Mothers' Interpretation of E-learning during COVID-19 Pandemic

The global spread of COVID-19 has caused disruptions in many aspects of our lives. Education systems worldwide have changed dramatically. Numerous countries have encouraged schools to shift to e-learning and, as a result, parental involvement in their children’s education has changed. This study focused on mothers’ involvement in children’s education during the COVID-19 pandemic and probed their interpretations of e-learning. The study applied a qualitative approach based on grounded theory. The participants were selected by purposeful sampling method with convenience and snowball sampling techniques. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 26 mothers aged 29-49 who had at least one primary school child. The data were analyzed using theoretical coding method at both open and axial levels and seven main categories were derived. These categories included: 1. Double mental stress, 2. Disruptions to daily routines, 3. The role of mother/teacher, 4. Homework obsession, 5. Students’ academic dissociation, 6. Breaking the virtual taboo, and 7. Having doubts about learning and assessment. In the conclusion part, the extracted categories and subcategories were discussed.