Tulsa SEED Study Looks at Distance Learning During Pandemic

The Tulsa SEED Study published a brief describing the experiences of parents and teachers of first graders in Tulsa since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Tulsa SEED Study, initiated in 2016, is following a diverse sample of children from low-income families from age 3 through fourth grade to understand the effects of attending pre-k programs on children’s learning and development.

Professor and Early Childhood Education Institute Director Diane Horm is one of the principal investigators in the study.

Key findings of the study include:

·      The effects of the pandemic cascade into the financial, physical and mental health of parents, children and teachers.

·      Families of color, who have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic, reported relatively higher levels of income loss and food insecurity.

·      Pervasive experiences of food insecurity were linked to feelings of depression; schools provided a lifeline to food.

·      Opportunities for learning shrunk dramatically with the shift to remote instruction, especially for children with special needs.

·      Teachers struggled to motivate their young learners while parents struggled to find the time to help them.

To read the brief, visit Tulsa Seed Study.