Changes in parenting behavior in the time of COVID-19: A mixed method approach.

This study was designed to explore mothers' perceptions about changes in parenting behavior in the middle of the pandemic COVID 19 period. Based on the convergent mixed-method design and Parental Stress model, we illustrated these changes by taking into account the impact of the pandemic perceived by mothers and the resources they had available. Research on parenting changes was important in the Romanian context because, in that challenging period, there were no regulations to safeguard parents, especially single parents as mothers. Mothers experienced increased levels of stress, some of them having to leave their jobs to stay at home with their children. Other mothers needed to work from home and in the meantime to take care of their children. In this context we wanted to illustrate the possible changes that occurred in their parenting behavior during the pandemic period. Results from the quantitative survey showed that there is a moderate correlation between the negative impact felt by mothers and the negative changes in their parenting behavior, and this correlation was diminished by a series of resources such as: social support, parenting alliance, or high income. Qualitative data provided better understanding of mothers' parenting behavior by showing that mothers shared both positive and negative experiences during the pandemic, regardless of the general trend mentioned. As shown by the quantitative data, the qualitative data also showed that mothers who felt more strongly the impact of the pandemic reported more negative changes in their parenting behavior. The positive changes most frequently stated involved expressing affection and communicating more often on various topics, carrying out leisure activities or activities meant to help with the personal development of the child, and involving children in domestic activities. Mothers mostly described negative aspects such as too much involvement in school life, increased control and surveillance of children, especially when it comes to school related activities and to the time children were allowed to spend on their digital devices. These changes led to conflicts and sometimes, mothers resorted to discipline practices. In addition to the resources identified in quantitative research, mothers with higher education and medium-high income also turned to specialized resources (psychologists, online courses, support groups) in order to manage conflicts, them being able to see the challenges of the pandemic as an opportunity to develop and improve the relationship with their children.

Dear student, what should I write on my wall? A case study on academic uses of Facebook and Instagram during the pandemic.

Prior to the COVID 19 pandemic, discussions about online learning referred to the use of e-learning platforms and social networks as auxiliary tools in the educational process. Due to the pandemic, universities were forced to adopt an exclusive online teaching process and most universities today use platforms dedicated to online learning such as Moodle platforms. In this context, we were interested in analyzing the attitude of students regarding the way social networks could be integrated into the educational process, and if the positive attitude of students towards social networks and their use for academic purposes, proven in previous studies, remains positive under the conditions generated by the pandemic. In this regard, the present study aimed at identifying the attitude of Romanian students towards the use of Facebook and Instagram as educational tools and the circumstances in which students believe these platforms could be used by them and their teachers. An online survey was conducted on 872 students from public higher education institutions in Romania. Based on the exploratory factor analysis and the parametric test, the empirical results show that students have a slightly positive attitude towards using Facebook in the educational process, but they have a more reticent, less positive attitude towards using Instagram. Thus, the most appropriate contexts in which these platforms could be used are represented by extracurricular activities. A higher preference for the use of Facebook rather than Instagram, was identified among master and PhD students. No major differences were revealed in student subgroups sorted by gender or study domain.