[Digitalisation in a haste?]

Area of Science:

• Education Policy
• Sociology of Education
• Digital Learning

Context:

• The Covid-19 pandemic significantly impacted the Austrian school system starting in spring 2020.
• School closures and subsequent distance learning phases spurred rapid digitalization within educational institutions.
• The increased reliance on digital tools highlighted concerns about a potential digital divide exacerbating existing educational inequalities.

Purpose:

• To examine the effects of digitalization in Austrian schools during the Covid-19 pandemic.
• To investigate the nature and extent of digital inequalities experienced during distance learning.
• To analyze the role of socioeconomic status, parental education, and cultural capital in digital learning outcomes.

Summary:

• Data from interviews with teachers, administrators, support staff, and students reveal an expansion and consolidation of digital teaching and learning methods.
• Despite digitalization efforts, persistent structural inequalities were observed, with no catch-up processes for socially disadvantaged students.
• Pre-existing factors such as socioeconomic background, parental education, and cultural capital remained critical determinants of success in distance learning and digital media use.

Impact:

• The study underscores that digitalization during the pandemic did not mitigate but rather reinforced existing educational disparities in Austria.
• Findings highlight the critical need for policies addressing structural inequalities to ensure equitable access and outcomes in digital education.
• The research provides empirical evidence on the complex interplay between digital transformation, educational equity, and socioeconomic factors in schools.