Galway Bay fm newsroom - Researchers from the School of Education at NUI Galway have published the findings of a home schooling survey which reveals perceptions of poorer learning progress at home than at school.
The report was conducted between June and August of this year and carried out in collaboration with the National Parents’ Council Primary.
Responses were obtained from 2,733 parents, 896 primary school students and 293 second-level students.
It found a small majority of primary school participants and a large majority of second-level participants felt that they had learned less at home than at school.
Other findings included a decline in interest in ‘schooling at home’ over time, and inadequate technology to support ‘schooling at home’ in some homes.
Researchers also found increased stress and anxiety among parents and students, and concerns over the impossibility of juggling work, home and parenting responsibilities.
A very prominent theme in parent responses was the need for children to return to school full-time for academic, social, and mental health reasons while overall students were also positive about returning to school.
Dr Elaine Keane, co-researcher of the study says the research reflects the unsustainability for working parents with several children, with no childcare, of juggling support for ‘schooling at home’ across multiple learning levels with work-home-childcare responsibilities.
