2- Struggles of primary school students with online learning during COVID-19

Struggles of primary school students with online learning during COVID-19 1 2.0 Methodology 2.1 Research Question What are the effects of online learning on primary students’ academic performance during the COVID-19 Pandemic? 2.2 Hypothesis Online learning during Covid-19 has taken a major toll on primary school students’ academic performance, dealing some unsalvageable damages to their academic future. 2.3 Research Design This study utilizes a descriptive research design; since it solely aims to thoroughly describe the effects and impacts that online learning during COVID-19 had on primary school students’ overall academic performances, without the establishment of any relationships, conducting any experiment, or diagnosing or giving any causation for the resultants and outcomes of the research study. 2.4 Population and Sample The study targets a population of 2 Saudi Arabian primary schools with a sample of 300 teachers and parents from two primary schools, and 10 Saudi primary school students, ages 8- 10 with guardian consensus. The study depends on probability sampling as random teachers and parents were chosen to participate, with the use of the stratified random sampling method dividing the sample into smaller groups. The first strata being 150 teachers of primary school students, the second being, 150 parents of the students, and the third and final strata being 10 primary school students from which qualitative data will be obtained. 2.5 Ethical Considerations As the study involves primary school students, their guardians/parents will be contacted and Struggles of primary school students with online learning during COVID-19 2 informed about the study and informed consent will be obtained. The other participants are schoolteachers and parents, their voluntary participation will also be sought through informed consent. Participants will be assured about the anonymity of their participation. They will also be briefed about the process of securing their data. 2.6 Data collection tools This study utilizes a mixed method approach for its reliability and concrete results, using both qualitative and quantitative data collection tools. It targets the adult stakeholders, the 300 parents and teachers of the primary students, through online surveys, while the study takes a qualitative approach towards the child component of the research study through specific and intense interviews with the 10 primary school students for maximum efficiency. 2.6.1 Surveys This study will solely depend on online surveys and questionnaires in the collection of quantitative data; since online surveys have a higher likelihood of being actually completed, are easier to spread around, and are an overall more effective and direct survey method. The survey will be composed of 20 questions split into 2 parts. The first part being multiple choice questions regarding the effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic and the struggles it caused for the people. Secondly, open-ended questions on the emotional toll of online learning on 300 parents and teachers of primary school students and the necessary improvements and troubleshooting areas to be focused on when attempting to rectify and stabilize this study method. 2.6.2 Interviews The qualitative interviews to be conducted with the 10 primary school students of 8-10 years of age require the consent of their guardians and will be conducted on school campus during school after hours, and after acquiring that consent the interviews will go as follows: 20 minutes of English question and answer session; therefore, the interview will be conducted with Struggles of primary school students with online learning during COVID-19 3 students capable of articulating their thought and emotions into English words. 2.7 Data Analysis This research utilizes a mixed method approach, by collecting and analyzing both qualitative data and quantitative data, and thereby will utilize different means of data analysis for each data types. For qualitative data, the qualitative content analysis route will be taken to ensure that both the meaning and placement of the words in the answers of the sample. On the other hand, the Excel application will be used to analyze the quantitative data to analyze the occurrences of different answers, the connection between the survey participants who gave the same answers, and the authenticity and dependability of the results.