Project 47

Project Summary

Since the start of COVID-19-related social distancing, the inequity between students’ access to supportive home-learning environments has become increasingly apparent. Socially distanced learning is not accessible for all students. Low-income families may have technological disadvantages such as lack of access to technology or unreliable internet; parents may be unable to dedicate the time or attention necessary to help their children or enroll them in enrichment opportunities (tutoring programs, virtual activities, etc.); and children may struggle with the learning styles needed for the virtual classroom. Additional struggles arising from distance learning include lack of interest in virtual lessons, exposure to predators and other dangers from unsupervised internet use, and parents with young children having to work more hours due to the difficulty of having to care for their children during the workday. With the difficult return to school this fall and predictions that learning effectiveness will decrease 63-68% in reading and 37-50% in math skills following the educational disruptions of COVID-19, this project seeks to explore how to provide effective and equitable access to education and childcare while maintaining proper safety for those involved. A diverse team of students will consider strategies to provide support for parents and students who are not able to access available resources to create good home-learning environments for online classes, after-school programs, and/or summer learning. Students might have interests in education, the social sciences, social equity and advocacy, youth and community support, digital communication, and improving student experience.

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Sustainable Development Goals

• Distance Learning
• Youth
• Education Equity
• COVID-19