Page 118 - Drobnič Janez, Pelc Stanko, Kukanja Gabrijelčič Mojca, Česnik Katarina, Cotič Nastja, Volmut Tadeja. Ur. 2023. Vzgoja in izobraževanje v času covida-19. Koper: Založba Univerze na Primorskem
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ja Krajnčan in Katja Frangež
causing the COVID-19 disease. Thus, an epidemic was declared in Slovenia at
the beginning of March, and with it, related health measures which radically
affected public life and the school system (Urad Vlade Republike Slovenije za
komuniciranje 2020). One of the first measures affected the education sys-
tem along the entire school vertical, namely the beginning of distance learn-
ing on 16th March 2020 (Odlok o začasni prepovedi zbiranja ljudi v zavodih
s področja vzgoje in izobraževanja ter univerzah in samostojnih visokošol-
skih zavodih 2020). This was followed by some interruptions and exceptions;
however, the schools only fully reopened in May 2021 (Ministrstvo za izo-
braževanje, znanost in šport 2021). The data collected and processed there-
fore refer to the time span from March 2020 to the end of the school year
2020/2021.
People’s reactions to the measures and the consequent effects on our daily
lives, changes in daily routines, the way we work or study, and more, were
very different. Nevertheless, the key question is how children, who are them-
selves the most vulnerable group in society, experienced this, as they de-
pend on their parents or guardians in their first years of life (Vlada Republike
Slovenije 2020). More specifically, our research included the following vulner-
able groups of children: gifted children, immigrant children, children of mi-
norities, children whose mother tongue is not Slovene, children from socially
disadvantaged backgrounds and other children in need of more encourage-
ment and help.
We limited our research to children in majority primary schools in Slove-
nia. In Slovenia, primary school is compulsory for all children between the
ages of six and fifteen (Zakon o osnovni šoli 2006), which means we are dis-
cussing the population which has been exceptionally affected by the closure
of educational institutions.
Our research questions or hypotheses derived from the issues described,
which we based on the following objectives: to discover what consequences
the COVID-19 epidemic had for primary school children, to discover how the
COVID-19 epidemic affected the most vulnerable groups of children, to un-
cover in which areas the respondents had the most problems during the dis-
tance learning introduced in the COVID-19 epidemic,’ to identify how the re-
spondents’ work changed as a result of the measures to contain the spread
of the COVID-19 epidemic, and to compare the implementation of additional
professional assistance and learning support during regular schooling versus
distance learning, that is, the implementation of specific forms of individ-
ual assistance for children who were assigned additional professional help
through the Institute of Education.
118
causing the COVID-19 disease. Thus, an epidemic was declared in Slovenia at
the beginning of March, and with it, related health measures which radically
affected public life and the school system (Urad Vlade Republike Slovenije za
komuniciranje 2020). One of the first measures affected the education sys-
tem along the entire school vertical, namely the beginning of distance learn-
ing on 16th March 2020 (Odlok o začasni prepovedi zbiranja ljudi v zavodih
s področja vzgoje in izobraževanja ter univerzah in samostojnih visokošol-
skih zavodih 2020). This was followed by some interruptions and exceptions;
however, the schools only fully reopened in May 2021 (Ministrstvo za izo-
braževanje, znanost in šport 2021). The data collected and processed there-
fore refer to the time span from March 2020 to the end of the school year
2020/2021.
People’s reactions to the measures and the consequent effects on our daily
lives, changes in daily routines, the way we work or study, and more, were
very different. Nevertheless, the key question is how children, who are them-
selves the most vulnerable group in society, experienced this, as they de-
pend on their parents or guardians in their first years of life (Vlada Republike
Slovenije 2020). More specifically, our research included the following vulner-
able groups of children: gifted children, immigrant children, children of mi-
norities, children whose mother tongue is not Slovene, children from socially
disadvantaged backgrounds and other children in need of more encourage-
ment and help.
We limited our research to children in majority primary schools in Slove-
nia. In Slovenia, primary school is compulsory for all children between the
ages of six and fifteen (Zakon o osnovni šoli 2006), which means we are dis-
cussing the population which has been exceptionally affected by the closure
of educational institutions.
Our research questions or hypotheses derived from the issues described,
which we based on the following objectives: to discover what consequences
the COVID-19 epidemic had for primary school children, to discover how the
COVID-19 epidemic affected the most vulnerable groups of children, to un-
cover in which areas the respondents had the most problems during the dis-
tance learning introduced in the COVID-19 epidemic,’ to identify how the re-
spondents’ work changed as a result of the measures to contain the spread
of the COVID-19 epidemic, and to compare the implementation of additional
professional assistance and learning support during regular schooling versus
distance learning, that is, the implementation of specific forms of individ-
ual assistance for children who were assigned additional professional help
through the Institute of Education.
118
