Socio-digital divides in Norwegian education: How variation in parental mediation and pedagogical approaches influenced experiences of remote schooling during the Covid-19 pandemic

In this study, we investigate how variation in parental mediation and pedagogical approaches influenced experiences of remote schooling during the Covid-19 pandemic in Norway. We draw on a unique dataset of qualitative interview material involving 15 Norwegian school children (aged 6-12) and their families. We found that for many of our participants, the period of remote schooling was characterized by learning alone or with the help of family members. Related to this, variation in parental mediation strategies, including more restrictive and more enabling approaches, combined with variation in pedagogical approaches, influenced our participantsʼ experiences of remote schooling. Both parental mediation and pedagogical approaches in turn influence how our participants experienced the social aspects of learning during the pandemic. Our material and analysis provide insights into how the combination of parental mediation and pedagogical approaches has the potential to sustain and enhance previously underexplored socio-digital divides in Norwegian society.