Schools in Luxembourg are soon to reopen; some students have already been back now. Yet many questions remain. A central argument for reopening schools is that home schooling may increase educational inequalities and that children and teens can no longer cope with social isolation. These issues are now being explored in a study launched by researchers at the University of Luxembourg.
“Social distancing measures and school closures impact the lives of children and adolescents in multiple ways that are currently not yet understood,” the researchers maintain. The team of educationalists, psychologists, and sociologists has therefore launched a large survey in six languages in addition to carrying out a series of in-depth interviews. The study COVID-KIDS seeks the input of children and adolescents aged 6 to 16 to better understand the challenges they face.
“It is important to give children and adolescents a voice,” said project leader Claudine Kirsch. “We are hoping that the findings of this project help us better understand how COVID-19 affects the education and the well-being of children and adolescents in Luxembourg and abroad,” adds Pascale Engel, co-researcher.
The online survey, coordinated at the University of Luxembourg, has just been launched and will be open until 21 June 2020. In addition to the young participants in Luxembourg, the researchers anticipate the participation of those from other countries including Germany, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Portugal, Finland, the UK, the US, and Brazil
Further information on the project are available at covid-kids.uni.lu or by contacting the researchers directly
Contact: claudine.kirsch@uni.lu and pascale.engel@uni.lu