Vol. 29 No. 1 (2020): Schools closed: what educatin in times of COVID-19?

The emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic has translated into marked social and economic disruptions in all latitudes of the globe. In the field of education, most countries have decided to temporarily close schools and suspend the face-to-face attendance of students to classes.

The countries that closed the schools found very diverse ways to continue the curricular learning processes, promoting, among others, online teaching modalities through digital platforms, making classes available through television or even recovering the conventional deliveries of didactic materials on paper in the students' homes. In other latitudes, school education was simply interrupted.

Given that a wide range of studies are on the ground collecting data on school closure (e.g. UNESCO Survey on National Education Responses to COVID-19 School Closure), it seems possible to identify some impacts that this phenomenon had in this period  - students, teachers, families, communities, school leaders – and draw lessons about aspects as distinct as the pedagogical practices implemented, the digital tools used and the skills acquired, the quality of the educational relationship established, the socialization processes promoted, the school leadership exercised, the educational policies adopted, the social (ine)equalities among students, among other aspects considered pertinent at all levels of education. Looking ahead to a gradual resumption of face-to-face teaching in most countries, it is important to take stock of the gains and losses achieved in this atypical period experienced in education and to inquire about the learnings made what is best, henceforth, to adopt. 

This issue is dedicated to the theme: "Closed schools: what education in times of Covid-19?" and aims to bring together a diverse set of scientifically supported contributions that allow us to accurately see the marks left on the education.