E-Learning During COVID-19 Lockdown: Qualitative Study Analysis

Introduction and Study Purpose

The purpose of the selected study was to analyze the scope of e-learning methodology in response to a lockdown situation caused by COVID-19 in an educational context. The study by Penarrubia-Lozano et al. (2021) focused specifically on primary and secondary education, examining the experiences of multiple stakeholder groups to assess how effectively online learning was implemented during the pandemic.

Participants and Sampling

The participants were students, teachers, management board members, and students' families belonging to primary and secondary education institutes (Penarrubia-Lozano et al., 2021). The sample was extracted via convenience sampling by considering several criteria: parental role fulfilled by gender (male or female), educational level (primary, secondary, or non-compulsory secondary), type of educational institute (private or state), and willingness and readiness to participate.

Thirty students were included in the sample, of whom 11 were girls and 19 were boys. According to school type, 12 were from state schools and 18 from private schools. According to educational level, 10 were from primary schools, 10 from secondary schools, and the remaining 10 from non-compulsory secondary education. The teachers' category comprised 29 participants, of whom 10 were female and 19 were male. Based on school type, 15 were from state schools and 16 from private schools. According to educational level, 19 were from primary schools and 10 from secondary schools.

Additionally, 6 management board members were selected, of whom 3 were male and 3 were female; 3 were from state schools and 3 from private schools. In the family category, 25 participants were sampled, of whom 13 were mothers and 12 were fathers. In terms of school type, 10 were parents of state school children and 15 were parents of private school children. In terms of educational level, 11 belonged to primary education schools, 8 to secondary, and the remaining 6 to non-compulsory secondary education.

Research Design and Data Collection

The research design of the selected qualitative study is grounded theory, since the aim was to explore participants' experiences regarding the effectiveness of e-learning during the lockdown. For this purpose, various sub-samples—students, teachers, families, and management—were selected to obtain their views through interviews and questionnaires. Their responses and reactions were recorded for thematic analysis, for which codes were generated. The data was collected solely from these participant sources and not drawn from external materials such as textbooks, existing theories, or the views of other researchers (Elkatawneh, 2016, p. 6).

Questionnaires with open-ended questions were used to collect data from students, while semi-structured interviews were conducted with teachers, management board members, and students' families. Research ethics were upheld by obtaining informed consent and ensuring confidentiality, communicated through email invitations. Eleven open-ended questions were included in the questionnaires sent to students, who completed them in approximately 20 minutes on average. Online semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions were conducted with teachers, families, and management board members over 30-minute sessions via Zoom, Skype, and Google Meet.

Mixed triangulation was employed, including triangulation of observers, researchers, and instruments. The article made use of an inductive/deductive approach: the thematic analysis was carried out inductively, examining previously identified problems and elements, while the deductive component scrutinized new issues and challenges likely to emerge. The existing literature provided indications of e-learning applications, and the initial category tree was framed using deductive logic.

Results and Thematic Findings

A concordance analysis was subsequently executed by two researchers for the student interviews, using the kappa coefficient. In this analysis, four units of developing information were integrated into the category tree. A second analysis—an interpersonal reliability analysis—was then conducted, focusing on the interviews with teachers, family members, and management board members, and also using the kappa coefficient.