Research Review on Digital Tools to Reduce School Absenteeism

A significant proportion of students in Sweden are absent from school, and this group appears to be increasing in size (e.g. Ekstrand 2015).

The most recent survey conducted by the Swedish National Agency for Education (2021b) indicates that approximately one in four students have high absenteeism, with many being absent for over 15 per cent of instructional time.

Research demonstrates that both education and social competence are crucial for a child’s quality of life and well-being (Durlak et al. 2011; Forsell 2020; Kearney & Graczyk 2014).

A key premise of this project is that addressing student absenteeism requires a strategic, long-term, and sustainable approach, supported by collaborative efforts from stakeholders both within and outside the school system, in order to develop early interventions that prevent or mitigate problematic absenteeism (Kearney 2016; Kearney & Graczyk 2014).This project aims to explore how digitalization can enhance the prevention and treatment of school absenteeism.

The project is partly based on experiences from a PhD student who has developed strategies for supporting affected children and families.

The next step involves creating secure, evidence-based communication tools that can facilitate engagement between children, parents, and school staff.

Currently, there is no comprehensive literature review that maps the factors essential for implementing such digital solutions.

Therefore, this project proposes conducting a scoping review, incorporating both traditional and grey literature, to address this gap.

The project employs the “Six A’s” framework for evaluating digital tools (approachability, acceptability, affordability, availability, appropriateness, and aperture).The findings will inform the design of digital tools that can be used by schools and social services in the Västra Götaland region to support children experiencing absenteeism.

By improving communication and collaboration, the project aims to protect these children from further educational and social marginalization.