Digital and Educational Capabilities in the Post-Pandemic Era: Implications from Primary School Children’s Digital Practices during COVID-19 Lockdown

Abstract

This study employs the capability approach (CA) to explore the long-term significance of children’s digital practices at home during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020. Specifically, it aims to understand the digital skills or “functionings” acquired by children during the lockdown, the extent to which all children had equal opportunities to develop these skills, and the broader implications for educational equity and social justice. It draws on a qualitative study that applied a mosaic approach involving 10 children aged 6–12 years and their parents from different regions of Spain. The findings show that children honed digital functionings during the lockdown, forging autonomy to pursue activities they valued: education and learning, creativity and self-expression, and social connections. From the CA perspective, the acquired digital and educational capabilities are lasting and can enhance the children’s well-being in the post-pandemic era. The findings underscore the importance of encouraging critical reflection on the risks associated with digital engagement to enhance autonomy. Additionally, they highlight disparities in digital access and opportunities among children from different backgrounds during the lockdown, thereby calling for transformative approaches that reflect the diverse needs identified through horizontal collaboration with the communities and schools in question.