carnevale, F. A., Collin-Vézina, D., Macdonald, M. E., Ménard, J.-F., Talwar, V., & Van Praagh, S. (2021). Childhood ethics: An ontological advancement for childhood studies. Children & Society, 35(1), 110–124. https://doi.org/10.1111/chso.12406 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/chso.12406

Christakis, N. A., & Fowler, J. H. (2009). Connected: The surprising power of our social networks and how they shape our lives. Little, Brown & Company.

Crnic, K. A., & Booth, C. L. (1991). Mothers’ and fathers’ perceptions of daily hassles of parenting across early childhood. Journal of Marriage and Family, 53(4), 1042–1050. https://doi.org/10.2307/353007 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/353007

Ewing, L.-A., & Cooper, H. B. (2021). Technology-enabled remote learning during COVID-19: Perspectives of Australian teachers, students, and parents. Technology, Pedagogy, and Education, 30(1), 41–57. https://doi.org/10.1080/1475939X.2020.1868562 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1475939X.2020.1868562

Fatimah, A. S., & Santiana, S. (2017). Teaching in 21st century: Students-teachers’ perceptions of technology use in the classroom. Script Journal: Journal of Linguistic and English Teaching, 2(2), 125–135. https://doi.org/10.24903/sj.v2i2.132 DOI: https://doi.org/10.24903/sj.v2i2.132

Fontenelle-Tereshchuk, D. (2021). “Homeschooling” and the COVID-19 crisis: The insights of parents on curriculum and remote learning. Interchange, 52, 167–191. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10780-021-09420-w DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10780-021-09420-w

Frønes, I. (1993). Changing childhood. Childhood, 1(1), 1–2. https://doi.org/10.1177/090756829300100101 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/090756829300100101

Gajjar, N. (2013). The role of technology in 21st century education. International Journal for Research in Education, 2(2), 23–25. https://doi.org/10.6007/IJARPED/v14-i4/26704 DOI: https://doi.org/10.6007/IJARPED/v14-i4/26704

Galman, S. C. (2019). Naptime at the O.K. Corral: Shane’s beginner’s guide to childhood ethnography. Routledge. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203712474

Greenway, C. W., & Eaton-Thomas, K. (2020). Parent experiences of home-schooling children with special educational needs or disabilities during the coronavirus pandemic. British Journal of Special Education, 47(4), 510–535. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8578.12341 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8578.12341

Kopel, L. S., Phipatanakul, W., & Gaffin, J. M. (2014). Social disadvantage and asthma control in children. Paediatric respiratory reviews, 15(3), 256–263. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prrv.2014.04.017 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prrv.2014.04.017

Lachance, A. (2024). Disrupting the national education policy framework: COVID-19 measures during the pandemic. Regional & Federal Studies, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1080/13597566.2024.2410728 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13597566.2024.2410728

Larcher, V., & Brierley, J. (2020). Children of COVID-19: Pawns, pathfinders, or partners? Journal of Medical Ethics, 46(8), 508–509. https://doi.org/10.1136/medethics-2020-106465 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/medethics-2020-106465

Larson, L. C., & Miller, T. N. (2011). 21st century skills: Prepare students for the future. Kappa Delta Pi Record, 47(3), 121–123. https://doi.org/10.1080/00228958.2011.10516575 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00228958.2011.10516575

McCabe, A., Gilchrist, A., Harris, K., Afridi, A., & Kyprianou, P. (2013). Making the links: Poverty, ethnicity, and social networks. https://www.jrf.org.uk/race-and-ethnicity/making-the-links-poverty-ethnicity-and-social-networks

McDonell, J. R., Ben-Arieh, A., & Melton, G. B. (2015). Strong communities for children: Results of a multi-year community-based initiative to protect children from harm. Child Abuse & Neglect, 41, 79–96. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2014.11.016 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2014.11.016

McGrath, C., Palmgren, P. J., & Liljedahl, M. (2019). Twelve tips for conducting qualitative research interviews. Medical Teacher, 41(9), 1002–1006. https://doi.org/10.1080/0142159X.2018.1497149 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/0142159X.2018.1497149

Merriam, S. B. (1997). Qualitative research and case study applications in education: Revised and expanded from case study research in education. Jossey-Bass. https://books.google.ca/books?id=kYMtQgAACAAJ

Montreuil, M., & Carnevale, F. A. (2016). A concept analysis of children’s agency within the health literature. Journal of Child Health Care, 20(4), 503–511. https://doi.org/10.1177/1367493515620914 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1367493515620914

Montreuil, M., Saint-Laurent, O., & Carnevale, F. A. (2017). The moral experiences of children living in poverty: A focused ethnography. Journal of Childhood Studies, 42(2), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.18357/jcs.v42i2.17837 DOI: https://doi.org/10.18357/jcs.v42i2.17837

Moore, T., McDonald, M., McHugh-Dillon, H., & West, S. (2016). Community engagement: A key strategy for improving outcomes for Australian families. Child Family Community Australia Paper No. 39. https://aifs.gov.au/sites/default/files/cfca39-community-engagement_0.pdf

Neergaard, M. A., Olesen, F., Andersen, R. S., & Sondergaard, J. (2009). Qualitative description: The poor cousin of health research? BMC Medical Research Methodology, 9(1), 52. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2288-9-52 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2288-9-52

Nicholson, J., Kurnik, J., Jevgjovikj, M., & Ufoegbune, V. (2015). Deconstructing adults’ and children’s discourse on children’s play: Listening to children’s voices to destabilise deficit narratives. Early Child Development and Care, 185(10), 1569–1586. https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430.2015.1011149 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430.2015.1011149

Patel, J. A., Nielsen, F. B. H., Badiani, A. A., Assi, S., Unadkat, V. A., Patel, B., Ravindrane, R., & Wardle, H. (2020). Poverty, inequality, and COVID-19: The forgotten vulnerable. Public Health, 183, 110–111. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2020.05.006 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2020.05.006

Patel, V., Lund, B., Hatherill, S., Plagerson, S., Corrigall, J., Funk, M., & Flisher, A. J. (2010). Mental disorders: Equity and social determinants. In E. Blas & A. Sivasankara Kurup (Eds.), Equity, social determinants, and public health programmes (pp. 115–134). World Health Organization.

Pozo, J.-I., Pérez Echeverría, M.-P., Cabellos, B., & Sánchez, D. L. (2021). Teaching and learning in times of COVID-19: Uses of digital technologies during school lockdowns. Frontiers in Psychology, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.656776 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.656776

Robinson, M., & White, G. (1998). The democratic developmental state: Politics and institutional design. Oxford University Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198293828.001.0001

Rousoulioti, T., Tsagari, D., & Giannikas, C. N. (2022). Parents’ new role and needs during the COVID-19 educational emergency. Interchange, 53(3), 429–455. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10780-022-09464-6 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10780-022-09464-6

Salmons, J. (2014). Qualitative online interviews: Strategies, design, and skills. SAGE. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4135/9781071878880

Sandel, M., Faugno, E., Mingo, A., Cannon, J., Byrd, K., Garcia, D. A., Collier, S., McClure, E., & Boynton-Jarrett, R. (2016). Neighborhood-level interventions to improve childhood opportunity and lift children out of poverty. Academic Pediatrics, 16(3 Suppl), S128–135. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acap.2016.01.013 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acap.2016.01.013

Sandelowski, M. (2000). Whatever happened to qualitative description? Research in Nursing & Health, 23(4), 334–340. https://doi.org/10.1002/1098-240X(200008)23:4%3C334::AID-NUR9%3E3.0.CO;2-G DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/1098-240X(200008)23:4<334::AID-NUR9>3.0.CO;2-G

Siedlikowski, S., Van Praagh, S., Shevell, M., & Carnevale, F. A. (2022). Agency in everyday life: An ethnography of the moral experiences of children and youth. Children & Society, 36(4), 661–676. https://doi.org/10.1111/chso.12524 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/chso.12524

Tabner, I. T. (2020). Five ways coronavirus lockdowns increase inequality. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/five-ways-coronavirus-lockdowns-increase-inequality-135767 DOI: https://doi.org/10.64628/AB.t6tcmvf6g

U.S. Code of Federal Regulations. (1998). §124.103: Who is socially disadvantaged? e-CFR. Retrieved January 2, 2026, from: https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=cc7772618c4b17f4b56336c2dd3e19bd&mc=true&node=se13.1.124_1103&rgn=div8

Vaismoradi, M., Turunen, H., & Bondas, T. (2013). Content analysis and thematic analysis: Implications for conducting a qualitative descriptive study. Nursing & Health Sciences, 15(3), 398–405. https://doi.org/10.1111/nhs.12048 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/nhs.12048

Valencia, R. (2010). Dismantling contemporary deficit thinking: Educational thought and practice. Routledge. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203853214

Van Lancker, W., & Parolin, Z. (2020). COVID-19, school closures, and child poverty: A social crisis in the making. The Lancet Public Health, 5(5), e243–e244. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2468-2667(20)30084-0 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S2468-2667(20)30084-0

Wallner, J. (2012). Political structures, social diversity, and public policy: Comparing mandatory education in Canada and the United States. Comparative Political Studies, 45(7), 850–874. https://doi.org/10.1177/0010414011428590 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0010414011428590

Welcome Hall Mission. (2025). Welcome Hall Mission: About. https://welcomehallmission.com/about-us/

Westrupp, E. M., Stokes, M. A., Fuller-Tyszkiewicz, M., Berkowitz, T. S., Capic, T., Khor, S., Greenwood, C. J., Mikocka-Walus, A., Sciberras, E., Youssef, G. J., Olsson, C. A., & Hutchinson, D. (2021). Subjective wellbeing in parents during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 145, 110482. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychores.2021.110482 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychores.2021.110482

Wong, R. S., Tung, K. T. S., Rao, N., Chan, K. L., Fu, K.-W., Yam, J. C., Tso, W. W. Y., Wong, W. H. S., Lum, T. Y. S., Wong, I. C. K., & Ip, P. (2022). Using latent class analyses to examine health disparities among young children in socially disadvantaged families during the COVID-19 pandemic. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(13), 7893. https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/13/7893 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19137893

World Health Organization. (2020). WHO director-general’s opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19, 11 March 2020. https://www.who.int/director-general/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-on-covid-19---11-march-2020

Wu, M., Xu, W., Yao, Y., Zhang, L., Guo, L., Fan, J., & Chen, J. (2020). Mental health status of students’ parents during COVID-19 pandemic and its influence factors. General Psychiatry, 33(4), e100250. https://doi.org/10.1136/gpsych-2020-100250 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/gpsych-2020-100250

Yates, A., Starkey, L., Egerton, B., & Flueggen, F. (2021). High school students’ experience of online learning during COVID-19: The influence of technology and pedagogy. Technology, Pedagogy, and Education, 30(1), 59–73. https://doi.org/10.1080/1475939X.2020.1854337 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1475939X.2020.1854337

Downloads

Published

2026-03-05

How to Cite

Campbell, S., Wang, R. L., & Carnevale, F. (2026). “It’s Not the Same as School”: Online Learning During COVID-19 for Families Facing Socially Disadvantaging Circumstances and the Role of a Community Organization. Journal of Childhood Studies, 51(1), 24–42. https://doi.org/10.18357/jcs511202622167

Issue

Section

Articles from Research