CHILDREN'S PERSPECTIVE ON EMERGENCY REMOTE LEARNING

Abstract

The years 2020 and 2021 were historically marked by the Covid-19 pandemic. Social isolation was decreed in several countries as a measure to contain the spread of the virus, and various sectors of society sought to adapt to the established context. In view of this, the education sector instituted Emergency Remote Education (ERE) so that classes could be maintained and students would not be pedagogically disadvantaged during the school year. This study, resulting from a professional master's degree research project, set out to investigate, from the perspective of children in the early years of elementary school, how learning took place during the ERE period during the pandemic. This is a qualitative, exploratory study. The following methodological procedures were used: conversation circles, semi-structured interviews, and document analysis. The theoretical framework was structured based on the contributions of Corsaro (2011), Moss (2002), Formosinho (2007), Mizukami (1986), Saldanha (2020), Behar (2020), and Bardin (2016). The results showed that children considered the ERE experience to be bad, in general, expressing a preference for face-to-face classes. Difficulties with internet connection and access impaired the quality of classes in that format. The classes in which children expressed greater satisfaction and interest are related to playful content. The commitment and dedication of teachers and families was essential for the children to learn. Partial learning was also observed in this teaching format, considering the established context.