The Impact of Online Learning as Emerging Technology on Parents: Case Study of Parents of Primary School Children in Nairobi, Kenya.

Abstract

Kenya, as a nation has a stable schooling system based on synchronous classroom learning. The advent of the COVID 19 pandemic has led to the sudden shift in paradigm to remote schooling learning systems. Several studies have been carried out on remote schooling systems and the impact of parent’s involvement in children’s remote school, but none has been sighted on its impact on parents. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of the sudden paradigm shift on parents of remote schooling pupils in Kenya during this pandemic. A descriptive survey design was utilized. Primary data was collected by online questionnaires and secondary data from past studied. The analysis was done with a statistical application. It was found out that, remote schooling may be easily accepted by many Kenyan parents with 39.8% of parents indicating that they will recommend remote schooling having indicated some benefits derived from it and 24.8% indicating that they will not. It was therefore recommended that the national government should address factors that may hinder effective remote learning, thus encouraging parental involvement and support. It was also recommended that the government and education practitioners should officially develop and implement standards and curriculum for the implementation of remote learning in Kenya in preparation for future pandemics.

Keywords: remote schooling, remote learning, descriptive survey design