Digital learning in pandemic times: assessing academic readiness among refugee children in Malaysia

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic led to a swift transition to remote learning, impacting Early Childhood Education (ECE), especially for refugee children in low- and middle-income countries such as Malaysia. This study, conducted from March 2021 to March 2022, examined the digital aspects of ECE, including resources, instructions, and home learning environments, and their impact on the academic readiness of refugee children in Malaysia. Assessments of 1,051 refugee children aged 4–6 years using the International Development and Early Learning Assessment (IDELA) were conducted, along with parent and teacher data. The study identified three academic profiles: Struggling (14%), Emerging (33%), and Mastering (53%). Findings indicate that children’s socioemotional skills, maternal age, and home learning environment serve as protective factors against poor educational outcomes, regardless of the parents’ educational levels. Synchronous digital learning and hybrid learning models were particularly effective, in contrast to asynchronous learning. As the first large-scale investigation of its kind, it provides crucial insights into child development during crises, laying the groundwork for evidence-based interventions and policymaking in the context of global health emergencies.