תפיסת הגננות בחברה הבדואית את השימוש ביישומון וטסאפ ככלי תקשורת בתקופת מגפת הקורונה

Abstract

The role of kindergarten teachers is central in the life of preschool children, hence
it is important to examine the issue of parents’ communication with their
kindergarten children’s teachers. This study investigates the communication
patterns between kindergarten teachers and parents during the COVID-19
pandemic, especially in terms of using WhatsApp as a communication tool. More
specifically, the study investigates the advantages and disadvantages of using
WhatsApp as a means of communication between teachers and parents and how it
can be mobilized for more effective communication. Data was collected from 10
semi-structured interviews conducted with Arab kindergarten teachers who work
in the Bedouin Arab education sector. The findings demonstrate that during the
COVID-19 pandemic, Arab kindergarten teachers who work in Bedouin schools
were required to teach remotely due to the lack of technological infrastructure in
Bedouin villages. Hence, most of the communication was done via WhatsApp,
which helped in maintaining the connection between teachers, students, and
parents in a context where people have limited access to technology. Yet, many
kindergarten teachers voice their concerns about having to invest a lot of time in
and commitment to this form of communication. In addition, many parents who

have several children complained about the lack of resources, such as phones and
computers, alongside the lack of internet access, all of which are needed for remote
learning. For these reasons, many teachers and parents prefer the use of WhatsApp
(instead of ZOOM) due to it being the most effective and flexible tool for
communication in disadvantaged and remote villages.