From gatekeeper to proto-online tutor: The role of parents in digital education

This paper presents a cross-national qualitative study examining the role of parents in digital education during the Covid-19 pandemic in five schools in each of four European countries—Cyprus, Ireland, Malta, and Northern Ireland. Unlike previous studies that largely document the unprepared transition to remote teaching during the first lockdown (March-June 2020), this research investigates how parents adapted to new roles, navigated complex circumstances, and maintained changes in their involvement in digital education during the subsequent lockdowns and reopening periods. The study also examines the impact of socio-economic status on parental engagement and the influence of school type on parental embrace of digital education. The findings indicate that while socio-economic status and school type have some impact, other factors such as access to resources, immigrant status, and language barriers play a significant role in parental engagement. Despite differences in educational systems and cultural contexts, similar challenges persisted across the countries. The paper argues for more context-sensitive strategies to enhance parental engagement in digital education.