DECISIONES METODOLÓGICAS PARA ESTUDIAR LA EDUCACIÓN RURAL A DISTANCIA DURANTE LA PANDEMIA POR COVID-19

In the Arica and Parinacota Region, located in the far north of Chile, there are 33 rural schools. These schools are characterized by their remote access from the country’s central area, where educational policy decisions are made; they are situated in the Atacama Desert—the driest desert in the world—at the tri-border with Peru and Bolivia, and at elevations reaching up to 5 000 meters. Limited or non-existent connectivity, restricted electricity, and a shortage of essential resources challenged these schools to sustain their operations during the pandemic. How was distance education implemented during COVID-19 in rural schools, considering their sociodemographic characteristics, access to, and use of ICT in pedagogical practices in the studied region? To analyze distance education and the use of ICT in rural schools in the far north of Chile during the periods of social and physical distancing imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, taking into account transnational migration realities, the cultural diversity of educational communities, and the use of technological resources. A mixed-methods approach, predominantly qualitative, with multiple case studies. We present preliminary findings from a survey, triangulated with the perspectives of teachers and students gathered through individual and group interviews. Through data triangulation, we identified four subcategories for the 12 cases according to the schools’ locations. We highlighted emerging conditions and themes concerning the challenges and opportunities in teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Elements are provided to construct case studies, illustrating how these schools engaged in “remote” education while maintaining proximity to meet the needs of students, many from migrant families engaged in agriculture and livestock. We reflect on the methodological decisions made for this study, emphasizing cultural relevance and respect for participants, and propose an approach that could be extrapolated to studying rural education in other contexts.