Digital Challenges for Black Families Exposed.

• Position: VIRTUAL SCHOOLING

The unanticipated transition to virtual schooling due to COVID-19 exposed the lack of digital resources and technical know-how among black families in the U.S., relates a study from the University of Missouri, Columbia.

"What we found was parents and caregivers often felt disempowered in the rapidly changing environment, as they did not necessarily feel equipped with the tools or technological sawiness to effectively engage in their children's education the way they felt they needed to," says lead author and post-doctoral fellow Adaobi Anakwe.

Schools were sending students home with devices for online learning without first ensuring families had reliable, consistent Internet access to utilize those devices, and this was a big contributor to parental stress and burnout.

Anakwe indicates that the sudden shift to virtual schooling highlighted the digital divide that already existed for many black families, as a lack of access to reliable Internet can have long-term negative impacts on learning and health outcomes.

The COVID-19 vaccine rollout showcased how important technological resources can be for...