Content uploaded by Yuzva Liudmyla
Author content
All content in this area was uploaded by Yuzva Liudmyla on Jan 31, 2022
Content may be subject to copyright.
1
R E P O R T
I D E N T I F I C A T I O N OF B A R R I E R S
HINDERING THE UKRAINIAN AND POLISH STUDENTS’
RETURN TO SCHOOLS
2022
2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Summary of the report 5
2. Main results 8
3. Research objectives 15
4. Research methodology 17
5. Characteristics of the sample 19
5.1. Gender, age 19
5.2. Number of children in families 21
5.3. Class, type of school, form of school 22
5.4. Place of residence, region 24
5.5. Socioeconomic status (parents' or guardians’ education, professional status) 26
5.6. Property status 32
5.7. Number of books 35
5.8. Subjective perception of religiosity 36
5.9. Synthetic indicator of social status 37
5.10. Summary 39
6. Psychosocial condition of schoolchildren on the threshold of returning to school 40
6.1. Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the lives of Poles / Ukrainians 40
6.2. Negative effects of remote education on students' health 42
6.3. Anxiety and depression among students 43
6.4. Fear of going back to school, willingness to go back to school 46
6.5. Psychological well-being, need for therapeutic help 49
6.6. Summary 51
7. Imponderabilia of the psychosocial condition 52
7.1. School climate 52
7.2. Social support 53
7.3. Trust capital 54
7.4. Internet addiction 57
7.5. Summary 58
8. Students in the process of online education 59
8.1. Technical conditions for online education 59
8.2. Assessment of the quality of classes 62
8.3. The pros and cons of online education 64
8.4. Summary 68
9. School achievements in online education 69
9.1. Level of engagement in online education 69
9.2. Attendance at online classes and reasons for absenteeism 74
9.3. Participation in tutoring and additional classes 76
9.4. School achievement 78
9.5. Summary 80
10. Students before the fourth panemia wave 82
10.1. Attitude towards vaccination 82
10.2. Willingness to go back to school 84
10.3. Willingness to participate in remedial classes 85
3
10.4. Educational aspirations 86
10.5. Summary 87
11. Obstacles in returning to school 88
11.1. Students' concerns 88
11.2. Summary 90
12. Comparative data analysis and conclusions 92
13. Recommendations 99
14. Bibliography 104
4
This report was prepared with the financial support of the Polish National Agency for Academic
Exchange in the project titled ‘Identification of barriers hindering the Ukrainian and Polish
schoolchildren' return to schools’ (Intervention Grants Programme,
BPN/GIN/2021/1/00012/U/00001).
https://cbm.up.krakow.pl/identification-of-barriers-
hindering-the-ukrainian-and-polish-students-return-to-
schools/
https://nawa.gov.pl/en/scientists/nawa-urgency-grants
https://cbm.up.krakow.pl/
https://www.up.krakow.pl/en/
https://www.univ.kiev.ua/en/
https://nawa.gov.pl/
5
Liudmyla Iuzva
1. SUMMARY OF THE REPORT
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, schools around the world were closed and students switched
to distance learning. The pandemic is moving in waves. It is slowing down and again gaining
momentum. Mankind is in a turbulent state when people can not plan much and have to adapt to
remote work and vice versa - to the offline option. After all, they are constantly changing each
other. As this has become a challenge for older people, children have been even more affected by
the pandemic. Many public institutions and systems have also been afficted, for example in the area
of education. It underwent shock therapy. After all, since the first schools in ancient Greece,
mankind still practiced schools with live communication between teachers and students.
Therefore, this period is unique for researchers to study and analyze the phenomenon of
distance learning and to identify potential threats occurring immediately after returning to learning
in classrooms. This is a kind of challenge for researchers in the social and psychological sciences to
investigate and help to prevent the negative consequences that can last for years after the end of the
pandemic.
The main purpose of our research was to identify obstacles of students to the return to
classroom education in Poland and in Ukraine. We assumed that such a long period of alienation of
students from traditional education would have negative cognitive, psychological and social
consequences. The acquired knowledge was used to assess the level of risk for students returning to
schools. Such a risk assessment will allow education authorities to pursue sound policies aimed at
supporting the return of students to classrooms.
6
Summing up, the research involved both genders and different age groups of students of
Polish and Ukrainian schools in different regions of the two countries. The research also covered
schoolchildren of different forms of school ownership and in various levels of education. Much
attention was paid to the study of the socio-economic status of families, so the study took into
account indicators of financial status, household items, education and profession of parents, the
availability of books, and subjective idea about own religiosity. This structure represents
schoolchildren from Poland and Ukraine.
Distance learning has affected the physical and mental condition of schoolchildren in both
Poland and Ukraine. In particular, about a third of the surveyed students noted a decrease in
physical fitness. Although the overall level of anxiety and depression in schoolchildren is minimal
in both countries, some conditions, such as excessive anxiety, irritability, lack of energy and low
interest in the activities, are common. Most students are satisfied with their lives, but only half of
the respondents agree that their lives are close to ideal. Many schoolchildren, especially in Ukraine,
are definitely ready to return to normal classroom education and have no strong fear of returning to
school.
Most students in both countries perceive the school atmosphere as conducive to the
acquisition of knowledge. A positive assessment of the school climate is associated with lower
levels of anxiety and depression, higher life satisfaction and a greater desire to return to school after
a break. Social (parental, peer, teacher) support is strong, and a higher level of support contributes
to higher life satisfaction, less anxiety and depression, lower levels of Internet addiction. At the
same time, in both countries, younger students are more likely to feel high support from close social
groups. There is also a high level of trust in the groups close to schoolchildren, especially among
younger respondents. The level of Internet addiction among schoolchildren is moderate (slightly
below average) and significantly correlates with indicators of psychosocial status and social
support.
Students from both countries had similar distance learning conditions. There were
appropriate things and equipment in their premises. Polish students had slightly better Internet
access and more additional equipment. This provision allowed students of both countries to have
school responsibilities. However, Polish students were more likely to call online lessons bad and
uninteresting than Ukrainian ones. The biggest advantages of distance education for students in both
countries were that they had more time for themselves, were protected from СOVID-19 and could
sleep longer in the morning. Polish and Ukrainian students are equally unanimous about the
shortcomings of distance education. Among the biggest drawbacks, they named the quality of the
material of online lessons and that they spent too much time in front of the screens of their gadgets.
7
Students in both countries confirmed that the effort put into the online learning is about the
same as that of offline learning. They said they spent 5 to 7 hours training online. This amount of
time near the screens significantly exceeds the recommendations of experts. At the same time, they
were given about 1-3 hours a day to do their homework. Most students (much more among Poles)
said that their parents did not help them during distance learning. If it come to grades receiving
during distance education, most students from both countries assumed they were similar to grades
from the period of classroom learning. We can conclude that students from both countries did not
notice much difference in offline and online education.
Many more Poles than Ukrainians answered they had been vaccinated. At the same time,
Poles are willing to be vaccinated. For Ukrainians, these issues remain clearly problematic. Many
students from both countries expressed a desire for traditional school learning and believe the return
to distance learning is the worst that could happen.
Students in Ukraine agreed that they would like you to take part in extracurricular activities
(filling gaps in distance learning) if they are introduced after students return to school in September
2021. It should be noted that the positions of Ukrainian and Polish students differ on this issue, as a
much higher percentage of Polish students would not like to continue attending additional classes.
Schoolchildren in both countries have certain fears about returning to school. These are the
need to get up early and go to school, reduced readiness to learn, laziness acquired during distance
learning and low level of knowledge as a result of long distance learning. There is also a fear of a
social nature about returning to the team work and personal interactions with teachers and peers.
Keywords: barriers, return to school, remote education, distance learning, traditional
schooling, psychophysical condition, schoolchildren, students
8
Liudmyla Iuzva, Anastasiia Bastrakova
2. MAIN RESULTS
Gender, age. Gender parity was maintained in the study. The number of boys and girls
surveyed in both countries was equal. In terms of age, the distributions are somewhat different, as
slightly more older children were interviewed in Poland and little more in Ukraine. The biggest
difference in distribution is for the ten-year-olds, as in Ukraine they account for 15% of
respondents, and in Poland - only 1%. Moreover, for the group of 17-19 year olds in Poland they
account for 27%, and in Ukraine - 10% (19 years old - none). This is due to differences in the
school education system in Poland and Ukraine. In Poland they study up to the age of 19, and in
Ukraine they finish school at the age of 17-18.
Number of children in families. The vast majority of children who participated in the study
in both Poland (POL) and Ukraine (UKR) come from families with one or two children. Thus,
families with one child in the study consist of 46% UKR and 45% POL, and families with two
children 39% UKR and 19% POL. At the same time, more large families (from 3 to 10 children)
were interviewed in Ukraine. No family with more than five children was interviewed in Poland.
Class, type of school, form of school. According to the age structure of the surveyed
students in Poland, more schoolchildren from high school and vice versa in Ukraine were
interviewed. Almost all children who were respondents in the study attended public schools (99% in
Poland and Ukraine). Slightly more respondents living in cities were interviewed in Ukraine (68%
UKR | 59% POL). Respondents were interviewed in all voivodships of Poland and main regions of
Ukraine.
Socioeconomic status (parents' or guardians’ education, professional status). In the
Polish empirical part of the research, the child was asked about the education and profession of both
9
parents. In Ukraine, this question was asked to an adult who was present with the child during the
survey. Therefore, in 68% of cases in Ukraine, the child's mother responded. The most represented
educational group in the sample were parents of secondary vocational / general education (37%
UKR; 46% women | 47% men POL). It can be noted that in the post-Soviet space the value of
higher education is still preserved (the tendency to motivate children to enter higher education).
Thus, in the sample of research 29% of Ukrainian parents of student respondents and 21% of
women | 19% of Polish men have higher education and 37% have basic technical education.
Regarding the areas of work, the parents of Polish students took part in the study were 32% of
women | 17% of men who are skilled workers and 28% of men | 22% of women - workers in trade
and services.
Property status. Regarding the property status, 57% of Ukrainian parents of students and
62% of Polish parents indicated the “average” financial situation of the family. Among the items of
property, Ukrainians most often indicated a car - 34%. The percentage of Poles who indicated that
they have a car is much higher - 75%. 10% of Ukrainian and 12% of Polish respondents have a plot
of land and a house.
Number of books. As research confirms the link between reading and education, wealth,
etc., as well as other aspects of the cultural context, we asked respondents about the number of
books they have at home. This is not a direct indicator (like reading), only indirect but important. In
both Poland (48%) and Ukraine (46%), the largest percentage of respondents said they had between
26 and 100 books at home.
Subjective perception of religiosity. Questions about religiosity are sensitive. Their
analysis is always difficult. Among Ukrainian respondents, 74% called themselves believers, 67% -
Polish respondents present the same position. In the Polish part, it was a larger percentage (22%) of
those who could not decide when answering questions of religiosity. This may indicate that the
issue of religion is more sensitive for Poles.
Synthetic indicator of social status. The social status index was developed and applied in
the study. Among Polish respondents, a slightly higher percentage of them belonging to the middle
status (66% POL | 60% UKR). Among Ukrainian respondents, a slightly higher percentage have a
lower status (23% UKR | 21% POL). There are also more Ukrainian respondents who have been
awarded a higher status (17% UKR | 12% POL). The least disagreement is about the low status.
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the lives of the families. 42% of the surveyed
families experienced negative impact of the pandemic in Poland, and about half of the surveyed
families in Ukraine were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in some way or another. Top 5
10
effects among Polish families were switching to telecommuting by a parent (18%), deterioration of
the child's contacts with peers (15%), misunderstandings and conflicts at home (12%), decrease of
the family's income (12%) and serious illness of a family member (10%). In Ukraine, the most
frequent effect of the pandemic was the loss of income and the need to save (35%). In 9% of
Ukrainian families one parent lost the job, in 7% - switched to remote work. Misunderstandings and
conflicts in the family during the pandemic, as well as a deterioration in food quality were noted by
8% of the families.
Negative effects of remote education on schoolchildren’ health. Distance learning
affected the health of schoolchildren. In Poland, top-3 negative effects are decreased physical
(fitness 30%), deterioration of overall functioning (21%) and mental deterioration (20%). 18%
indicated the appearance of overweight. In Ukraine, the most common side effects are decreased
physical fitness (37%) and deterioration of vision (22%). The appearance of negative consequences
of remote education correlates with anxiety and depression, the level of life satisfaction, social
support, and Internet addiction.
Anxiety and depression among schoolchildren. In general, there is a minimal level of
anxiety among schoolchildren in both countries. At the same time, some states are quite common –
being easily irritated, feeling very tense, and worrying too much about things were experienced by
34%, 32% and 31% of Polish respondents, respectively, and by 38%, 28% and 33% of Ukrainian
respondents, respectively. Likewise, there is a minimal level of depression among schoolchildren.
However, some states are quite common – low interest with the performed activity and lack of
energy were felt by 29% and 36% of Polish respondents, respectively, and by 32% and 40% of
Ukrainian respondents, respectively. The levels of anxiety and depression predictably correlate with
life satisfaction and support from close social groups. Anxiety and depression also correlate with
Internet addiction and the need for possible help from a school psychologist.
Fear about returning to school. In Poland, top 3 concerns are fear of contracting COVID-
19 (19% of schoolchildren experienced it), feeling uncomfortable thinking about returning to school
(18%) and getting nervous after watching/reading media news (16%). In Ukraine, the most common
fears are fear of contracting COVID-19 (15%) and strong anxiety about returning to school (13%).
Willingness to go back to school. 40% of the Polish schoolchildren and half of the
Ukrainian schoolchildren said that their desire to return to traditional schooling after a break caused
by distance education was much greater, and about a third of schoolchildren in both countries
experienced the same (neither greater nor lower) level of the desire. Desire to return to school after
11
a break significantly correlates with the level of life satisfaction, support from close social groups,
the atmosphere at school, and level of Internet addiction.
Psychological well-being. There is a quite moderate, not too high level of psychological
well-being (life satisfaction) of schoolchildren in the surveyed countries. If in both countries three
quarters of respondents said they were satisfied with their lives, and almost 70% indicated that they
achieved important goals in their lives, then only 50-60% of schoolchildren agreed with statements
about the ideality of their lives and living conditions, the unlikely desire to change anything in their
lives. In Poland, psychological well-being (life satisfaction) significantly correlates with such
demographic parameters as age and gender of the child, religiosity and financial situation of the
family. While in Ukraine, psychological well-being significantly correlates only with such
demographic parameter as schoolchildren’ age. In both countries, the level of life satisfaction
correlates with the level of anxiety and depression, support from close social groups, Internet
addiction, school climate, need for therapeutic help.
Need for therapeutic help. 20% of Polish schoolchildren and 16% of Ukrainian
schoolchildren express a desire to use the help of a school psychologist, a teacher in their school, if
it were possible. In both countries, girls express higher desire to receive psychological help. Also,
the need for therapeutic help significantly correlates with anxiety and depression, the level of life
satisfaction, social support, and Internet addiction.
Internet addiction. The level of Internet addiction among schoolchildren is slightly below
average in both countries. 20% of respondents in Poland and 26% of respondents in Ukraine said
they often or very often neglected their responsibilities due to using the Internet. 17% of
respondents in Poland and 21% of respondents in Ukraine reported that they often or very often felt
upset/ angry when they could not use the Internet.
School climate. About 90% of schoolchildren in Poland and 83% of schoolchildren in
Ukraine perceive the atmosphere at school, before the transition to distance learning, as one that
promotes the acquisition of knowledge. In both countries, the assessment of the school climate
correlates with indicators such as anxiety and depression, the level of life satisfaction and social
support. It is also related to the Internet addiction.
Social support. In both countries, social support of schoolchildren is quite high, and
parental support is particularly the strongest. The general level of social support of schoolchildren is
slightly higher in Poland due to relatively stronger peer support. In both countries, all three aspects
of the support, as well as general social support, significantly correlate with anxiety and depressive
states, life satisfaction (psychological well-being) and perception of the atmosphere at school.
12
Trust capital. In both countries, there is a fairly high level of trust of schoolchildren in
social groups close to them. The vast majority of respondents trust their parents, classmates, class
teachers, teachers, friends and neighbors.
Technical conditions for online education. Both Ukrainian and Polish students indicated
that they have appropriate distance learning equipment. Most of them had their own desk (94%
POL | 86% UKR) and Internet access (91% POL | 81% UKR). Regardless of the situation with the
provision of appropriate items and equipment in Polish and Ukrainian families, most students
indicated that they can perform school duties during distance learning (55% POL | 59% UKR). This
could allow them to fully fulfill their learning responsibilities during distance learning - said 38% of
Poles and 27% of Ukrainians.
Assessment of the quality of classes. The vast majority of both Polish (46%) and Ukrainian
(51%) students rated their distance learning experience as negative. Comparing traditional
classroom and distance lessons, Ukrainian and Polish students equally often noted that online
lessons were uninteresting and of poor quality (43%), or the same (34%). Polish students were more
critical of online lessons (22%), while only 12% of Ukrainians gave the same assessment. The
results of the study show that Polish students, both junior and senior, were evenly distributed
(averaged). In fact, in each group, both among those who rated negative learning experiences as
negative, and among all those who rated such experiences as positive, and among all those who
could not rate, the percentage in the age group was close to 50%.
The pros and cons of online education. Students of both countries named among the
biggest advantages of distance education the fact that it was not necessary to pack a school
backpack and there was more time for myself (I completely agree: 41% of PL | 37% of UA); that it
was possible to sleep longer and there was no need to hurry (37% UA | 32% PL); that distance
learning protected them from СOVID-19 (32% UA | 25% PL). Among the disadvantages of
distance education, most students in both countries mentioned that they spent too much time in front
of a computer (I rather agree: 41% of PL | 36% of UA); that it was difficult to focus on what the
teachers said (40% of PL | 36% of UA); the fact that they could not fully understand the material
provided by teachers (36% UA | 35% PL).
Level of Engagement in Online Education. The majority of both Polish (51%) and
Ukrainian (41%) schoolchildren indicated that they made the same effort to study in the distance as
in the period of traditional offline schooling. Most Polish students said that they spent 6-7 hours
(38% and 23% respectively), which is significantly higher than the norm. The largest share of
Ukrainian schoolchildren (22%) said that they spent 5 hours, which is also a significant figure. The
13
largest share of both Poles (45%) and Ukrainians (33%) said that they spent 2 hours doing
homework. At the same time, almost equal shares of Ukrainians named 1 (23%) and 3 (24%) hours.
More than half of Polish students said that their parents did not help them at all by specifying 0
hours (60%). Slightly less, but this is the largest share (42%), Ukrainian students said the same.
Attendance at online classes and reasons for absenteeism. Slightly more Polish students
indicated that they attended all online lessons (57% POL | 47% UKR). The majority of online
lessons were attended by 41% UKR and 39% POL. Only 3% of Ukrainian students had difficulty
attending online lessons, there were none in Poland, and 9% of Ukrainian and 4% of Polish students
attended only a few. The most common reasons for skipping online lessons were that some lessons
were boring and uninteresting (16% UKR | 14% POL); that they were tired of distance learning
(13% UKR | 11% POL) and that they were sick (21% POL | 11% UKR). More Ukrainians in
general took part in a variety of additional educational activities. Some more Ukrainian students
indicated that they worked with a tutor both offline and online. At the same time, Ukrainian
students agreed that the use of distance tutoring will help to better understand the knowledge
provided by teachers during online lessons (41% UKR | 38% POL). Ukrainian students were more
likely to take part in additional activities before the start of distance learning (47% UKR | 37%
POL). Among students who participated in extracurricular (additional) activities during distance
learning - 20% UKR and 16% POL.
School Achievement. Students from Polish and Ukrainian schools said that their grades
were the same during offline education and online (63% POL | 55% UKR). When asked to rate their
knowledge on a scale, then schoolchildren assess the level of their knowledge within the average
and above average. The most frequent grades in all three periods of studying were “4” and “5”, ie
average and above average.
Attitude towards vaccination. Vaccination of young people is only under discussion.
Therefore, this situation with vaccination is undeniably reflected in the results of the research. Only
about 2% of the Ukrinian respondents indicated that they were vaccinated. The percentage of Polish
schoolchildren who indicated that they were vaccinated is much higher (22%). This may also be
related to the older age in the sample of Polish schoolchildren. Among non-vaccinated Ukrainian
respondents (98%), only 4% would definitely like to be vaccinated if given the opportunity; perhaps
would like - 19%; perhaps would not like - 35% and definitely would not like - 42%. Among non-
vaccinated Polish respondents (78%), only 6% would definitely like to be vaccinated if given the
opportunity; perhaps would like - 36%; perhaps would not like - 18% and definitely would not like
- 40%. That is, among Polish students there is a greater willingness to be vaccinated.
14
Willingness to go back to school. The vast majority of Polish and Ukrainian respondents
(65% UKR | 60% POL) indicated that they would like to return to traditional schooling. At the same
time, slightly more Ukrainians pointed this out. When simulating that the epidemic situation would
worsen and we would have to return to distance learning for a longer period of time, 66% of
Ukrainian and 63% Polish schoolchildren said that “distance learning would be the worst thing that
could happen; another year will be lost, no contact with peers”, 36% POL and 34% UKR – “I would
be happy, because distance learning - it's fun, no need to go to school, it gives a lot of freedom”.
That is, the estimates in both countries were virtually the same.
Willingness to participate in remedial classes. Students who agreed that they would like
you to take part in extracurricular activities (filling gaps in distance learning) if they are introduced
after students return to school in September this year - 51% UKR and 33% POL. It should be noted
that the positions of Ukrainian and Polish students differ on this issue, as a much higher percentage
of Polish students would not like to continue attending additional classes after returning to school
(67% POL | 49% UKR).
Educational aspirations. After completing secondary education, 23% POL and 11% UKR
of high school students plan to obtain a master's degree, 10% UKR and 5% POL - a bachelor's
degree, 2% POL and 1% UKR – PhD.
Fears that schoolchildren have in connection with returning to school. Although
Ukrainian schoolchildren are relatively a little more comfortable about returning to traditional
school after a period of distance learning, there are some common concerns in both countries. These
are the need to get up early and go to school (34% in Poland, 36% in Ukraine), reduced readiness to
learn (33% in Poland, 30% in Ukraine), laziness caused during distance learning (29% in Poland,
21% in Ukraine) and low level of knowledge as a result of distance learning (23% in Poland, 19%
in Ukraine).
15
3. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
The proposed research is the first project of this type of cognitive study with an
interdisciplinary nature. The main research problem concerns barriers that may appear during
readaptation and reintegration at school in response to return to in-school education in both
countries after a long break in full-time education.
Next detailed problems concerns various areas of psychosocial functioning of students.
It appears that there is a problem with the acquisition of knowledge during remote education
and the impact of these achievements, or the lack of them, on fears and worries of returning to
school. Students who neglect remote education, and who are deprived of the support of their parents
and guardians during the course of remote education, may be seriously reluctant to return to school.
Another problem may arise with younger students. Namely, during remote education, they were
supported by their parents and their parents often performed tasks and tests for them. Students who
continue to receive parental support can panic over their re-entry, as they recognize that they are
now facing the challenges of traditional teaching by themselves. The educational gap may deepen in
the event of remote learning during the lockdown. Students with a lower status, deprived of cultural
and social capital, will lose much more during remote learning. Students with a higher status may,
due to having an appropriate habitus and having capital, acquire knowledge much better during
remote education. Moreover, if there are any deficiencies among these students, parents are able to
provide them with e-learning.
Another problem that deserves a solution is the impact of the pandemic on the mental health
of students. On the one hand, we know that during the quarantine, depressive and anxiety disorders
and PTSD appeared and intensified. Students also reported burnout by remote education. Therefore,
it should be assumed that the mental condition of students may be in poor condition on the eve of
16
their return to school. In addition, the poor health situation of students (remember about the close
relationship between mental and physical health) may be affected by adaptive stress resulting from
returning to school after a long break. Fear of duties, social exposure in the classroom, requirements
set by teachers are just some of the problems that may emerge in the course of research. It is also
worth remembering that mental health disorders caused by the pandemic and long periods of
returning to school will impinge on current perceptions of reality. Students with mental disorders
may have a negative image of school and exaggerate the dangers of returning to school. At the same
time, it should be assumed that, in accordance with the knowledge resulting from previous studies
on the effects of disasters and psychopathology, psychophysical disorders should occur more often
among students from lower classes deprived of resources. On the other hand, students with a higher
status, who have social support and are equipped with more resources, will have less problems with
re-adaptation.
The last issue taken into account in the proposed research is of a social nature. On the one
hand, the pandemic and the confinement of students at home could lead to a multi-dimensional
deprivation of needs related to safety, autonomy, and self-fulfillment. Students locked in their
homes could feel lonely, be exposed to domestic violence, and be subjected to media exposure.
They could also become addicted to the Internet, be victims of cyberbullying and alienate
themselves from the social environment. On the other hand, socialization disorders could have
occurred, especially among younger students, under the influence of social isolation and being
locked in their homes. Lack or limited contact with peers, teachers and the wider social
environment may have a negative impact on the ability of young people to function in school. This
may generate school phobias, fear of interactions with peers, teachers and the social environment.
Students also carry traumas resulting from the loss of loved ones, deterioration of the atmosphere at
home, deterioration of the financial situation, uncertainty about their future and the future of their
relatives. The oldest students who will finish school this year and take their exams may be at a
disadvantage. For them, the intensity of fears, aggression, and the fear of an unknown future may be
greater. Among these categories of students, anxiety arising from the transition from one school to
another or leaving schools and problems arising during a pandemic may interfere.
Summarizing the specification research problems, it should be stated that today an urgent
cognitive and social need is to recognize the main threats that may arise when students return to
school. Students may be burdened with the consequences of lockdown, quarantine, remote learning,
and may have significant difficulties in social, psychological and cognitive functioning in school.
17
4. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
The research was based on the following research questions:
• Will students have problems with re-adaptation at school?
• What are the main barriers to readaptation?
• What are the main risk factors for problems with school re-adaptation?
In the proposed research, we want to test the hypothesis that the return of students to school
will be fraught with serious cognitive, psychological and social problems.
• The lower social status of students, and lower endowment of resources, the greater
problems with readaptation.
• Readaptation problems will accumulate among students with a lower status, deprived
of social support, exposed during quarantine to the negative socio-economic effects of lockdown.
To achieve the intended research goals, the best method is the implementation of a survey
conducted according to the CAPI (Computer Assisted Personal Interview) methodology. The
proposed research method allows the respondent to contact a qualified interviewer who ensures that
the entire questionnaire is completed and encourages the respondent to provide thoughtful answers.
Thanks to this method, the computer system verifies the correctness of the entered data and
guarantees quick preparation of a report and statistical analysis of the obtained results. This method
also allows for the presentation of multimedia content, and enables the extension of the scope of
research compared to traditional methods of opinion research. Undoubtedly, it is a method that
guarantees high accuracy and reliability of variable measurements. At the same time, it allows for
quick collection of data ready for analysis.
18
Moreover, which is very important, the survey methodology enables testing of a
representative sample of older and younger students from all over the territory of both countries.
Thanks to the randomly selected selection of the sample, taking into account such criteria as social
status, gender, place of residence, we finally were able to find out about the problems faced by all
social classes and income groups. This method also made it possible to conduct interviews at the
respondents' homes, which is conducive to reporting problems, greater reflection and gives the
interviewer the opportunity to assess the situation during the survey.
Taking into account the limitations related to financing, we selected two representative
samples of students for the research. Finally, together we had 1000 students from Poland and 1022
students from Ukraine, which meets the methodological rigors of selecting the sample due to its
representativeness.
It's worth it to add that the field research was carried out by reputable research agencies that
already have extensive research experience and guarantee high quality of obtained data. In Poland it
was Research Collective Sp. z o.o. (https://researchcollective.pl/) from Warsaw and in Ukraine it
was the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (https://www.kiis.com.ua/).
Analysis of the data was carried out using SPSS. Thanks to the obtained representative
samples, it was possible to apply univariate and multivariate analysis on the collected material. We
looked for risk factors using regression analysis and factor analysis.
To sum up, the CAPI survey allows for the collection of high-quality research results that
was reflect the attitudes and opinions of all youth in both countries. Thanks to this method, it was
possible to obtain a reliable description of the problem. This allowed for multidimensional analysis
which gave insight into the mechanisms of the formation of the anticipated barriers to return to
school. None of the other surveying techniques available offer such opportunities.
The main research tools that were used in the study: SPSS, Word, Excel, Datawrapper.
All drawings (icons) received: Adobe Stock.
19
Liudmyla Iuzva
5. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SAMPLE
This Chapter presents a detailed description of the portrait of respondents
(sсрщщдсршдвкут) and their families who participated in the research.
5.1. Gender, age
The sample of students interviewed in the research corresponds to the gender structure of
Ukrainian and Poland societies. According to official data, fertility rate, total (births per woman) in
Ukraine was reported at 1.2% in 2019 and 1,4% - in Poland, according to the World Bank collection
of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources (Fertility rate 2021) (see
Figure 1).
Figure 1. Fertility rate, total (births per woman) – Poland, Ukraine
Source: The World Bank
20
The number of children aged 0-17 years on January 1, 2020 was 7533.9 thousand people
(18.1% of the total population). During 2019, 308.8 thousand children were born in Ukraine.
Among live births, 48.3% are girls and 51.7% are boys (Children, females… 2020: 162). Data for
Poland shows such situation - at birth: 1.06 male(s)/ female; 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/ female; 15-24
years: 1.06 male(s)/ female (Sex ratio 2021). The sample was designed based on statistics (see
Chart 1).
Chart 1. Schoolchildren' gender
Запитання R1. ВІДМІТЬТЕ, НЕ ЗАПИТУЮЧИ, СТАТЬ РЕСПОНДЕНТА
Pytanie R1. Zaznaczyć płeć
Question R1. NOTE THE RESPONDENT'S GENDER WITHOUT ASKING
Only full-time Ukrainian and Polish schoolchildren took part in the research. The age
structure is uneven in relation to the distribution for several reasons. First, it is a demographic
situation. The birth rate in Ukraine and Poland has a downward trajectory, but there are periods
when the number of newborns increases. Therefore, a slightly different number of children enter
educational institutions in different years. It is also necessary to pay attention to the specifics of
school education, which allows Ukrainian students to move to different educational institutions. In
21
fact, after the 9th grade, not all students go to the 10th grade of day schools, some - to evening
schools, some - to vocational schools. In addition, there is a network of boarding schools for
children in need of public education and government support. In Poland, the school education
system is somewhat different. As a result of such differences, more older (senior) students were
interviewed in Poland (see Chart 2).
Chart 2. Age of students*
Запитання R2. Скільки Вам років?
Pytanie R2. Ile masz lat?
Question R2. How old are you?
5.2. Number of children in families
As of November 2019, official statistics showed the presence of one child in 79.4% of
Ukrainian households having children, two children in 18.1%, three children in 2.2%, and four or
more children in 0.3% (Sex ratio 2021: 162). Therefore, this indicates that in Ukraine there is a
*All data in the research are rounded to whole values.
The charts show:
0% as no value and in this situation the color sector/
column is completely absent;
0% as less than 1%, in this situation there is a color
sector/ column.
22
tendency to have one or two children in a family, which is reflected in the study (Ciм’я та
сiмейнi… 2009: 25). The situation in Poland is similar. Polish couples usually have one child.
Families without children make up 24.6% of all families in Poland. According to the Main
Department of Statistics, in the structure of families with children aged 0 to 24 most - more than
53% - with one child, with two children - more than 35%, with 3 - almost 9% and less than 3% with
four and more children (Źródło 2019). The sample of research reflects the situation with the number
of children in Ukrainian and Polish families (see Chart 3).
Chart 3. Number of children in families
Запитання 39. Скільки у вас дітей, які проживають разом з Вами?
Pytanie 39. Ile masz rodzeństwa?
Question 39. How many children do you have living with you?
5.3. Class, type of school, form of school
There were 15.2 thousand general secondary education institutions in Ukraine, with 4,138.5
thousand students in the 2019/ 20 school year. Compared to the 2018/ 19 school year, the network
of these institutions has decreased, which was primarily due to the closure of public evening (shift)
23
schools and schools in rural areas. The number of private general secondary education institutions
has remained unchanged in recent years – 228 (Children, females… 2020: 162).
Compared to the 2019/ 20 school year, the number of primary schools for children and
adolescents (including special) decreased by 1.2% and amounted to 14.2 thousends centers. 3.1
million students studied there (nearly 1% more than the year before). Public schools accounted for
89.3% of primary schools for children and youth. In the 2020/ 21 school year, there were 78
primary schools for adults (28 institutions less than in the previous year school), in which studied
2.5 thousends students. 50.0% of adult primary schools were run by public sector entities. In the
2019/ 20 school year, primary schools (for children and adolescents and for adults) completed a
total of 340.3 thous. graduates, including 99.6% primary school graduates for children and
adolescents. In the 2020/ 21 school year, junior high schools no longer functioned, were closed due
to the reform of the system education introduced by the Act of December 14, 2016. There were only
235 lower secondary school graduates from the 2019/ 20 school year (58.7% were graduates of
public schools) (Oświata … 2021: 16). Differences in school education systems are reflected in the
research sample (see Chart 4).
Chart 4. Distribution of students by classes in which they study*
Запитання R4. В якому класі Ви навчаєтеся?
Pytanie R3b. Do której klasy chodzisz?
Question R4. What grade are you in?
*Abbreviations:
HSU - High School Ukraine
HSP - High School Poland
PSP - Primary School Poland
MSU - Middle School Ukraine
24
The sample of research reflects the structure of the types of schools in which students study.
83% of surveyed students attend state Ukrainian day schools. 75% of surveyed students attend
Polish Primary school. There are significant differences between school education systems in
Poland and Ukraine. They address both formal aspects (such as the number of years of study) and
substantive ones (such as the school consultation system) (Bondar 2018). There is also a difference
in the linguistic plane. The names of some levels of education can be formulated in the same way in
Poland and in Ukraine, but meaningfully mean completely different things. Therefore, the
comparison is not relevant.
The vast majority of students study in public schools. The situation is the same for Poland
and Ukraine (Chart 5).
Chart 5. Form of ownership of school
Запитання 40. Ваша дитина (яку опитували) відвідує школу...?
Pytanie P40. Czy szkoła do której chodzisz jest szkołą …?
Question 40. Does the child (who was interviewed) attend school ...?
5.4. Place of residence, region
At the beginning of 2020, 69% of the urban population and 31% of the rural population were
registered in Ukraine (Children, females and family in Ukraine 2020: 7). However, the main pattern
that can be traced in Ukraine is that rural schools are small, with half-empty classrooms and a small
ratio of students to teachers; and the larger the settlement, the larger the schools, classes, and
proportions of students to teachers. The rural school has an average of 105 students, 11.3 students
per class and 5 students per teacher. In medium-sized cities, there are 418 students in a school on
averge, 23 students per class and 10.1 students per teacher; in very large cities - 502 students per
school, 25.9 per class and 11.6 per teacher (Самохін 2015). Thus, in the data set of the study, 68%
of the researched Ukrainian students are those who study in urban schools and only 32% - in rural
ones (see Chart 6).
25
Chart 6. Type of the location
Question. Тип місцевості
Pytanie R4. Klasa wielkości miejscowości
Question. Location type
During the survey in Poland, students were interviewed in each of the voivodships (see
Chart 7). In Ukraine, the procedure of constructing a sample according to the “region” quota, which
includes several oblasts, is classic (see Chart 8).
Chart 7. Region of Polish student’s living, %
Chart: Liudmyla Iuzva | Created with Microsoft Excel
26
Chart 8. Region of Ukrainian student’s living, %
Chart: Liudmyla Iuzva | Created with Microsoft Excel
Запитання. РЕГІОН
Pytanie A4. Wybierz województwo w którym realizowany jest wywiad:
Question. REGION
5.5. Socioeconomic status (parents' or guardians’ education, professional
status)
There are some methodological features regarding the collection of the following data. In the
Polish part of the empirical research, the child respondent was asked about the education and the
main occupation of the mother and father (see Chart 9). In the Ukrainian part, an adult who was
present with a child during the research was asked about these ones. Thus, in 68% of cases these
questions were answered by Ukrainian mothers, 18% - fathers, 8% - grandmothers. Guardians,
sisters, brothers and aunts could also be responsible (1% each) (see Chart 11).
27
Chart 9. Level of Polish parents’ education
Pytanie R5. Jakie wykształcenie ma Twój tata | R6. Jakie wykształcenie ma Twoja mama??
Question R5. What is the highest level of education of Your father? | Question R6. What is the highest level of
education of Your mother
Chart 10. Level of Ukrainian parents’ education
Запитання 43. Який найвищий рівень освіти Ви отримали?
Question 43. What is the highest level of education you received?
28
The State Statistics Service of Ukraine provides statistical data on levels of education only
for the population as a whole without gender distributions. The distribution of the population by all
levels of education and sex is given only at the age of 6 and older and at the age of 14-35, which
does not cover all adults or people of working age. Another gender distribution is provided for
people aged 25 and over for higher education, which confirms the phenomenon of higher education
for women, as 31% of women and 28% of men in this age group have higher education (basic and
complete). Obviously, among younger age groups, the difference between highly educated men and
women is even greater, as evidenced by statistics, because the age group 14-35 years is
characterized by a significant educational gap between women and men at higher education (basic
(bachelor's) and full) which has already been obtained by 41% of women of this age and only 29%
of men (Оксамитна 2020: 5-6). These statistics should be taken into account when analyzing the
data, as in a study in Ukraine women were more likely to answer the questionnaire for adults (see
Chart 11).
Chart 11. An Ukrainian adult who was asked about level of education
Запитання 38б. Ким Ви є для дитини, яку щойно опитували? Інше
Question 38б. Who are you for the child you just interviewed? Other
It should be noted that in Poland the situation with the distribution of education and gender
is similar to the Ukrainian one. Data on the distribution of education by gender in Polish studies
show that women are more likely to have higher education - among them 24% had a university
29
degree compared to 14% of men. 10% of Poles had a master's degree (women - 13% against 6% -
among men), 3% had a bachelor's degree, 3% - a master's degree (Czarnik, Turek 2015: 10).
Summing up, the most represented educational group in the sample was secondary
vocational/ general educational parents (37% UKR; 46% Female POL | 47% Male POL) (see Charts
9-10). It can be noted that in the post-Soviet space the value of higher education is still preserved
(the tendency to motivate children to enter higher education institutions). Thus, in the research
sample, 29% of Ukrainian parents of students-respondents and 21% Female | 15% Male Polish
parents have higher education (see Charts 9-10).
In the media and research analysts today we can find texts that the pandemic has led to
significant changes in the labor market (including rising unemployment) (Водянка та ін. 2021,
Коронакриза… 2021). According to the Central Statistical Office of Poland (GUS), the structure of
employment in Poland in the fourth quarter of 2019 was as follows (Martyński 2021):
agricultural sector - 9.1% of employees;
industrial sector - 32% of employees;
services - 58.2% of employees.
It is believed that the coronavirus pandemic did not actually cause a change in the labor
market. In the fourth quarter of 2020, the structure of employment in Poland was as follows:
agricultural sector - 9.7% of employees;
industrial sector - 31% of employees;
services - 58.8% of employees.
Regarding the areas of employment, the research involved Polish students, 32% Male/ 17%
Feale of whose parents are the skilled workers and 28% Female/ 22% Male – trade and service
workers (see Chart 12).
30
Chart 12. Polish parents occupation
Pytanie 45. Na czym polega praca rodziców/opiekunów? Mama/ Opiekunka | Tata/ Opiekun
Question 45. What is your parents occupation? Mother/ Female guardian | Father /Male guardian
In Ukraine, the State Classification of Occupations DK 003: 2010 divides all possible jobs
into 9 professional groups, ranked in the direction of reducing the level of qualification. These are
the following groups (Український ринок праці… 2020):
The first - legislators, senior civil servants, managers (for them the main feature is the
management of other employees or processes). In 2018 in the structure of employees
they consisted of 8.1%.
The second and third are professionals and specialists who are able to perform
independent and complete work related mainly to information processing (29.6%).
31
Fourth - technical staff who perform ancillary, mostly office work, work for employees
groups 1-3 (2.9%).
Fifth - employees of trade and services, which directly carry out the operational
activities of the enterprises (16.7%).
Sixth, seventh and eighth - skilled workers in different industries and different degrees
of mastery of technology (23.5%).
Ninth - jobs that do not require professional qualifications - mostly the simplest
professions, or those that can be quickly learned in practice (19.1%).
As for Ukrainian children in research, 19% of whose parents are workers in services, trade
and 18% - employed in areas that require higher education (specialist (non-physical work)) (see
Chart 13).
Chart 13. Ukrainian parents occupation
Запитання 46. Який Ваш ОСНОВНИЙ рід занять?
Question 46. What is your MAIN occupation?
32
5.6. Property status
In addition to the traditional sociological scales for determining the financial situation of
families, in world science there is a wide range of tools for measuring the financial situation of
people. One of the most famous is the Gini Index, which traditionally measures inequality. The Gini
Index (inequality index or justice index) was developed in the early twentieth century by the Italian
economist Corrado Gini. It means the gap between the poor and the rich: the higher the ratio, the
greater the gap - 1% means equal income, 100% - all income is concentrated in one hand.
In Ukraine, the Gini index is one of the lowest in the world - 25.36% (in Poland, the Gini
index 2020 was 30.19%), such an anomalous result may be due to unreliable statistics on income
and a high share of the shadow economy (Індекс Джині 2020). Such a low rate could be
exacerbated by the long period of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to UNICEF forecasts,
poverty is expected to increase significantly due to declining incomes as a result of the COVID-19
pandemic in two scenarios (Бородчук, Черенько 2020):
• in a less threatening scenario (based on the latest macro-forecasts of the Cabinet of Ministers
of Ukraine), the absolute poverty rate is expected to increase from 27.2 to 43.6%;
• under the more threatening scenario, the absolute poverty rate is expected to increase from
27.2 to 50.8%.
However, in the research, 57% of Ukrainian parents of students-respondents and 62% of
Polish parents indicated the “average” financial situation of the family (see Chart 14). This is a
characteristic methodological feature in opinion polls - when respondents provide average answers,
especially in questions about the financial situation (there was also a difference in the formulation
of alternatives in the construction of the question on the financial situation in the Polish and
Ukrainian questionnaires). In general, there is a tendency that in Ukraine they were more likely to
belong to the poorer strata, and in Poland - on the contrary - to the richer ones. In fact, according to
The Index of Economic Freedom, Poland ranks 41st and Ukraine 127th in 2021 (Index of Economic
Freedom).
33
Chart 14. Family's financial situation
Запитання 44. Яке з тверджень найточніше відповідає фінансовому стану Вашої сім'ї?
Pytanie 43. Które z niżej wymienionych stwierdzeń najlepiej opisuje, Twoim zdaniem, sposób gospodarowania
pieniędzmi w Twoim domu?
Question 44. Which of the following statements best describes your family's financial situation?
Among the items of property, Ukrainians most often indicated a car - 34% (see Chart 15).
The percentage of Poles who indicated that they have a car is much higher - 75%. 10% of Ukrainian
and 12% of Polish respondents have a plot of land and a house. In Ukraine, this may be due to the
Soviet tradition of giving plots (dachas) to factory workers who inherit their descendants. And also
The question of the family's financial situation contained slightly different wording in
Poland and Ukraine. They are shown in the diagram as follows:
bold - wording in the Polish questionnaire
normal font - wording in the Ukrainian questionnaire
34
with the fact that a significant part of Ukrainians inherited property in rural areas. In Poland, this
may be due to the desire to own private property, which is typical of Europeans in general.
Chart 15. The items or devices which are in student’s family home
Запитання 47. Які з перерахованих предметів чи пристроїв є у Вашому домі?
Pytanie P46. Które z następujących przedmiotów lub urządzeń znajdują się w Waszym domu?
Question 47. Which of the following items or devices are in your home?
The biggest difference is between families who have a dishwasher - in the Polish sample
63%, while in Ukraine - only 5%. As there are a number of problems in Ukraine, such as the lack of
a census since 2001, the shadow economy and others that make it difficult to study the social
stratification of society, the division into three classes is often hotly debated. There are studies that
suggest using a more complex system of types (classes) to understand the stratification of Ukrainian
society. In particular, through the use of the Warner index. Measurement of social status through the
Warner status index is based on four socioeconomic factors (Ковальська 2017: 72):
1. occupation,
2. source of income
3. condition of the apartment
4. area of residence.
Each of the indicators has its own weight, depending on the degree of importance of a
certain criterion in determining the social status of the individual. In fact, each of the factors in the
questionnaire is presented in the form of a set of questions. In particular, the “state of the
apartment” contains questions about household appliances. The results of Kowalska's research
showed that the share of dishwashers in Ukraine is insignificant and their owners belong to the
35
upper class (Ковальська 2018: 53). Due to the higher economic well-being of the Polish
population, it is likely that in Poland this type of equipment is typical of the middle class, which is
usually much larger in European countries.
5.7. Number of books
The Ukrainian Book Institute conducted a large-scale research of reading in the context of
media consumption and life-building (Читання в контексті… 2020). Reading is recognized as a
practice that is related to values, lifestyles and everyday habits. In addition, global research notes a
number of patterns, such as the fact that high-income families read books more often than low-
income families. The results also show that women are more active readers than men (В якій країні
читають… 2017). Thus, it could be hypothesized that the number of books in families is related to
the practice of reading. However, in the Ukrainian society of the Soviet period there was a tradition
of accumulation of relatively accessible (in the period of total deficit) objects. Thus, home libraries
and a large number of sets of utensils became classics in Soviet apartments.
Reading is also thoroughly studied in Poland. The National Library has published the latest
report on reading in Poland. After 2019, when not only the decline in readership slowed down, but
also a slight increase in interest in books, during the coronavirus pandemic, even more Poles turned
to books. In 2020, 42% of Poles read at least one book, while in the earlier period - only 39%
(Krempa 2021). More than half of the Polish home book collections contain up to about 50
volumes. Relatively large collections of books (over 500 volumes) are owned by a negligible
percentage of respondents, and this also applies to people with higher education (about 3% of them
have such collections). Books are surrounded primarily by those who have a positive or very
positive emotional attitude towards them - approx. 8% of people who declare such attitudes own
more than 500 volumes (Krempa 2021). In both Poland (48%) and Ukraine (46%), the largest
percentage of respondents said they had between 26 and 100 books at home (see Chart 16).
36
Chart 16. Number of books in student’s family house
Question 41. Скільки книг у Вашому домі?
Pytanie P41. Ile jest książek w Twoim domu?
Question 41. How many books are in your house?
5.8. Subjective perception of religiosity
Ukrainian society demonstrates a fairly high level of religiosity: in particular, as of the end
of 2010, compared to 2000, the number of citizens who declared themselves believers increased
from 58 to 71%. In the future, during 2010-2020 the share of believers among adult citizens of
Ukraine averaged 70%. At the same time, the 2014 survey recorded an increase compared to the
“pre-war” 2013, the number of believers from 67% to 76% - which is typical for a society in a
stressful situation. This Chart is still the highest in all years of observations; it has declined further
and now stands at 68% of respondents (from 88% of Westerners to 55% of Southerners) (question
“Whether you attend church or not, who do you consider yourself?”) (Особливості релігійного…
2020: 3). According to the data of the Institute of Statistics of the Catholic Church, the percentage
of people declaring themselves as deeply religious is only about 11% in Poland. Women believe
more often, among whom there is 14.4% deeply religious and 70.3% believers, and among men
there are 7.6% deeply religious and 68.8 % - believers (Gronek 2021).
Among the Ukrainian respondents, 74% called themselves believers, 67% - Polish
respondents have the same position (see Chart 17). In the Polish part, a larger percentage (22%) of
those who could not determine when answering the question of religiosity. This may indicate that
the issue of religion is more sensitive for Poles.
37
Chart 17. Subjective perception of religiosity
Question 45. Незалежно від вашої участі у релігійних практиках, чи вважаєте Ви себе людиною…
Pytanie P44. Niezależnie od udziału w praktykach religijnych, czy uważasz siebie za osobę:…
Question 45. Regardless of your participation in religious practices, do you consider yourself a person:…?
5.9. Synthetic indicator of social status
In democratic societies where a high level of diversity is quite difficult to establish
unambiguously the structure of social stratification.
In Poland, it is estimated that almost 2.8 million people live below the poverty line. This
number is 7.4% of the total population. The reasons for this state of affairs can be traced in many
determinants, but one of the most important is perhaps the systemic transformation that began in
1989, which manifested itself in the abandonment of the previous socialist system by the economy
and society. This has led to a rather dynamic process of income distribution in our society, mainly
to the regions and their capitals - provincial cities. According to the Central Statistical Office of
Poland (GUS), the highest percentage fell on the Warmińsko-Mazurskie voivodeship, where it was
14.8%. This meant that every sixth inhabitant of this voivodship lived below the subsistence level.
This is twice as much as the national average. The second in this regard was Świętokrzyskie
voivodeship where at the end of 2014 more than 10% of families lived below the subsistence level.
The best situation was in Śląskie voivodeship (Gospodarka… 2016: 157).
In Ukraine, according to the annual (since 2010) survey of the State Statistics Committee
“Self-assessment of households of their incomes in 2020”, 1% of Ukrainians are middle-class,
31.9% are not poor, but not yet middle-class, the poor - 67.1% (Соболєв 2021). When asked about
the income that allows them to consider themselves a representative of the middle class, 71.3% of
Ukrainians call the amount of more than 22 thousand UAH per month per person. The average
38
household size in Ukraine does not exceed three people, of whom only one works. Accordingly, to
belong to the middle class, the monthly income of a working person must be over UAH 66,000.
That's about 2,100 EUR. The average salary of a non-family person in the EU in 2020 was 2,000
EUR or almost 62,000 UAH, and a working couple with two children has a net average monthly
salary of more than 4,283 EUR euros, or almost 132,000 UAH. Accordingly, the self-assessment of
Ukrainians as to what the income should be in order to be called the middle class is actually one to
one (a slight 5% difference) coincides with the European average. And, since in Ukraine the vast
majority of prices and tariffs are comparable in absolute terms with European ones, and even higher
than them, such a comparison seems quite correct (Соболєв 2021)..
It is important in comparative studies to understand that the same sociological scale (such as
division into classes) may have different internal contents. Also, returning to diversity today, the
definition of belonging to social groups/ strata/ classes is not based solely on financial status. One
of the most well-known methods of objective measurement social status are indices with composite
variables (Ковальська 2017: 68):
Warner's Index of Status Characteristics (ISC),
Socio-economic status assessment,
Hollingshead's social position index.
The special synthetic indicator was developed in the research. The social status index was
prepared by Dr. hab. Piotr Długosz on the basis of variables: parental education, professional status
and assessment of financial status. The methodology for constructing the index was based on the
following considerations:
Below secondary education, work outside the service sector or being out of the labor
market, as well as low assessment of financial status indicate low status.
Secondary education, service work and average financial status indicate average status.
39
Higher education, placement among professionals and management with a high assessment
of financial status place respondents in the category of higher status. According to the developed
index, there is no significant difference between the families of Poles and Ukrainians belonging to
one or another status (see Chart 18).
Chart 18. The Social Status Index
Among Polish respondents, a slightly higher percentage of those belonging to the average
status (66% POL | 60% UKR). Among Ukrainian respondents, a slightly higher percentage have
lower status (23% UKR | 21% POL). There are also more Ukrainian respondents who have been
referred to higher status (17% UKR | 12% POL). The least is the discrepancy for low status.
5.10. Summary
Summing up Chapter 5, the research presents different gender and age groups of students
from Polish and Ukrainian schools in different regions of the two countries. The research also
interviewed schoolchildren from schools of different forms of ownership and from different
educational levels. Considerable attention was paid to the study of the socio-economic status of
families, so the research took into account indicators of financial status, household items, education
and profession of parents, the availability of books and subjective perceptions of their own
religiosity.
This structure represents students from Poland and Ukraine.
40
Anastasiia Bastrakova
6. PSYCHOSOCIAL CONDITION OF SCHOOLCHILDREN ON
THE THRESHOLD OF RETURNING TO SCHOOL
This Chapter discusses the impact of distance learning on the health of students, their fears
about returning to school. As well as the willingness to return to school and the level of anxiety and
depression. The level of psychological well-being (life satisfaction) of schoolchildren was also
assessed.
6.1. Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the lives of Poles/ Ukrainians
About half of the surveyed Ukrainian families were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in
one way or another, with the negative consequences of the pandemic occurring in cities somewhat
more often than in rural area. In Poland, 42% of the surveyed families experienced negative impact
of the pandemic (see Chart 19).
41
Chart 19. Events that occurred in families during the coronavirus pandemic
Question 42. Під час пандемії чи траплялися у Вашій родині такі події …
Pytanie 42. Czy w trakcie pandemii, kiedy odbywałeś zdalną naukę doszło do następujących wydarzeń w
Twojej rodzinie…
Question 42. During a pandemic, the following events occurred in your family…?
Most common effects among Polish families were switching to telecommuting by one
parent (18%), deterioration of the child's contacts with peers (15%), misunderstandings and
conflicts at home (12%), decrease of the family's income (12%) and serious illness of a family
member (10%). At the same time, about a third of Ukrainian families lost income (more common
event in urban area), in 9% of families one parent lost job, and in 7% - switched to telecommuting.
8% of Ukrainian families had misunderstandings and conflicts at home, and the same share of the
families experienced a deterioration in food quality. In 7% of the surveyed Ukrainian families,
someone from the family was seriously ill, and in about the same proportion of families there was a
deterioration of the child's contacts with peers. The transition to remote work by a parent was more
frequent in urban areas both in Poland and Ukraine.
42
6.2. Negative effects of remote education on students' health
Distance learning, which lasted for a long time, affected the health of schoolchildren. In
Poland, 30% of surveyed schoolchildren reported a decrease in physical fitness, about a fifth
experienced deterioration of overall functioning and mental deterioration, 18% indicated the
appearance of overweight, 16% - deterioration of vision, 7% - the deterioration of health. In
Ukraine, 37% of surveyed schoolchildren experienced a decrease in physical fitness, 22% -
deterioration of vision. 16% indicated the appearance of overweight, 15% pointed to the
deterioration of health. 13% noted the deterioration of mental condition and the general condition of
the body (see Chart 20).
Chart 20. Problems that schoolchildren have encountered during distance learning
Question 27. Чи були у Вас такі проблеми під час дистанційного навчання?
Pytanie 27. Czy w czasie trwania zdalnej edukacji doszło u Ciebie do?
Question 27. Did you have such problems during distance learning?
In Poland, girls were slightly more likely than boys to report such negative health effects as
mental deterioration and deterioration of physical fitness. The appearance of all negative effects of
remote education significantly correlates with anxiety, depression states and Internet addiction. The
appearance of some negative effects also significantly correlates with the level of life satisfaction
and support from close social groups, although the strength of correlations is relatively lower
compared to Ukraine.
43
In Ukraine, girls were slightly more likely than boys to report negative health effects during
distance learning. Urban schoolchildren more often than rural ones noted decrease in physical
fitness, deterioration of vision, as well as deterioration of health and general condition of the body.
Also, the appearance of negative consequences of remote education significantly correlates with
anxiety and depression states, the level of life satisfaction, support from close social groups, and
Internet addiction.
6.3. Anxiety and depression among students
The Generalised Anxiety Disorder Assessment (GAD-7) was used to measure severity of
anxiety among schoolchildren within the study. The GAD-7 Tool was developed by Drs. Robert L.
Spitzer, Janet B.W. Williams, Kurt Kroenke and colleagues. It is a seven-item instrument that is
used to measure or assess the severity of generalised anxiety disorder, where each item asks the
individual to rate the severity of his or her symptoms over the past two weeks. Response options
include “not at all”, “several days”, “more than half the days” and “nearly every day”. The GAD-7
score is calculated by assigning scores of 0, 1, 2, and 3, to the response categories respectively, and
then adding together the scores for the seven questions. GAD-7 total score ranges from 0 to 21.
Scores of 5, 10, and 15 represent cut-points for mild, moderate, and severe anxiety, respectively.
Score intervals can be described as follows: 0–4: minimal anxiety, 5–9: mild anxiety, 10–14:
moderate anxiety, 15–21: severe anxiety.
The mean score of the GAD-7 scale for the surveyed schoolchildren is 2.6 (with a standard
deviation of 4.2) in Poland and 2.4 (with a standard deviation of 3.6) in Ukraine. This means that in
general there is a minimal level of anxiety among schoolchildren in both countries. At the same
time, some states, such as being easily irritated, feeling nervous or very tense, and worrying too
much about things, are relatively most common among schoolchildren – in Poland 34%, 32% and
31% of respondents, respectively, felt them for at least several days during the study period, and in
Ukraine – 38%, 28% and 33% of respondents, respectively (see Chart 21).
44
Chart 21. Anxious states among schoolchildren
Question 34. Як часто протягом останніх двох тижнів у Вас виникали такі проблеми?
Pytanie 34. Jak często w ciągu ostatnich dwóch tygodni dokuczały Tobie następujące problemy?
Question 34. How often have you had the following problems in the past two weeks?
The PHQ-9 Depression Measurement Tool, which is a part of Patient Health
Questionnaire (PHQ), was used to measure degree of depression severity among schoolchildren
within the study. The PHQ-9 Tool was developed by Drs. Robert L. Spitzer, Janet B.W. Williams,
Kurt Kroenke and colleagues. It is a nine-item instrument that is used as a depression screening
scale, where each item asks the individual to rate the severity of their symptoms over the past two
weeks. Response options include “not at all”, “several days”, “more than half the days” and “nearly
every day”. The PHQ-9 score is calculated by assigning scores of 0, 1, 2, and 3, to the response
categories respectively, and then adding together the scores for the seven questions. PHQ-9 total
score ranges from 0 to 27. Scores of 5, 10, and 15 represent cut-points for mild, moderate, and
severe anxiety, respectively. Score intervals can be described as follows: 0–4: minimal/ no
depression, 5–9: mild depression, 10–14: moderate depression, 15–19: moderately severe
depression, 20-27: severe depression.
The mean score of the PHQ-9 scale for the surveyed schoolchildren is 2.7 (with a standard
deviation of 4.0) in Poland and 2.6 (with a standard deviation of 4.0) in Ukraine. This means that in
general there is a minimal level of depression among schoolchildren in both countries. On the other
hand, some states, such as low interest / lack of satisfaction with the performed activity and feeling
tired / lack of energy, are relatively most common among schoolchildren – in Poland 29% and 36%
45
of respondents, respectively, felt them for at least several days during the study period, and in
Ukraine – 32% and 40% of respondents, respectively (see Chart 22).
Chart 22. Depressive states among schoolchildren
Question 35. Як часто протягом останніх 2 тижнів у Вас виникали такі проблеми?
Pytanie 35. Jak często w ciągu ostatnich 2 tygodni dokuczały Ci następujące problemy?
Question 35. How often in the last 2 weeks have you had the following problems?
In Poland, significant differences in experiencing anxiety and depression were observed
depending on the place of schoolchildren’ residence and the financial situation of the family. Urban
schoolchildren are more prone to anxiety and depression. The higher the material well-being of the
family, the lower the anxiety and depression of the child.
In Ukraine, girls are more prone to emotional distress and anxiety, as well as depressive
states. Older schoolchildren tend to experience anxiety and depressive states relatively more often.
Both GAD-7 and PGQ-9 scores correlate with the financial situation of the family (the higher the
material well-being, the higher the anxiety and depression).
In both countries, the level of anxiety and depression of schoolchildren significantly
correlates with the level of life satisfaction and support from close social groups (the higher the
psychological well-being and social support, the lower the anxiety and depression). Atmosphere at
46
school conducive to learning correlates with lower level of anxiety and depression. Higher rates of
anxiety and depressive states correspond to a higher level of Internet addiction (the strength of the
correlation is particularly high in Poland), as well as a greater need for possible therapeutic help.
6.4. Fear of going back to school, willingness to go back to school
Concerns about returning to school (in May 2021) after a long break were not very common
among schoolchildren, especially among Ukrainian ones (see Chart 23). In Poland, top 5 concerns
are fear of contracting COVID-19 (19% of schoolchildren experienced it), feeling uncomfortable
thinking about returning to school (18%), getting nervous after watching/reading media news
(16%), excessive worry about returning to school and fear of going back to school after a break
(15% each). In Ukraine, the most common fears are fear of contracting COVID-19 (15%) and
strong anxiety about returning to school (13%) (see Chart 24).
Chart 23. Feelings about returning to school after a long break: Poland
Pytanie 36. Z końcem maja bieżącego roku uczniowie trzeba było wracać po dłuższej przerwie do szkoły. Czy
w związku z tym pojawiły się u Ciebie następujące odczucia?
Question 36. At the end of May this year, the schoolchildren had to return to school after a long break. Have
you experienced the following feelings about this?
47
Chart 24. Feelings about returning to school after a long break: Ukraine
Question 36. Наприкінці травня цього року учні повинні були повернутися до школи після тривалої
перерви. У зв'язку з цим Ви відчували такі почуття?
Question 36. At the end of May this year, the schoolchildren had to return to school after a long break. Have
you experienced the following feelings about this?
In Poland, some of the concerns about returning to school are related to the place of
residence of the schoolchildren (rural schoolchildren relatively more frequently experienced the fear
to catch COVID-19 infection, while urban schoolchildren more often had trouble sleeping) and
almost all of the concerns are related to the financial situation of the family (the higher the material
well-being, the lower expressed the fears).
In Ukraine, some of the concerns about returning to school are related to the place of
residence of the schoolchildren (rural schoolchildren relatively more frequently experienced
excessive worry about returning to school and fear to catch COVID-19 infection, while urban
schoolchildren more often felt worse when thinking about going back to school) and almost all of
the concerns are related to the financial situation of the family (the higher the material well-being,
the more expressed the fears).
In both countries, fears about returning to school significantly correlate with anxiety and
depression states, the level of life satisfaction and support from close social groups. Some or almost
all fears are related to indicators such as desire to return to school after a break and attitude towards
possible longer stay on distance learning. Atmosphere at school conducive to learning correlates
48
with lower level of the fears. Higher rates of the concerns about returning to school correspond to a
higher level of Internet addiction, as well as a greater desire to receive psychological help.
40% of the surveyed Polish schoolchildren and half of the surveyed Ukrainian
schoolchildren said that their desire to return to “traditional” schooling after a break caused by
distance education was much greater. About a third of schoolchildren in both countries indicated
that the desire was the same (see Chart 25). 17% of respondents in Poland and 12% of respondents
in Ukraine said that the desire to return to school was lower.
Chart 25. Desire to return to school after a break
Question 5. Після перерви, спричиненої дистанційною освітою, тривалого перебування вдома, моє
бажання повернутися до нормальної освіти в класі разом з однолітками та вчителями таке: …
Pytanie 5. Po przerwie wywołanej zdalną edukacją, pozostawaniem dłuższy czas w domu moja chęć powrotu
do normalnej edukacji w klasie z rówieśnikami i nauczycielem jest…
Question 5. After a break caused by remote education, staying at home for a long time, my willingness to
return to normal education in the classroom with my peers and the teacher is ….
In Poland, girls show much higher readiness and desire to return to normal education.
Higher share of those who were more willing to return “traditional” schooling is observed among
urban schoolchildren compared to rural ones. Also, desire to return to school after a break
significantly correlates with social support, marks during distance learning, efforts during distance
learning. It also has particularly strong correlation with attitude towards possible longer stay on
distance learning. Favorable school climate correlates with higher desire to return to school. Higher
level of Internet addiction corresponds to a less readiness to return to school.
In Ukraine, relatively higher readiness to return to normal education in the classroom is
observed among girls compared to boys, and among younger schoolchildren compared to older
schoolchildren. Also, desire to return to school after a break significantly correlates with the level of
life satisfaction and support from close social groups. It is also related to indicators such as, marks
during distance learning, efforts during distance learning and especially attitude towards possible
longer stay on distance learning. Atmosphere at school conducive to learning correlates with higher
desire to return to school. Higher level of Internet addiction corresponds to a less readiness to return
to school.
49
6.5. Psychological well-being, need for therapeutic help
The Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) is a short 5-item instrument designed to measure
global cognitive judgments of satisfaction with one's life. It was used to assess psychological well-
being among schoolchildren within this study. The SWLS Tool was developed by Ed Diener,
Robert A. Emmons, Randy J. Larsen and Sharon Griffin. Respondents were asked five statements
with which they can agree or disagree, using a scale of 1 to 5 (1 – strongly disagree, 5 – strongly
agree). The SWLS total score is calculated by adding together the scores for the five questions and
ranges from 5 to 25. Higher scores represent higher life satisfaction.
The mean score of the SWLS for the surveyed schoolchildren is 18.1 (with a standard
deviation of 3.4) in Poland and 18.1 (with a standard deviation of 3.8) in Ukraine. Thus, there is a
quite moderate, not too high level of psychological well-being (life satisfaction) of schoolchildren
in both countries. At the same time, if in both countries three quarters of respondents said they were
satisfied with their lives, and almost 70% indicated that they achieved important goals in their lives,
then only 50-60% of schoolchildren agreed with the statements that their lives were close to ideal,
that their living conditions were perfect, and that they were unlikely to want to change anything in
their lives (see Chart 26).
Chart 26. Subjective (psychological) well-being among schoolchildren: agreement with
SWLS-statements
Question 23. Я зачитаю вам декілька думок, по кожній з яких вам потрібно сказати, наскільки Ви з нею
згодні чи не згодні.
Pytanie 23. Przeczytam Tobie kilka opinii i przy każdej z poproszę Ciebie, żebyś powiedział, na ile się z nimi
zgadzasz.
Question 23. I will read you a few opinions, each of which requires you to say how much you agree or disagree
with it.
50
In Poland, girls and younger schoolchildren were more likely to express satisfaction with
life. Schoolchildren from families with a believing/ deeply believing parent were more likely to
show higher level of psychological well-being compared to schoolchildren from non-believing
families. The level of psychological well-being is also related to the financial situation of the family
(the higher the material well-being, the higher satisfaction with life).
In Ukraine, psychological well-being significantly correlates with schoolchildren’ age:
younger schoolchildren more often tend to express satisfaction with life compared.
In both countries, the level of life satisfaction predictably correlates with the level of
schoolchildren’ anxiety and depression, and support from close social groups. Atmosphere at school
conducive to learning correlates with higher level of psychological well-being. Higher rate of
psychological well-being (life satisfaction) corresponds to a lower level of Internet addiction, as
well as a lower need for help from a school psychologist.
About 20% of Polish schoolchildren and 16% of Ukrainian schoolchildren express a desire
to use the help of a school psychologist, a teacher at their school if it were possible (see Chart 27).
At the same time, 43% of schoolchildren in Ukraine definitely would not like to use such help,
while in Poland the share is 24%.
Chart 27. Desire to receive the help of a school psychologist, a teacher in school
Question 33. Чи хотіли б Ви скористатися допомогою шкільного психолога, вчителя у своїй школі, якби
це було можливо?
Pytanie 33. Czy chciał(a)byś skorzystać z pomocy psychologa szkolnego, pedagoga w mojej szkole, gdyby była
taka możliwość?
Question 33. Would you like to use the help of a school psychologist, a teacher in your school, if it were
possible?
In both countries, girls express higher desire to receive psychological help. Also, the need
for therapeutic help significantly correlates with anxiety and depression, the level of life satisfaction
and support from close social groups (except the support from teachers). Higher rates of the need
for therapeutic help correspond to a higher level of Internet addiction. Additionaly, in Poland, the
need to receive therapeutic help significantly correlates with the financial situation of the family
(the higher the material well-being, the lower the need for therapeutic help).
51
6.6. Summary
Summing up Chapter 6, remote education has affected the physical and mental condition of
schoolchildren in both Poland and Ukraine. In particular, about a third of the surveyed
schoolchildren reported a decrease in physical fitness. Although the general level of anxiety and
depression of schoolchildren is minimal in both countries, nevertheless, some states, such as
excessive worrying, irritation, lack of energy and low interest with the performed activity, are
common. Most schoolchildren are satisfied with their lives, but only half of respondents agree that
their life is close to ideal. Many schoolchildren, especially in Ukraine, are definitely willing to
return to normal education in the classroom and have no strong fear of returning to school.
52
Anastasiia Bastrakova
7. IMPONDERABILIA OF THE PSYCHOSOCIAL CONDITION
This Chapter describes how students perceive the school atmosphere. The level of Internet
addiction is analyzed, which is compared with the level of anxiety and depression. The level of
social support of schoolchildren, especially parents, is also analyzed. The level of students' trust in
social groups close to them (parents, teachers and class teachers, classmates, friends and
neighbors) is discussed.
7.1. School climate
About 91% of schoolchildren in Poland and 83% of schoolchildren in Ukraine perceive the
atmosphere at school, before the transition to distance learning, as one that promotes the acquisition
of knowledge (see Chart 28).
In Poland, girls are more likely to express the belief that the atmosphere at school was
conducive to the acquisition of knowledge, as are schoolchildren from families with higher lever of
the material situation.
In Ukraine, girls and younger schoolchildren are relatively more likely to express the belief
that the atmosphere at school was conducive to the acquisition of knowledge, as are schoolchildren
from families with lower lever of the material situation.
53
In both countries, the assessment of the atmosphere at school significantly correlates with
indicators such as anxiety and depression, the level of life satisfaction, social support, desire to
return to school after a break, attitude towards possible longer stay on distance learning. Perception
of the school climate is also related to the Internet addiction.
Chart 28. The atmosphere at school conducive to the acquisition of knowledge
Question 24. Чи була до переходу на дистанційне навчання атмосфера у Вашій школі такою, що
сприяла засвоєнню знань?
Pytanie 24. Czy przed przejściem na zdalną edukację w Twojej szkole była przyjemna i życzliwa atmosfera,
która sprzyjała zdobywaniu wiedzy?
Question 24. Before the transition to distance learning, was the atmosphere at school conducive to the
acquisition of knowledge?
7.2. Social support
The Short Scale of Youth's Social Support Assessment (SSYSSA-18) was used to
measure social support within this survey. The scale has acceptable score of validity and is a
reliable diagnostic tool. It measures three aspects of support: from parents, peers and teachers, thus
it covers all environments in which potentially the adolescent lives. The SSYSSA-18 was created
and tested by Bartłomiej Skowroński and Rafał Pabich. The SSYSSA-18 is an eighteen-item
instrument, where each item asks the individual to rate to what extent an example of supportive
behavior apply to them (there are 5 examples of parental support, 5 examples of teachers support, 8
examples of peer support). Response options include “definitely no”, “rather no”, “hard to say”,
“rather yes” and “ definitely yes”. The SSYSSA scores are calculated by assigning scores of 1, 2, 3,
4, and 5 to the response categories respectively, and then adding together the scores for the
respective questions. Higher scores represent higher level of support. The total score for parental
support ranges from 5 to 25, as well as for support from teachers. The total score for peer support
ranges from 8 to 40. And the overall SSYSSA-18 total score ranges from 18 to 90.
In both countries, social support of schoolchildren is quite high, and, in particular, parental
support is the strongest. The mean overall SSYSSA-18 score for the surveyed schoolchildren is 75.8
54
(with a standard deviation of 9.4) in Poland and 72.7 (with a standard deviation of 11.5) in Ukraine.
More details on the subscales of social support can be seen in Table 1. The general level of social
support of schoolchildren is slightly higher in Poland due to relatively stronger peer support.
Table 1. Means, standard deviations, minimum results and maximum results for social
support (subscales and overall scale)
Poland
Ukraine
M
SD
min
max
M
SD
min
max
Overall support
75.8
9.37
34
90
72.7
11.52
22
90
Parental support
22.2
3.00
9
25
22.8
3.05
5
25
Support from teachers
19.9
3.75
5
25
18.7
4.57
5
25
Peer support
33.7
4.69
10
40
31.2
6.29
8
40
Table: Anastasiia Bastrakova | Created with Microsoft Word
In Poland, girls are more likely to experience various forms of social support. Younger
schoolchildren more frequently indicated support from teachers, parents and overall support. The
subscales and the overall scale of social support also correlate with financial situation of the family
(the higher the material well-being, the higher the level of support).
In Ukraine, younger schoolchildren are more likely than older ones to experience various
forms of social support. Girls more often than boys indicated that they felt support from teachers.
The levels of parental and teacher support also correlate with financial situation of the family (the
higher the material well-being, the lower the level of support), although the strength of these
correlations is quite weak.
In both countries, all three aspects of the support, as well as the general social support,
significantly correlate with anxiety and depressive states. The subscales and the overall scale of
social support have strong relationship with life satisfaction (psychological well-being) and
perception of the atmosphere at school. All or almost all forms of social support are related to
indicators such as desire to return to school after a break, attitude towards possible longer stay on
distance learning, Internet addiction, desire to receive therapeutic help.
7.3. Trust capital
In general, there is a fairly high level of trust of schoolchildren in social groups close to
them. Thus, majority of respondents trust their parents (97% in Poland, 97% in Ukraine), classmates
55
(90% in Poland, 76% in Ukraine), class teachers (87% in Poland, 85% in Ukraine), teachers (85%
in Poland, 77% in Ukraine), friends and neighbors (79% in Poland, 81% in Ukraine), and the school
principal (73% in Poland, 67% in Ukraine). The level of trust in government officials (President,
Prime Minister, Minister of Education and Science) is not so high (see Charts 29-30), in particular
due to the fact that a large number of schoolchildren, especially in Ukraine, are undecided about
their attitudes (probably due to lack of awareness of the activities of these officials or the inability
to form an unambiguous idea about them).
Chart 29. Level of trust in certain people: Poland
Pytanie 26. Na ile masz zaufanie do następujących osób?
Question 26. How much do you trust the following people?
56
Chart 30. Level of trust in certain people: Ukraine
Question 26. Наскільки Ви довіряєте наступним людям?
Question 26. How much do you trust the following people?
In Poland, level of trust in class teachers and parents correlates with the age of
schoolchildren: the younger the schoolchildren, the higher their level of trust. Urban schoolchildren
tend to trust their teachers and friends more than rural schoolchildren do. Trust in different people
also correlates with financial situation of the family (the higher the material well-being, the higher
the trust capital of the child).
In Ukraine, level of trust in people correlates with the age of schoolchildren: the younger
the schoolchildren, the higher their trust capital. Rural schoolchildren trust their class teachers and
classmates more than urban schoolchildren.
In both countries, trust in people significantly correlates with indicators such as anxiety
and depression, the level of life satisfaction, Internet addiction, and perception of the school
climate. It also correlates with social support from close groups, especially strongly in Ukraine.
Lower trust in parents and classmates is related to the higher need for therapeutic help.
57
7.4. Internet addiction
Internet addiction index was constructed by summing the respondents’ answers for two
questions “How often do you find yourself neglecting your home and school responsibilities due to
using the Internet?” and “How often do you feel upset or angry when you can't use the Internet?”
(on the scale of frequency from 0 – “never” to 4 – “very often”). The index total score ranges from
0, which represents no Internet addiction, to 8, which represents severe Internet addiction.
The mean score of the index for the surveyed schoolchildren is 3.3 (with a standard
deviation of 1.8) in Poland and 3.5 (with a standard deviation of 1.8) in Ukraine. Thus, the level of
Internet addiction among schoolchildren can be defined as slightly below average (moderate
Internet addiction). 19 % of respondents in Poland and 26% of respondents in Ukraine said they
often or very often neglected their responsibilities due to using the Internet, and 17% of respondents
in Poland and 21% of respondents in Ukraine reported that they often or very often felt upset/ angry
when they could not use the Internet (see Charts 31-32).
Chart 31. Neglecting responsibilities due to using the Internet
Question 28. Як часто Ви виявляєте, що нехтуєте своїми домашніми та шкільними обов’язками за
рахунок використання Інтернету?
Pytanie 28. Jak często Ci się zdarza, że zaniedbujesz swoje obowiązki domowe i szkolne kosztem korzystania z
internetu?
Question 28. How often do you find yourself neglecting your home and school responsibilities due to using the
Internet?
Chart 32. Feeling upset or angry without Internet
Question 29. Як часто ви відчуваєте засмучення або гнів, коли не можете користуватися Інтернетом?
Pytanie 29. Jak często Ci się zdarza, że czujesz się zdenerwowany, zły kiedy nie możesz korzystać z internetu?
Question 29. How often do you feel upset or angry when you can't use the Internet?
58
In Poland, Internet addiction significantly correlates with the gender of schoolchildren
(boys express higher level of the addiction) and financial situation of the family (the higher the
material well-being, the lower the Internet addiction of the child).
In Ukraine, there were no significant differences in Internet addiction rates by gender and
age of schoolchildren, their place of residence, as well as by the financial situation of the family.
In both countries, Internet addiction significantly correlates with indicators such as anxiety
and depression, the level of life satisfaction, social support, assessment of the school atmosphere,
but in Poland the strength of these correlation is higher compared to Ukraine. It is also related to the
need for therapeutic help and desire to return to school after a break.
7.5. Summary
Summarizing Chapter 7, majority of schoolchildren in both countries perceive the school
atmosphere as conducive to the acquisition of knowledge. Positive assessment of the school climate
is related to lower anxiety and depression level, higher level of life satisfaction, and a greater desire
to return to school after a break. Social (parental, peer, teacher) support of schoolchildren is strong,
and a higher level of support contributes to higher life satisfaction, less anxiety and depression, and
lower level of Internet addiction. At the same time, in both countries, younger schoolchildren are
more likely to feel high support from close groups. There is also high level of trust in social groups
close to schoolchildren, particularly among younger respondents. The level of Internet addiction
among schoolchildren is moderate (slightly below average) and significantly correlates with
indicators of psychosocial condition and social support.
59
Liudmyla Iuzva
8. STUDENTS IN THE PROCESS OF ONLINE EDUCATION
This Chapter describes whether students had appropriate subjects and equipment for
distance learning and whether their availability allowed them to perform school duties.
Comparisons of students' online and offline learning formats are analyzed. And the main
advantages and disadvantages of online learning.
8.1. Technical conditions for online education
A brief overview of some Polish studies shows that most students were provided with online
learning techniques. As many as 96% of students used their own equipment during distance
learning (Plebańska i inne 2020: 48). Among the equipment, students reported sharing computer
with siblings 7.9%, no computer 7%, no learning conditions 5.3%, no Internet 4.4% (Dobre i
slabe… 2020: 5). But such shares are small compared to Ukrainian ones.
In a study by the Education Ombudsman of Ukraine, 67% of parents indicated that they had
the necessary computer equipment to teach their children (Навчання… 2020: 11). However,
parents from mostly large cities took part in the survey, so this figure is clearly inflated for Ukraine
as a whole. The study also points out that even if families had the appropriate equipment, families
often had a real struggle for it between parents and children, between several children, and many
had to buy equipment to provide training. The same research indicates that the majority of children
60
- 82% use mobile phones to study, probably smartphones. 46% also use laptops, almost 22% -
tablets, and another 34% of students study at desktop computers.
In our research Ukrainian schoolchildren stated that they have their own desk for school
assignments (86%) and constant access to the Internet (81%) (see Chart 33). Also, a significant
proportion of students have laptops (61%) and a room where they can study (61%). A large
proportion of Ukrainian families still have a desktop PC (41%). Among the devices that may be
useful in the learning process (are useful) at home, respondents rarely indicated a printer (18%) and
a scanner (6%).
Both Ukrainian and Polish students indicated that they had adequate distance learning. Most
of them had their own desk (94% POL | 86% UKR) and Internet access (91% POL | 81% UKR).
However, there are Polish students at all points had a higher percentage, so more of them had their
own desks, Internet access, various technical gadgets. The only thing that Ukrainian students had
more was desktop computers. This may be due to the financial situation. Because often desktop
computers are obsolete and are used in Ukraine due to lack of funds to buy newer and more modern
laptops.
Chart 33. The items or devices which are in student’s family home
Запитання 47. Які з перерахованих предметів чи пристроїв є у Вашому домі?
Pytanie 46. Które z następujących przedmiotów lub urządzeń znajdują się w Waszym domu?
Question 47. Which of the following items or devices are in your home?
61
Regardless of the situation with the provision of appropriate subjects and equipment in
Polish and Ukrainian families, most schoolchildren indicated that they could perform school duties
during distance learning (55% POL | 59% UKR) (see Chart 34). It could have allowed them to fully
fulfill their learning responsibilities during distance learning - 38% Poles and 27% Ukrainians said.
The inverse proportion is interesting - Polish schoolchildren were better equipped, but Ukrainian
schoolchildren were more confident about schoolwork. At the same time, there were more
Ukrainian students than Polish students who indicated that the available equipment did not allow
them to perform their school duties (1% POL | 4% UKR).
Chart 34. Fulfillment of school responsibilities, taking into account the presence of a
computer, laptop and the quality of the Internet
Запитання 1. Враховуючи оснащення вашого будинку / квартири комп’ютером, ноутбуком та якість
Інтернету, чи дозволило це Вам повністю виконувати навчальні обов’язки протягом дистанційного
навчання?
Pytanie 1 Biorąc pod uwagę wyposażenie Twojego domu/mieszkania w komputer, laptop i jakość Internetu, to
czy pozwalało ono Tobie w pełni wypełnić szkolne obowiązki w nauce na odległość?
Question 1. Considering the equipment of your home / flat with a computer, laptop and the quality of the
Internet, did it allow you to fully fulfill your school's distance learning obligations?
According to a study by the Kyiv Educational Agency, 78% of schoolchildren in the
Ukrainian capital covered distance learning. That is, 22%, which is one in five Kyiv students, were
not involved in the educational process through communication with the teacher. 25% of parents of
such students explained this by the lack of technical means or the Internet, as children are in
quarantine in the country or in the village with relatives (П'єцух 2020). That is, in Ukraine there
was a process of internal migration from large cities to small settlements for periods of distance
learning. Accordingly, problems with access to the Internet, for example, could be more frequent in
small settlements. This is especially true during the first lockdown periods.
62
8.2. Assessment of the quality of classes
Since the beginning of the pandemic, researchers have begun to study the problem of
distance education through online surveys. Over time, the authorities also joined the process and
began conducting mass online surveys due to the availability of some administrative resources.
The study, conducted by the Research Department of the Adam Mickiewicz University in
Poznań, involved almost 5,000 students in grades IV-VIII of primary school and grades I-IV in
secondary schools. The data were collected in the electronic journal VULCAN. More than 60% of
students said they would rather go back to school than continue their studies remotely. The rest of
the people preferred distance learning to school, and a quarter said they did not like this form of
learning, but it was better than school lessons. Almost 50% of respondents see the potential of
distance learning and believe that traditional learning should be combined with distance learning.
18%. students would like to continue their studies only remotely after the pandemic, and 33% - only
traditionally (Uczniowie wolą… 2020).
At the beginning of 2021, the State Service for Education Quality conducted an online
survey of more than 270,000 students/ parents/ educators on the quality of distance education in
Ukrainian schools. 43% of students then said that they really enjoyed studying at home, 22.4% -
said that distance learning has a positive effect on their level of knowledge, 31% - said that they did
not want to return to normal school activities (Pipa 2021). Such high percentages of positive
assessment of distance learning experience may be due, firstly, to the method (online survey, which
was involved through schools) and secondly to the fact that over time there was a psychological
acceptance of this form of learning and formed a habit.
In our research, the vast majority of both Polish (46%) and Ukrainian (51%) students rated
their distance learning experience as negative (see Chart 35).
Chart 35. Assessment of distance learning experiences by schoolchildren
Запитання 2. Дистанційне навчання у 2021 році мені:…
Pytanie 2. Zdalna edukacja w 2021 r. to dla mnie:…
Question 2. Distance learning in 2021 for me:…
63
21% Poles and only 9% of Ukrainian students found it difficult to determine their
assessment. It is noteworthy that the gap between negative and positive assessments is not too large.
In Ukrainian national researchs, the percentage of those who negatively evaluate distance education
is usually higher. Thus, in the Active Group survey, 40.3% of Ukrainians said that they had a
negative attitude towards distance education, and 17% said it was rather negative (Єременко 2020).
In the New Image Marketing Group survey, 30% of Ukrainians surveyed have a negative attitude
towards distance learning, and another 37% rate it rather negatively (Оцінка ставлення… 2020:
23). Ukrainian students were more prone to polar assessments, both negative and positive, but
Polish students expressed much greater uncertainty about their attitudes toward distance education.
It is noteworthy that a very large proportion (21% POL | 9% UKR) of Polish sсhoolchildren
were skeptical about their assessment of the distance learning experience. In fact, students in most
countries for the first time have a long and systematic experience of distance learning. Therefore,
the doubts about the assessments of children were easily explained.
Comparing traditional classroom lessons and distance lessons, Ukrainian and Polish
sсhoolchildren equally often noted that online lessons were uninteresting and of poor quality (43%),
or were the same (34%) (see Chart 36). Polish students (22%) gave a more critical assessment of
online lessons as very bad, while only 12% of Ukrainians gave the same assessment.
Chart 36. Comparing online lessons with traditional school lessons
Запитання 3. Онлайн-уроки, порівняно з традиційними уроками в школі, були…
Pytanie P3. Lekcje online w porównaniu do lekcji tradycyjnych realizowanych w szkole były na:...
Question 3. Online lessons, compared to traditional school lessons, were…
When analyzing the attitude to distance learning, it is important to keep in mind that such
assessments may depend on the age of children because distance learning is based on self-discipline
64
and motivation for knowledge, and this is the ability of only older children. However, the results of
the study show that Polish students, both junior and senior, were evenly distributed (averaged). In
fact, in each group, both among those who rated the negative learning experience as negative, and
among all those who rated such experience as positive, and among all those who could not evaluate
- the percentage in the age group was close to 50% (see Chart 37).
Chart 37. Comparison of assessments of distance learning experience by studentss
Among those Ukrainian students who rated distance learning as positive and among those as
negative, there was more in the younger group (over 60% in both cases). And among all Ukrainian
students who could not evaluate their experience of distance education was a significant percentage
of older students (57%).
8.3. The pros and cons of online education
The research focused on the study of the pros and cons of distance education. Among the
main advantages of distance education, students named (completely agree & rather agree) (see
Chart 38):
• 79% POL and 75% UKR agree that the positive thing was the lack of need to pack
up and go to school and there was more time for themselves;
• 70% UKR and 69% POL agree that the positive thing was the opportunity to sleep
more, that there was no need to hurry anywhere;
• 67% UKR and 63% POL agree that the positive was that distance learning is safer,
because it protects against the danger of getting COVID-19;
65
• 67% POL and 59% UKR agree that the positive was that during distance learning
they could use the help of parents and siblings;
• 52% UKR and 46% POL agree that the positive was that during distance learning
they had fewer learning responsibilities;
• 48% POL and 48% UKR agree that the positive thing was that due to distance
learning they had more time for family, classmates, friends.
Chart 38. The pros of online education
Запитання 4. Я по черзі прочитаю вам різні думки щодо дистанційного навчання і запитаю, наскільки
ви з ними згодні. Щоб відповісти на запитання, використовуйте наступну шкалу …
Pytanie P4. Przeczytam Tobie po kolei różne opinie dotyczące nauki zdalnej i powiedz, na ile się z nimi
zgadzasz…
Question 4. I will take turns reading you different opinions about distance learning and ask how much you
agree with them…
66
Thus, for both Polish and Ukrainian students, the biggest advantage of distance education
was the lack of need to pack up and go to school and the fact that they had more time for
themselves.
The researchers asked students to express their views on the hypothetical shortcomings of
distance education. Some of them were indeed assessed as shortcomings, others - not. Thus, among
the main disadvantages of distance education, Ukrainian and Polish students called (completely
agree & rather agree) (see Chart 39):
• 40% POL and 10% UKR of students agreed that during distance learning their
relationship with teachers deteriorated;
• 44% POL and 11% UKR of students agreed that during distance learning their
relationships with classmates deteriorated;
• 28% POL and 19% UKR agreed that they are used to distance learning and do not
want to go back to school;
• 14% POL and 9% UKR of students agreed that during distance learning they could
not fully participate in online lessons due to health problems.
However, the students did not agree with other disadvantages that could be inherent in the
period of distance education (completely disagree & rather disagree):
• 70% UKR and 55% POL of students do not agree that during distance learning other
students listened to what they said, and this confused them;
• 24% UKR and 12% POL of students do not agree that during distance learning they
spent too much time on a computer/ laptop/ tablet;
• 29% POL and 29% UKR of students do not agree that during distance learning they
could not fully understand the material of online lessons;
• 30% UKR and 28% POL of students disagree that during online lessons it was
difficult for them to focus on what the teachers said.
The biggest disadvantages of distance learning for both Polish and Ukrainian students were
the significant amount of time spent at the screens, the difficulty of perceiving the material and the
difficulty of focusing on teachers' words.
67
Chart 39. The cons of online education
Question 4. Я по черзі прочитаю вам різні думки щодо дистанційного навчання і запитаю, наскільки ви
з ними згодні. Щоб відповісти на запитання, використовуйте наступну шкалу …
Pytanie 4. Przeczytam Tobie po kolei różne opinie dotyczące nauki zdalnej i powiedz, na ile się z nimi zgadzasz
Question 4. I will take turns reading you different opinions about distance learning and ask how much you
agree with them …
68
8.4. Summary
Summarizing the results described in the Chapter 8, students from both countries had similar
distance learning conditions. Their premises had appropriate items and equipment. Polish students
had slightly better access to the Internet and more additional equipment. This provision allowed
schoolchildren of both countries to perform school duties. However, Polish students were more
likely to call online lessons bad and uninteresting than Ukrainian students. The greatest advantages
of distance education students of both countries called that they had more time for themselves, were
protected from COVID-19 and could sleep longer in the morning. Polish and Ukrainian students
were equally unanimous about the shortcomings of distance education. Among the biggest
shortcomings, they mentioned that they could not fully understand the material of online lessons,
they found it difficult to focus their attention and they spent too much time in front of the screens of
their gadgets.
69
Liudmyla Iuzva
9. SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENTS IN ONLINE EDUCATION
This Chart analyzes how much effort and time students spent on schoolwork and whether
their parents helped them with online learning. It is studied how often students missed lessons and
what were the reasons for this. The participation of students in additional classes and sections is
analyzed. Students' assessments of their level of knowledge acquired during distance learning are
described.
9.1. Level of engagement in online education
ClickMeeting has examined the first 12 months of distance learning in Poland. The
published report shows that the situation is not optimistic. According to the report, 77% of
respondents believe that educational institutions are not ready to conduct online lessons effectively.
However, there is an improvement compared to August 2020, when as many as 86% of respondents
considered schools unprepared for education in the virtual model (Gotowalska 2021). This
unpreparedness of schools for distance education has led to entire families (not just children) being
forced to spend much more time educating children.
NASK researchers have examined that more than half (55%) of teenagers stated that remote
learning made them feel that they were in front of a computer, tablet or smartphone longer than they
wanted. Parents have a similar, although more unequivocal opinion - 76% of respondents in this
group chose this answer (Raport NASK… 2021). Some Ukrainian media channels claimed that
70
children spent 5-6 hours at the screen during distance learning (В Україні… 2021). More often we
can find in the media or analytics general phrases about the increase in time spent on education in
the distance. More often we can find in the media or analytics general phrases about the increase in
time spent on education in the distance. As well as many complaints that teachers, parents and
children have had to spend too much effort to adapt and learn what is needed for online education.
In a Ukrainian study of teachers, they placed particular emphasis on lack of responsibility and
disregard for educational issues by parents, as well as on non-standard the working day of teachers,
their overload, the need to improve their digital literacy (Чепурко, Гладченко 2020: 82). At the
same time, parents complained about the same thing about teachers.
Figure 2. Daily schedule
(6-12 years)
In general it is difficult to find research with specific
charts on how much time children spent at the screens during
distance learning. Even the advice given by the administrative
bodies avoided accurate figures.
The American Academy of Pediatrics has created a
calculator
(https://www.healthychildren.org/English/media/Pages/default.as
px#wizard) that can be used to calculate individual proportions
for each child. If we talk about groups, for example, for children
6-12 years (see Figure 2), the daily routine can include up to 3
hours at the screens (smartphone, tablet, computer, TV). For
older children, the time spent at the screen may be a little longer
but insignificant. It is also interesting that such a schedule of the
day provides only one hour for homework.
In our research, the majority of both Polish (51%) and
Ukrainian (41%) schoolchildren indicated that they made the
same effort to study in the distance as in the period of traditional
offline schooling (see Chart 40).
It was Polish schoolchildren who more often indicated that they made the same effort or
even less (34%). Many more Ukrainian schoolchildren said they put in much more effort than
Polish schoolchildren (31% UKR | 15% POL).
71
Chart 40. Efforts and work invested in distance learning
Запитання 7. Під час дистанційного навчання мені довелося працювати та докладати зусиль:…
Pytanie 7. Mój wysiłek i praca włożona w zdalną naukę są:…
Question 7. My effort and work put into remote learning are:…
The research asked about the specific amount of time children spent online during distance
learning. Although such questions raise methodological doubts about how accurately people can
make such a calculation, these questions remain in the arsenal of sociologists. Most Polish students
said that they spent 6 and 7 hours (38% and 23% respectively), which is significantly higher than
the norm (see Chart 41). The largest share of Ukrainian schoolchildren (22%) said that they spent 5
hours, which is also a significant figure. In general, it can be seen that Ukrainian scoolchildren
called fewer hours than Polish ones.
Chart 41. The average time spent online during distance learning
Запитання 8. Скільки годин на день Ви в середньому витрачали на онлайн-заняття під час
дистанційного навчання?
Pytanie 8. Ile średnio godzin dziennie poświęcał(a)eś w trakcie zdalnej edukacji na udział w zajęciach online?
Question 8. How many hours a day did you spend on average online distance learning?
Such data are confirmed by some other Polish studies. According to the latest Orange
Foundation research partner, half of the students and teachers surveyed spent at least 6 hours a day
72
in front of computer and smartphone screens during a lockdown. Overwhelmed with information,
they increasingly complain of fatigue, irritability and reluctance to use devices and networks
(Rosmanowska 2020a).
If it is difficult to establish how much time children spent at the screens during distance
learning, it is even more difficult to separate the fractions of time they spent on specific activities.
The home environment often led to children being able to do homework too long between lessons,
or to prolong homework all day, distracting them from other home activities.
In our research, the largest share of both Poles (45%) and Ukrainians (32%) said that they
spent 2 hours doing homework (see Chart 42). At the same time, almost equal shares of Ukrainians
named 1 (23%) and 3 (24%) hours. Thus, in fact, the average situation is the same for
schoolchildren in both countries. At the same time, there was a tendency for Ukrainian
schoolchildren to name more hours needed for homework than Polish students.
Chart 42. Average time for preparation for lessons and homework
Запитання 9. Скільки годин на день Ви присвячували в середньому під час дистанційного навчання
підготовці до уроків та виконанню домашніх завдань?
Pytanie 9. Ile średnio godzin dziennie poświęcałeś w trakcie zdalnej edukacji na przygotowanie się do lekcji,
odrabianie zadań?
Question 9. How many hours a day did you spend on average during distance learning preparing for lessons
and doing homework?
According to a survey by the Foundation for Democratic Initiatives, the vast majority of
parents (65%) are against distance education. Although 50% of families whose children or
grandchildren attend school agreed that the introduction of distance education to some extent helped
protect their families from potential coronavirus infection, 56% said that the problems with the
introduction of distance learning were more than good (Пояснити… 2021).
Such negative assessments from adults are often due to the fact that they have been forced to
contribute much more than usual to their children's education. At the same time, mothers and
grandparents were 21% more likely to report poor internet quality and 19% more likely to report a
73
lack of technical devices to participate in online lessons. This difference can be explained by the
fact that women are more likely to care for children, as well as more often at home during online
lessons for children, which increases their awareness of technical difficulties that arise directly
during the lesson (Пояснити… 2021).
Helping parents teach their children is an issue that is very closely linked to the issue of
inequality. A whole series of European studies have shown that it is wealthy parents who have the
time, knowledge, and generally the opportunity to help their children with online education (Smyk
2020). While poorer parents did not have enough education and had to spend more time earning a
living. At the same time, even a small difference in the amount of time spent on extra care for
children ultimately affects their educational level.
In our research, more than half of Polish students said that their parents did not help them at all by
specifying 0 hours (60%) (see Chart 43). Slightly less, but this is the largest share (42%), Ukrainian
students said the same. Which is quite specific, because in everyday and media discourse there were
a lot of complaints about the excessive burden on parents during distance education of children.
However, it is difficult to find academic research with clear time indicators.
Chart 43. Time spent by parents to help with online learning
Запитання 10. Скільки годин на день Ваші батьки допомагали вам з навчанням онлайн?
Pytanie 10. Ile średnio godzin dziennie rodzice pomagali Tobie w nauce online?
Question 10. How many hours a day did your parents help you with online learning?
Also, a significant proportion of students indicated that their parents helped them one hour a
day (36% UKR | 27% POL) or two (13% UKR | 10% POL). According to Polish parents, every
second student coped with distance learning on their own (51%), almost every third student needed
a little help (32%), and 16% needed a lot of help (Omyła-Rudzka 2021: 3). That is, the situation
with excessive parental involvement may not be as critical as it was portrayed in the information
field, for example.
74
9.2. Attendance at online classes and reasons for absenteeism
Polish materials on distance education often cite issues related to the unpreparedness of
schools for distance learning, the difficulties of families in online education and, directly, the
difficulties of children who find it difficult to keep their attention during online lessons (Kosarzycki
2020). When they talk about skipping lessons for children, they often talk about poor quality of the
Internet connection.
In most Ukrainian studies examining the problems of schoolchildren and their parents, the
main problems that prevented them from attending online classes were the poor quality of the
Internet and the lack of appropriate equipment. This problem was especially acute for rural areas. A
poll by the Democratic Initiatives Foundation found that more than half of rural children and 20%
of urban dwellers did not have technical devices to participate in online lessons, and more than 60%
complained about poor Internet quality (Пояснити… 2021).
Slightly more Polish students indicated that they attended all online lessons (57% POL |
47% UKR) (see Chart 44). The majority of online lessons were attended by 41% UKR and 39%
POL. Only 3% of Ukrainian students had difficulty attending online lessons, there were none in
Poland, and 9% of Ukrainian and 4% of Polish students attended only a few.
Chart 44. Participation in online lesson during distance learning
Запитання 11. Під час дистанційного навчання я брав участь у…
Pytanie P11. W trakcie zdalnej edukacji brałem udział:
Question 11. During distance learning I participated in…
The fact that Ukrainian students had difficulty attending online lessons and attended them
somewhat less often may be due to the still lower provision of gadgets and problems with the
Internet connection compared to Poles.
75
The most common reasons for skipping online lessons were that some lessons were boring
and uninteresting (16% UKR | 14% POL); that they were tired of distance learning (13% UKR |
11% POL) and that they were sick (21% POL | 11% UKR) (see Chart 45). The biggest difference is
in the answers of Polish and Ukrainian schoolchildren about the disease as a reason for absence
from online lessons. Unfortunately, statistics do not allow to compare whether Polish children were
sick more often than Ukrainian children during the pandemic period. To date, the most available
statistics on the incidence of СOVID-19, but we do not know exactly what sick children who
indicated this option.
Chart 45. Reasons for absence from online lessons
Question 12. Якщо Ви не могли відвідувати всі онлайн-уроки, що стало причиною цього?
Pytanie 12. Jeśli nie mogłeś/aś uczęszczać na wszystkie zajęcia online, to powiedz, co było tego przyczyną
Question 12. If you could not attend all the online lessons, what was the reason for this?
Some other differences between Polish and Ukrainian students were interesting. Although
these are small shares but three times more Ukrainian children indicated that they had to help with
household chores and therefore did not attend classes (9% UKR | 3% POL). In Ukraine, the
tradition of involving children in household chores is still strong, especially in rural areas
(education is depreciating compared to everyday life). Also, twice as many Ukrainians said that
online lessons were a waste of time (6% UKR | 3% POL). This may be due to the quality of such
lessons being correspondingly higher in Poland than in Ukraine.
76
Students who entered their individual answer to the question about the reasons for skipping
online lessons often pointed to poor Internet connection; on, that teachers did not conduct lessons;
for various problems with joining online lessons (untimely sending of links, passwords, etc.) and
turning off the lights in the areas of residence.
9.3. Participation in tutoring and additional classes
A series of questions in the research related to additional classes that students had during
distance education (see Chart 46).:
Schoolchildren who worked with a tutor (classes on subjects included in the school
program, for which you pay extra) before the introduction of distance learning – 22%
UKR and 16% POL;
Schoolchildren who had online lessons with a tutor during distance learning (paid
lessons via the Internet) – 13% UKR and 10% POL;
Schoolchildren who agreed that the use of distance learning tutoring will help to
better understand the knowledge provided by teachers during online lessons – 41%
UKR and 38% POL;
Schoolchildren who took part in additional activities (sports, art) before the start of
distance learning - 47% UKR and 37% POL;
Schoolchildren who took part in extracurricular (additional) activities during distance
learning – 20% UKR and 16% POL.
77
Chart 46. Additional classes that students had during distance education
Запитання 14. До введення дистанційного навчання чи займалися Ви з репетитором (заняття з предметів,
включених до шкільної програми, за які ви додатково платите)?
Pytanie 14. Czy przed wprowadzeniem zdalnej edukacji miałeś/miałaś korepetycje (zajęciach z przedmiotów objętych
szkolnym programem, za które się płaci osobom z zewnątrz)?
Question 14. Before the introduction of distance learning, did you work with a tutor (classes on subjects included in the
school program, for which you pay extra)?
Запитання 15. Чи були у Вас онлайн-уроки з репетитором під час дистанційного навчання (платні уроки через
Інтернет)?
Pytanie 15. Czy w trakcie zdalnych zajęć miałeś/miałaś e-korepetycje (płatnych lekcjach przez Internet)?
Question 15. Did you have online lessons with a tutor during distance learning (paid lessons via the Internet)?