At-home remote education perspectives during COVID-19: A case study of twelve New York City Public High School parents across the Digital Divide.

Abstract

The gap between people who can access and use digital media, and those who cannot, is known as the “digital divide.” Over the previous three decades, numerous digital divide researchers have considered digital access less of a concern in developed countries. Research has instead focused on other components of the digital divide, such as the quality of digital use and digital literacy. This thesis challenges that recurring assumption and asserts digital access as an urgent concern. School lockdowns made at-home digital access a requirement for education. The implementation, delivery, and receptivity of learning were revised to meet the dramatic move to remote education. Not all households, however, share the same remote education experience. New York City, the city with the largest U.S. broadband internet infrastructure, has over a million homes lacking a standard broadband internet subscription. Thus, students in poverty are at a more significant disadvantage and at an increased risk for widening educational disparities. This thesis explores parents’ lived experience of remote education throughout the pandemic in New York City public high schools to answer the following question: How do parents perceive the effects of remote education during COVID-19? Twelve parents are interviewed across a spectrum of public school rankings. Lived experiences are juxtaposed per two categories (i.e., high/low school rank), and a thematic analysis is conducted to evaluate themes in the data. Parents are essential in developing a more inclusive education system because they provide valuable insight into the home setting. Considering past or ongoing challenges in the digital learning space begins and ends with parents. The aim of this thesis is to provide a more equitable and successful implementation of remote education moving forward.