Article

Using Technology to Increase Parent Involvement in Schools

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Abstract

The importance of parent involvement in Parents who monitor their student’s schoolwork and daily activities, communicate frequently with teachers and help develop schools and its relationship to student achievement have been widely studied. Nevertheless, many principals and teachers report that lack of parent involvement continues to be an obstacle to increasing student achievement at school. The purpose of this study was to determine whether emerging technologies facilitate better parent-teacher communication and parent involvement. Data were collected through surveys and semi-structured focus group interviews to analyze the relationship between parents’ and teachers’ perceptions of student achievement when electronic communications are used between parents and school. The study revealed that parents and teachers both place a high value on proactive parent involvement. Because proactive involvement does not require parents to be physically at their children’s school, the question of how technology can be used to keep parents involved in their children’s academic lives becomes important. As access to technology continues to expand, the capabilities for connecting parents to schools will continue to grow. As schools invest in websites, phone calling systems, parent portals, online curriculum, and other types of technologies that connect schools to home, research needs to continue to focus on the effectiveness of these technologies to increase parent involvement.

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... Both Olmstead (2013) and Sad et al., (2016) concluded that access to technology has improved communication, thus supporting increased parental participation. Brown and Vaughn (2015) and Olmstead (2013) reiterated the importance of ensuring that online information remains updated and consistent in order to sustain relevant communication with parents. ...
... Parents in this study provided examples such as: contact with counsellors regarding course selections, meetings with staff at the school, and the use of email to clarify concerns or communicate with staff. Findings from a study by Olmstead (2013) concluded that parents found technology useful in improving and sustaining communication between home and school. The parents in this study concurred with Olmstead (2013) and attributed the use of technology to the academic success of their children. ...
... Findings from a study by Olmstead (2013) concluded that parents found technology useful in improving and sustaining communication between home and school. The parents in this study concurred with Olmstead (2013) and attributed the use of technology to the academic success of their children. ...
Article
The purpose of this study was to gain insight from parents and guardians about their experiences of involvement in the education of their high school aged children. Data were gathered using interviews for nine randomly selected participants from an urban high school in Alberta, Canada. Thematic analysis identified the types of activities parents perceived to constitute participation, barriers encountered, and potential school structures to enhance future involvement. Findings revealed that parents considered volunteering, attending activities, academic support, school council, and providing feedback as valued types of participation. Barriers were classified as child-based challenges, school-based challenges, and parent-based limitations. Key words: secondary education, parent engagement, parent participation, educational administration, school leadership L'objectif de cette étude était d'obtenir des informations de la part des parents et des tuteurs sur leurs expériences de participation à l'éducation de leurs enfants en âge de fréquenter l'école secondaire. Les données ont été recueillies au moyen d'entretiens avec neuf participants choisis au hasard dans une école secondaire en milieu urbain en Alberta, au Canada. L'analyse thématique a permis d'identifier les types d'activités que les parents considèrent comme constituant une participation, les obstacles rencontrés et les structures scolaires potentielles pour améliorer la participation à l’avenir. Les résultats ont révélé que les parents considéraient le bénévolat, la participation aux activités, le soutien scolaire, le conseil d'école et le fait de fournir des commentaires comme des types de participation appréciés. Les obstacles ont été classés comme des défis liés à l'enfant, des défis liés à l'école et des limites liées aux parents. Mots-clés: enseignement secondaire, engagement des parents, participation des parents, administration de l'éducation, direction des écoles
... Mendez (2010) explored a monthly program to involve parents of predominately African American families, which brought the parents into the classroom and provided instructions and materials for activities for preschool age children. Olmstead (2013) suggested using technology to bridge the communication gap between schools and families, especially when English is not the first language. Understanding the complex process that fosters parental involvement as explained by Hornby and Lafaele (2011) and accepting that partnerships can involve many different entities such as businesses, nonprofit organizations, and community groups such as Gross et al. (2015) suggest, offers a secure foundation for creating and reinforcing productive parent partnerships. ...
... Training for staff to understand the value of family contributions was seen to occur in the highest percentages only "occasionally" by all participants (see Figure 2). Olmstead (2013) suggested technology could be of assistance in establishing convenient communications, while at the same time addressing the concerns for use of time, which was noted in both the literature and the survey. "Time Poverty" as discussed by William and Sanchez (2011) includes work schedule of the parents, students' activities, responsibilities within the home environment, as well as, time educators feel they have to address issues. ...
... Teachers • Targeted professional development • Dedicated time for communication (Olmstead, 2013) Parents • Provide childcare (William & Sanchez, 2011) • Vary timing of involvement opportunities i.e. day, evening, etc. (Mendez, 2010) ...
Article
Parent partnerships are ways for educational staff, especially those who work with children with disabilities, to connect with families of students in meaningful ways that not only guide the education of the student but also show acceptance, provide encouragement and continue support to students and families beyond the school environment. Partnerships may include more than just schools and parents; they often invite other family members, friends and the community to be involved. These types of relationships can be very important to students with special needs because, “when schools, parents, families, and communities work together to support learning, students tend to earn higher grades, attend school more regularly, stay in school longer, and enroll in higher-level programs.” (NEA Education Policy and Practice Department, 2008.) This poster will examine current data on parent partnerships and provide suggestions that can create stronger partnerships, as recommended by survey results and as discovered in literature review. The information will be used to establish or build upon partnerships within our current districts.
... The dominance of parental involvement is characterized divided into two types, proactive participation and active participation (Olmstead, 2013). Proactive involvement is reflected in providing help for doing homework, monitoring what is going on at school, and keeping up-todate on their children's progress. ...
... In contrast, active involvement is reflected in participation in activities within the school, such as parent meetings, family activities, volunteering, and more. According to Olmstead's (2013) study, both parents and teachers reported that multiple proactive involvements encourage students' achievement and improve their behaviors. ...
... In recent years, there has been a tremendous technological development, which led to the development of new digital communication channels between parents and various school factors (Olmstead, 2013). This issue reduced the face-to-face encounter between these discourse circles. ...
Article
This study examines the interaction between parents, teachers and School Leadership through digital channels. Its purpose was to explore the characteristics of teachers' and parents' and School Leadership conduct through this interaction and to identify patterns of behavior among teachers, parents and School Leadership s on these platforms. To conduct the current study, two questionnaires were developed and distributed online: one of the questionnaires was intended for the parents of seventh-grade students in Arab schools in Israel. The second one was handed to the teachers and School Leadership s of the students. Those two questionnaires have undergone a process of analysis and comparison to come up with results and findings. The present study revealed insights and findings in the context of parent-teacher- School Leadership involvement through digital interaction. The parental involvement is very considered in the process of their children’s learning. It is part of the education process and they need to be engaged actively in the way that this study sees it. The study also shows that parental involvement through digital channels is considered as phenomenon among different and diverse populations.
... Development regarding school-home communication via various information and communication technologies (ICTs) over the last twenty years (Lee et al., 2011;Olmstead, 2013) has pros and cons. On the one hand, the use of ICT solutions speeds up information exchange between home and school (Lee et al., 2011;Olmstead, 2013) and has the potential to make communication more regular and efficient; it also fosters parent involvement and school-home partnerships (Olmstead, 2013;Thompson, 2008). ...
... Development regarding school-home communication via various information and communication technologies (ICTs) over the last twenty years (Lee et al., 2011;Olmstead, 2013) has pros and cons. On the one hand, the use of ICT solutions speeds up information exchange between home and school (Lee et al., 2011;Olmstead, 2013) and has the potential to make communication more regular and efficient; it also fosters parent involvement and school-home partnerships (Olmstead, 2013;Thompson, 2008). On the other hand, the wide use of ICTs creates new challenges to the educational system as well as to individuals. ...
... Development regarding school-home communication via various information and communication technologies (ICTs) over the last twenty years (Lee et al., 2011;Olmstead, 2013) has pros and cons. On the one hand, the use of ICT solutions speeds up information exchange between home and school (Lee et al., 2011;Olmstead, 2013) and has the potential to make communication more regular and efficient; it also fosters parent involvement and school-home partnerships (Olmstead, 2013;Thompson, 2008). On the other hand, the wide use of ICTs creates new challenges to the educational system as well as to individuals. ...
Article
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School-home communication is a growing research field in social sciences, particularly in education sciences and communication studies. While previous studies have paid much attention to the importance of school-home interaction in supporting primary academic socialisation and progress of elementary school pupils, the role of teacher-parent communication and collaboration in influencing the development of children’s and adolescents’ digital skills remains an under-researched area. This paper employed thematic analysis of in-depth interviews with education experts in six European countries, providing an insight into their opinions and views on the problems in communication between homes and schools. The analysis identified main problems in and obstacles to school-home collaboration on children’s digital skills development, and the changes the COVID-19 pandemic brought along in this field of education. The paper provides five policy recommendations for enhancing school-home collaboration on digital skills development.
... Weekly emails can provide even more speci c details about class information, as they provide teachers an opportunity to explain units of study and speci c lessons covered during the week. However, Olmstead (2013) found a discrepancy between parent and teacher perceptions of email: parents indicated teachers did not communicate information about the class, whereas teachers indicated they used email to provide class updates. Some parents indicated they preferred text messaging communication, but teachers in the study were resistant to communicating via text message (Olmstead, 2013), which is why speci c communication applications may be useful for teachers and parents to have quick, direct communication without risking teacher condentiality by providing personal cell phone numbers. ...
... However, Olmstead (2013) found a discrepancy between parent and teacher perceptions of email: parents indicated teachers did not communicate information about the class, whereas teachers indicated they used email to provide class updates. Some parents indicated they preferred text messaging communication, but teachers in the study were resistant to communicating via text message (Olmstead, 2013), which is why speci c communication applications may be useful for teachers and parents to have quick, direct communication without risking teacher condentiality by providing personal cell phone numbers. According to the Public Information Act, when personal cell phone numbers are used to communicate with families, they can be subpoenaed in a court of law, including due process hearings. ...
... ese translation services should be evaluated for each language needed. Furthermore, mobile applications allow families to be reached during the workday and provide them with the exibility to respond when they are available while providing the bene t of two-way communication (Olmstead, 2013). ese applications are not solely for sending one-way communication from the classroom, but rather provide opportunities for reciprocal dialogue at the convenience of the family while preserving con dentiality of teachers' and other professionals' personal contact information (Sharma & Sharma, 2014). ...
Article
Parent and professional communication is at the helm of effective special education practice. This article suggests ways to increase and expand mutually preferred communication methods among families of students with disabilities and educational teams. First, it aims to provide accessible methods for educators to enhance their ability to effectively communicate with families of diverse backgrounds in order to best serve their students with disabilities. Second, it suggests ways to support families in being well-versed in their child's educational program, progress, performance, and well-being at school. Current mobile applications that can be utilized to foster communication among families and education teams, including teachers and related service professionals, are suggested and described. Future directions for the use of mobile applications to foster these mutually valuable relationships and implications for research are discussed.
... For example, the online learning ability of primary school students is positively influenced by parents' willingness [6]. Home-based participation has a larger influence on students' study habits than schoolbased participation [7]. Parental participation, as a multi-dimensional concept, is a key factor that influences students' academic achievements [8]. ...
... The influence of teachers bears the brunt of the analysis. Some studies have pointed out that if teachers take positive actions to guide parents to become teaching collaborators, the parents will take practical measures to support their children's home-based online learning, and the students will become more actively involved in regular school study [7]. Social media platforms have reached a high level of advancement, facilitating communication and interaction among parents. ...
... In addition, the influence of normative belief clearly exceeds that of obedience motivation. This finding echoes the conclusions of prior studies [7], namely that school teachers and children have been found to play a key role in terms of communication and interaction in parents' use of information technology at home; 5. ...
Article
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Parental participation has an important and direct influence on the effect of home-based online learning of primary school students. Taking more than 500 guardians of primary school students in a number of prefecture-level cities in the Pearl River Delta as the questionnaire respondents, and applying the structural equation model method, this paper, based on the theory of planned behavior, explores the effects of various factors on parental participation in the home-based online learning of primary school students. The results show that: (1) the behavioral intention of parents to participate in the home-based online learning of primary school students has a significant influence on their actual participation behavior. (2) Behavioral attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control have a significant influence on behavioral intention. To strengthen the actual effects of parents’ participation behavior, this paper puts forward a number of suggestions. These include enhancing home-school partnerships, achieving home-school co-education, and training parents with regard to the integration of daily Internet use and online learning for primary school students. This study supports the effective implementation of home-based online learning of primary school students and the joint effect of home-school co-education, specifically from the perspective of parents in the subsequent implementation of integrated online and offline teaching.
... Three decades ago, educational practitioners and researchers analyzed how parental involvement and the need to foster family-school partnerships enhanced the social, academic, and emotional learning for children including adolescents (Olmstead, 2013;Patrikakou, 2015). On a larger scale, processes and variables could have effects that were indirect and direct with the influence of parental involvement (Patrikakou, 2015). ...
... Adolescents could spend seven daily hours or more with media, which in many ways, was the extreme time allocated to an assignment, which included getting rest (Patrikakou, 2015). Ninety-seven percent of learners reported they could engage in technological games in many settings, which included micro-computers, game consoles, and hand-held devices (Olmstead, 2013;Patrikakou, 2015). According to policy from the Council on The AAP suggested that pediatricians make recommendations for parents to supervise and limit exposure to media and use (AAP, 2016). ...
... Technology could support a role vital towards increasing parental involvement towards the educational process (Patrikakou, 2015). More than 77% of adults in all schools around the U.S. were able to access and connect to the Internet (Olmstead, 2013). Internet use helped increase home-school communication efforts and fostered relationships that were meaningful among home and school (Olmstead, 2013). ...
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Middle school is a critical time in students’ learning of mathematics, something a Learning Management System (LMS) is designed to help parents support. What remains unknown is how parents use an LMS to monitor their children’s progress in mathematics. This qualitative case study explored how parents from one midAtlantic middle school with 543 students used an LMS, EdLine, to support their children’s autonomous achievement in mathematics. Expectancy-value theory and social cognitive theory made up the conceptual framework used to evaluate study findings. A criterion-based process was used to select nine middle school parents from grades 6, 7, and 8 as participants. Data sources included structured interviews and follow-up questions, EdLine spreadsheets, and parent reflective journals. Data were analyzed through a priori codes based on the literature review. Themes that emerged from the analysis included reoccurring learner autonomy and parents benefiting from their ability to use EdLine to monitor grades, check progress, and provide strategies to support mathematical achievement. Parents indicated they could encourage their children, teach them, and expect them to use EdLine to monitor and manage their grades and achievement in mathematics. This research contributes to positive social change by explaining how administrators can help middle school parents use an LMS to become engaged with their children’s mathematics studies and set expectations for their mathematics task completion and achievement.
... Parent-student-teacher engagement is an important part of communication and collaboration as students are an integral part of their own education, and they should play an active, participatory role in their education. According to Olmstead (2013) who details the Hoover-Dempsey and Sandler (1997) model of parent involvement, family involvement can be reactive (e.g., attending school activities and meetings, volunteering) or proactive (e.g., helping with homework, staying informed, following a child's progress). Communication is considered a proactive part of parent involvement and is highly valued by both teachers and parents (Olmstead, 2013). ...
... According to Olmstead (2013) who details the Hoover-Dempsey and Sandler (1997) model of parent involvement, family involvement can be reactive (e.g., attending school activities and meetings, volunteering) or proactive (e.g., helping with homework, staying informed, following a child's progress). Communication is considered a proactive part of parent involvement and is highly valued by both teachers and parents (Olmstead, 2013). Communication has been found to be most effective when it is used to increase clarity, empathy, and active listening (Sharma & Sharma, 2014). ...
... Weekly emails can provide even more specific details about class information, as they provide teachers an opportunity to explain units of study and specific lessons covered during the week. However, Olmstead (2013) found a discrepancy between parent and teacher perceptions of email: parents indicated teachers did not communicate information about the class, whereas teachers indicated they used email to provide class updates. Some parents indicated they preferred text messaging communication, but teachers in the study were resistant to communicating via text message (Olmstead, 2013), which is why specific communication applications may be useful for teachers and parents to have quick, direct communication without risking teacher confidentiality by providing personal cell phone numbers. ...
Article
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School improvement plans (SIPs) have become a central feature of schooling. Educational leaders experience tension between balancing compliance with accountability demands and continuous improvement, and neither of these lenses is centered in the social justice necessary for closing opportunity gaps. We propose a new rubric for assessing the extent to which SIPs focus on policy compliance, students, organizations, or community.
... Given sufficient access and technological proficiency, digital communication tools can complement traditional channels of communication for regular school-home interaction, strengthen parent-teacher relationships, and help parents understand students' school experiences and academic progress (Bordalba & Bochaca, 2019;Olmstead, 2013;Smith et al., 2016;Thompson et al., 2015). Parents and teachers value using digital communication for monitoring school activities and student progress, but their expectations regarding the type or frequency of such communication do not always align with teacher actions (Olmstead, 2013;Thompson et al., 2015). ...
... Given sufficient access and technological proficiency, digital communication tools can complement traditional channels of communication for regular school-home interaction, strengthen parent-teacher relationships, and help parents understand students' school experiences and academic progress (Bordalba & Bochaca, 2019;Olmstead, 2013;Smith et al., 2016;Thompson et al., 2015). Parents and teachers value using digital communication for monitoring school activities and student progress, but their expectations regarding the type or frequency of such communication do not always align with teacher actions (Olmstead, 2013;Thompson et al., 2015). Teachers' knowledge of family context, communication preferences, and parent engagement strategies can inform their use of digital communication tools. ...
... Even though effective and frequent communication that promotes parents' involvement in their children's learning at home is known to impact students' achievement, pre-service and in-service teachers often do not receive substantive training in how to best accomplish that aim (Goodall, 2016;Kyzar et al., 2019;Olmstead, 2013). In the present study, the teachers discovered effective ways to use Seesaw for communication with families. ...
Article
This qualitative study traced the development and enactment of five elementary special education teachers’ technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge (TPACK) as they learned to use flexible digital tools and implemented them with students and their families before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings highlight how changing contextual factors shaped the evolution of special educators’ TPACK for using Seesaw, which served as a “mesosystem tool” connecting school and home contexts. Teachers responded positively to Seesaw, relying on a variety of sources to cultivate their TPACK for using it. Key areas of TPACK application in the special education context included multi-modal learning, motivation/engagement, assessment, feedback, adaptation, and school-home communication. Recognizing how teachers develop and apply TPACK in different contexts broadens understanding of teacher knowledge development and informs efforts to support the use of digital communication tools in special education settings.
... -Aplicaciones Móviles: La implementación de aplicaciones móviles facilita la comunicación entre padres y docentes, facilitando el intercambio de información sobre el avance de los niños y la planificación de actividades familiares (Olmstead, 2013) -Actividades de Aprendizaje en el Hogar Se suministraron recursos y directrices para actividades educativas en el hogar que fomentaban la participación activa de los progenitores en el desarrollo de habilidades de sus hijos (Sheridan et al., 2010). ...
... La comunicación entre padres y docentes se ha visto favorecida por las aplicaciones móviles, las cuales ofrecen un medio accesible para participar en el proceso educativo. Estos avances coinciden con las conclusiones de (Olmstead, 2013) acerca de la efectividad de las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación en la mejora de la interacción entre la escuela y la familia. ...
Article
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Este manuscrito examina el rol de los progenitores en la educación temprana y propone estrategias innovadoras para promover su participación activa en el proceso educativo de los infantes. Con la premisa de que la implicación de las familias es esencial para el desarrollo cognitivo, emocional y social de los niños, el estudio se centra en la identificación y evaluación de prácticas que fomenten un mayor compromiso parental en contextos escolares. Se implementó un enfoque de investigación de naturaleza mixta, que combinaba métodos cualitativos y cuantitativos. Se trabajó con una muestra compuesta por 100 familias y 20 profesores de educación inicial en tres instituciones educativas. Las estrategias implementadas comprendieron la realización de talleres para los padres, la utilización de aplicaciones móviles para facilitar la comunicación entre la escuela y la familia, así como la realización de actividades de aprendizaje en el hogar. Los hallazgos señalaron que la implicación activa de los progenitores ejerció un efecto positivo en el desarrollo de los infantes, potenciando su rendimiento académico y su bienestar socioemocional. Los datos cualitativos demostraron que los progenitores consideran estas estrategias como instrumentos valiosos para participar de forma más eficaz en la educación de sus hijos, superando algunos obstáculos tradicionales como la escasez de tiempo y recursos. Además, los hallazgos cuantitativos demostraron una mejora considerable en las competencias de comunicación y el desarrollo cognitivo de los niños, particularmente cuando los progenitores participaron de manera activa en actividades educativas en el hogar. Las aplicaciones móviles simplificaron la comunicación entre progenitores y docentes, posibilitando un monitoreo más constante del avance de los niños y una colaboración más estrecha en la ejecución de estrategias pedagógicas. Para finalizar, la presente investigación subraya la relevancia de implementar métodos innovadores para fomentar la participación familiar en la educación inicial. La ejecución de estrategias tales como la capacitación de los progenitores, la utilización de tecnología para la comunicación y las actividades de aprendizaje en el hogar pueden contribuir a la creación de un ambiente educativo más inclusivo y colaborativo, lo cual favorece el desarrollo integral de los infantes.
... Parenting in schooling can be divided into reactive involvement and proactive engagement (Jeynes, 2018;Olmstead, 2013). While the former is dominated by the school, which regulates parental participation according to its own needs (Lawson, 2003), the latter places more emphasis on parental initiative and motivation (Cooper, 2009). ...
... At the same time, teachers set up highly standardized processes, which served as a disciplinary tool to control and regulate parental labour. Despite the extremely negative emotions they generate, parents often found it difficult to refuse the unilateral tasks given by teachers (Davis, Grooms, Ortega, Rubalcaba, & Vargas, 2021;Olmstead, 2013;Selwyn, Banaji, Hadjithoma-garstka, & Clark, 2011). ...
Article
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The digital age has fundamentally altered the distribution of work and responsibilities in schools. Parents, as important stakeholders in schooling, are taking on more digital labour and facing changing roles. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, parents’ digital labour often remained overlooked as they were not able to observe or participate in the whole process of schooling in the school. However, home-based online learning during the pandemic lockdown has created a rare situation of integrating technology into schooling, expanding parental involvement, and providing an opportunity to systematically explore the digital labour of parents and the influence of parent-teacher power relations in this regard. Using qualitative data from an open-ended parent survey in China, this study finds that parents take on the dual roles of regular parent and “surrogate teacher” in home-based online learning during the pandemic. Behind these two roles is a spectrum of digital labour ranging from technical support, notification delivery, and homework submission to monitoring and guiding school learning, learning content and time management, and learning-related communications with teachers. While technology strengthens existing unequal power relations, it also breaks teachers’ monopoly over teaching affairs. Parents thus experience mixed emotions and develop a sense of shared responsibility and empathy with teachers.
... A paradoxical finding in a mixed-methods study of technology use in California schools is that while 62.1% of parents indicated they would be a "friend" on a school Facebook page and 54% that they had used e-mail to communicate with teachers, only 24.1% were interested in "following" the school on the social media site Twitter (Olmstead 2013). Studies reporting decreased social media use in adults of lower income and parental preference for e-mail and phone use for communications between home and school (Hruska and Maresova 2020;Olmstead 2013;Zieger and Tan 2012) provide a partial explanation of our finding that parents were less receptive to social media messaging than are young social media active students (Vogels et al. 2022). ...
... A paradoxical finding in a mixed-methods study of technology use in California schools is that while 62.1% of parents indicated they would be a "friend" on a school Facebook page and 54% that they had used e-mail to communicate with teachers, only 24.1% were interested in "following" the school on the social media site Twitter (Olmstead 2013). Studies reporting decreased social media use in adults of lower income and parental preference for e-mail and phone use for communications between home and school (Hruska and Maresova 2020;Olmstead 2013;Zieger and Tan 2012) provide a partial explanation of our finding that parents were less receptive to social media messaging than are young social media active students (Vogels et al. 2022). ...
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From May 2014 through June 2019, educational, health, and academic partners under an NIH Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) engaged 1271 6th through 8th grade students and their families in the “A New Genomic Framework for Schools and Communities” program. Evaluation addressed the effectiveness of the Health in Our Hands genomics curriculum, which employed Next Generation Science Standards and community action research projects to target two common, complex conditions—type 2 diabetes and substance use disorder (SUD)—in the underserved cities of Flint and Detroit, MI, USA. Curriculum outcomes were measured with classroom surveys, presentation event questionnaires, and adult interviews using mixed qualitative/quantitative (SPSS V. 25.0) methods involving generalized linear mixed modeling-based ANOVA. The diabetes unit enactment registered a 12% pre- /post-gain among students in perceived learning about genes and the environment. Both diabetes and SUD units showed statistically significant gains in perceived learning about health and health conditions and the importance of what students were learning to everyday life. A total of 73.4% of fall 2018 SUD event participants indicated increased awareness of educational and career choices in science. Moderate gains were noted during the diabetes curriculum in students sharing what they learned with friends and family. 9/11 parents and 5/9 community members attending the student presentation event had discussed diabetes with a student. Linked formal classroom and informal community-connected approaches can successfully be used to teach genomics and promote project-based learning in students, family, and community members. Further efforts are needed to effectively engage families.
... For instance, many K-12 schools rely on online applications to admit new or transfer students. Parents also can track their children's academic progress via an online portal that provides information about school requirements, the student's grades, and their attendance history (Olmstead 2013). While some studies demonstrate that technology can help increase parental involvement (Hollingworth et al. 2011;Olmstead 2013;Patrikakou 2016), immigrant parents can face unique barriers to accessing technology. ...
... Parents also can track their children's academic progress via an online portal that provides information about school requirements, the student's grades, and their attendance history (Olmstead 2013). While some studies demonstrate that technology can help increase parental involvement (Hollingworth et al. 2011;Olmstead 2013;Patrikakou 2016), immigrant parents can face unique barriers to accessing technology. ...
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This paper examines Latino/a children’s roles and obligations to their immigrant families. Bridging insights from the literature on the “new sociology of childhood,” immigrant incorporation, and care work, this essay argues that children perform important—but often invisible—labor in immigrant families. Dominant ideologies depict childhood as an “innocent” time wherein young people are in need of guidance and are too underdeveloped to make meaningful contributions. However, this construction of childhood ignores the lived realities of the children of immigrants, who often serve as gatekeepers and connect their families to services and resources in their communities. This essay examines six dimensions of support that the children of immigrants provide to their families, namely, language and cultural help, financial contributions, bureaucratic assistance, emotional labor, legal support, and guidance with technology. This essay concludes with implications for scholars, students, and policymakers on the importance of recognizing this labor, along with future directions for research.
... Clear and timely communication between teachers, students, and families is a key component of learning that can lead to essential interactions that build classroom community and enhance student academic achievement. Numerous studies have demonstrated the impact parental involvement has on student motivation and achievement (Gonzalez-DeHass et al., 2005;Hoover-Dempsey et al., 2001;Olmstead, 2013); for some, these interactions involve volunteering in the classroom or attending parent-teacher conferences while, for others, the most meaningful involvement occurs in the home. Parents have been shown to play a vital role in monitoring student homework and grades and sharing the values of effort and academic success (Goodall, 2016). ...
... In fact, researchers in all four of these studies reported negative effects on student learning that resulted from low parental support. As we know from previous research, parental involvement has a strong impact on student motivation and achievement (Gonzalez-DeHass et al., 2005;Hoover-Dempsey et al., 2001;Olmstead, 2013). The limitations in using any of these methods in isolation is the inability to triangulate data for more reliable and valid results. ...
... Christenson (2004) stated that teachers should disseminate information to parents and work collaboratively with parents when making decisions concerning the educational practices of children. Due to the diversity of parents and busy work schedules of parents, there is a need to have other strategies like the use of technology as possible ways to meet a variety of needs (Olmstead, 2013). Proactive outreach could also develop effective interactions between parents and teacher and also strengthen their partnerships (Fantuzzo, McWayne, Perry, & Childs, 2004). ...
... Finally, based on the perceptions of parents and teachers, regular training of parents and teachers, rewarding parents and teachers, parental visit, home visits by teachers, and the use of technology was suggested as strategies to enhance partnerships between parents and teachers. This finding is consistent with reports from (Epstein, 1995;Fantuzzo et al., 2004;Kocayörük, 2016;Olmstead, 2013) that varieties of strategies have to be adopted by both parents and teachers to improve PTP in schools for the deaf. However, teachers were more interested in an increase in parental visits and in-person discussions with parents than in the use of technology (social media platforms such as WhatsApp) in enhancing partnerships. ...
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ABSTRACT This study examined the nature of partnerships that exist between parents and teachers, the attributes that influence these partner�ships, and the strategies that can enhance the partnerships between parents and teachers in two schools for the deaf in the Central Region of Ghana. We conducted focus group discussions with 12 teachers and had one-to-one interviews with 13 parents. Participants described the partnerships as implicit and also indi�cated that the major associated attributes which affect their part�nerships were parents’ and teachers’ role construction, neglect, sociocultural influences, and technology. The study suggested home visits, proactive outreaches, parent-teacher conferences, training, use of technology and instituting reward systems for parents and teachers who show dedication as ways of enhancing partnerships in schools for the deaf.
... Communication between parents and teachers is essential for both socialization and academic progress of students (Telem & Pinto, 2006) and for fostering good teacher-parent collaboration and relationships (Kuusimäki et al., 2019b). However, as the new communication technologies provide opportunities, such as interacting frequently and without the need to meet face-to-face (Olmstead, 2013), they also appear to bring new challenges and significantly complicate teacher-parent communication (Dahl, 2017;Kuusimäki et al., 2019a). For example, teachers find digital communication time-consuming as it requires effort to carefully express their thoughts to avoid misunderstandings (Palts & Kalmus, 2015). ...
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In this study, we focus on exploring teachers' stories of their relationships with parents in times of digital communication. Employing the concept of teachers' professional knowledge landscape, we inquire into Finnish teachers' experiences with WILMA, a digital system used for teacher-parent communication in Finland. We discuss how teachers' experiences shaped by WILMA may disrupt their stories to live by, their identities, in relation with parents. Furthermore, teachers' stories suggest a problem for consideration in teacher education. What is called for are re-imagined ways for parents and teachers to collaborate, thus composing new partnerships on changing landscapes.
... Specifically, proactive communication between teachers and parents becomes easier and faster, and, therefore, it can further enhance home-school partnerships, a powerful factor in academic, social, and emotional learning (Patrikakou, 2015(Patrikakou, , 2016. With the convenience of technology allowing for both asynchronous and synchronous modes of communication 11 schools can establish bi-directional, ongoing, mutually-beneficial interactions that enhance clarity of expectations, detail student progress, and keep parents abreast of pertinent information (Olmstead, 2013). With the physical presence of parents not necessarily required at school in order to actually be involved in the educational process, not only home-school communication can be enhanced, but also parent involvement in general can be increased. ...
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Sharply increased workforce demands for computer skills are due to the significant effects that technology and media use have had on several aspects of daily life. These changes have prompted shifts in pedagogical thought, a push for change in classroom practices, and an urgent need for tending to the learning needs of students in an ever-changing global landscape. In the era of personalized learning, technology use is indispensable to enhance the individualization and differentiation of learning, and serves as the pillar of competency-based education. The swift pace of change, however, has raised concerns and reluctance from practitioners and other stakeholders. As with any and every innovation, its use is as good as its users. Educators who are utilizing technology and media advances in a targeted and purposeful way can enhance student learning by putting an emphasis on the four personal competencies of the learner (cognitive, metacognitive, motivational, and social/emotional). The present paper explores ways students' personal competencies can be addressed within a flipped-classroom model, and the ramifications that such a model shift has on parent involvement and school-family interactions. The flipped classroom framework is discussed as a context in which media integration can foster competence-based, personalized education.
... Technology has improved the possibilities for connecting parent-teacher communication (Olmstead, 2013). Emails, newsletters, pictures, videos, websites, social media, and applications are ways that offer parents digital access to their children's progress in school. ...
Article
Purpose: To explore the relationship between a mother and adapted physical education (APE) teacher. Method: A retrospective, qualitative case study approach was utilized. Semistructured interviews with the mother, child with Down syndrome, and APE teacher were conducted. Results: Four themes were extracted from the data: (a) "[APE] is perfectly normal"-value of APE, (b) "Education is power and key"-the importance of understanding, (c) "Whatever it takes to be a part of Sam's day"-involvement in APE and PA, and (d) "Know your tribe and love them hard"-building strong relationships. Discussion: Findings suggest that parents and APE teachers have influence and contribute to the development of a collaborative relationship. From parents, parental value and importance toward APE were seen as facilitators. And from APE teachers, their communication by sharing visualizations of what occurs at school and their predispositions toward parents, such as competence and respect, were regarded as facilitators.
... Given the current focus on parent data, future research could address the variety of experiences of educators, school leaders, and schools of education. As Olmstead (2013) concluded over a decade ago, 'As access to technology continues to expand, it will be imperative that teachers and administrators stay current with the tools that families are using to communicate' (p. 37). ...
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Amidst the backdrop of lackluster student achievement and a need for parents to understand how their children are doing in school, this paper presents data on the frequency of technology-enabled parent practices in the post-pandemic educational era. Using three years of randomly sampled parent survey data collected for a larger community broadband evaluation study, descriptive analyses and ordinal logistic regression explore the variety and frequency of parents’ use of technology to connect with and support their children attending public school. Results showed consistently high levels of parent technology use for accessing information about student schoolwork and performance, as well as for communicating with school personnel. Examining several potential explanatory variables, little evidence was found that frequency of practice differed based on household characteristics or participation in the broadband program, although there were exceptions based on household socioeconomic status (SES) and race/ethnicity. Furthermore, parent technology use appeared to become more equitable over time; in 2023, differences between how often different groups of parents used digital devices to access information or communicate with their child’s teacher appeared smaller than they did in the two years prior. In the context of increasing access to and investment in technological tools and infrastructure, these findings update and modernize the ongoing research literature addressing parent engagement.
... Parents and teachers alike recognized the value of proactive parent involvement that does not require parents to be present at school or assist teachers in the classroom throughout the year. For example, schools can provide parents with opportunities to help from home and connect with teachers via school websites or email (Olmstead, 2013). See Table 4 for more details. ...
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Parental involvement in early childhood education significantly impacts children's academic, socio-emotional, and behavioral outcomes. Extensive research indicates that parental involvement plays a more influential role in a child's academic success compared to socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, or educational background. However, a noticeable gap exists between the desired and actual levels of parental involvement, often attributed to identifiable barriers. This study aims to delineate these obstacles and proposes cost-effective, actionable steps to overcome them. We introduce specific strategies that enhance the home-school partnership and recommend that schools actively teach and promote these activities. These practices highlight the dual importance of parental support for school-based learning and school support for home-based activities.
... While in case we do an action after an event has occurred, we are dealing with reactive action. With reactive behavior we understand reacting to events or situations rather than acting forward to change or prevent something According to Olmstead (2013), parents' involvement in school is related both to proactive and proactive behavior. According to this research, parents' involvement in school by attending parental meetings, family activities at school, or volunteering are categorized as reactive behavior. ...
Conference Paper
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Quality service in education is a strategic educational objective for the whole world. Professional communication between the school and the family is positively correlated with student achievements, while students' achievements are linked not only with the quality of their lives and households but also with the economic and social development of each country (Kashahu, 2015). Today, there is no dilemma regarding the role of parenting parents in education and precisely, based on the findings of many studies, schools are working to make this communication more effective and realistic. In this context, forms and types of school-family communication take on particular importance. This article provides a summary of the studies that point to the importance of active parent participation in child education, as well as a theoretical summary of the relationships between teachers and parents referring to the four-model compilation under Matsagouras (2005). The article explains active and proactive parental involvement based on the Olmstead (2013) analysis. Also, authors analyze communication through technology, and consider some concerns about it. They conclude that technology is one of the best ways to achieve the desired communication between the school and the family in Albania, because Albanians are increasingly increasing access to technology. According to them, this form of interaction minimizes the problems of family-school communication, which are created due to the distances and the lack of parents time to cooperate with the school. On the other hand, the authors evaluate the necessity of combining forms of communication based on parents' options and preferences to get the information they need for the child in a timely manner, to distinguish face to face communication, and to evaluate it as one of the the most natural and human forms for effective communication.
... Online classes also have limitations, including problems with internet access, poor internet connection quality, and insufficient digital skills of the participants including students as well as teachers [8]. Furthermore, the effectiveness of such an educational system is questionable, especially in the field of medicine where group discussions and peer interactions are necessary for knowledge and skill development [9,10]. However, concluding the effectiveness of online and offline education is much more difficult and has failed to conclude [11]. ...
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Background Many of the educational institutions in developed countries have shifted to online learning. While transition from traditional to electronic learning (e-learning) has remained a great challenge in low-middle income countries, where limited resources for teaching and learning are important factors. Medical education involves not only lecturing but also deep understanding through laboratories and patient exposure. The debate about the effectiveness of e-learning in medical education is still in contradiction due to its limitations. This cross-sectional survey was conducted to assess pre-clinical undergraduate medical students’ perception of their first online learning in a lower-middle income country. Methodology The survey was conducted among the students who had participated in online learning during COVID-19 for at least a year. A total of 824 preclinical medical students who completed the survey from public and private medical universities in Sindh, Pakistan were included in the study. We used a validated online-based questionnaire, distributed through E-mail and social media platforms to assess the perception of students regarding their first online learning experience. Results The response rate of the survey was 87.9%. The mean age of students was 20.7 ± 3.8 years. 392/824 (47%) were males and 57% were females. Our study indicated that 613/824 (75%) of students were experiencing online learning for the very first time while 631/824 (77%) were facing technical issues like internet accessibility and lack of IT-related skills. 381/824 (46%) were not satisfied with the institute’s readiness for online teaching. However, 79% (654/824) of participants were of the idea that traditional learning is more effective in developing their practical skills as compared to e-learning. Of note, 668/824 (81%) showed overall dissatisfaction with e-learning. Conclusion Based on our study findings, we concluded that most students have a negative perception of e-learning. Difficulty in connectivity, electricity issues, less interaction with colleagues and teachers, and issues with the structure of online courses were the most frequently reported problems by the students.
... Some of the most salient forms of parental engagement do not require parents to be at the school physically (Hattie, 2009;Hong & Ho, 2005;Jeynes, 2018), and as explored by other researchers (e.g., Baxter & Toe, 2021;Goodall, 2016;Olmstead, 2013), technology has the potential to support these home-based aspects. The Korimako case, analysed using the adapted framework, illustrated how the Seesaw digital space is relational, a product of designers and coders, but also the users and material context (Thompson, 2014). ...
... This can include information on surveillance tools, advice on educating children about digital ethics, and tips on dealing with technology-related conflicts. In addition, parents can plan family activities that do not involve technology at all (Bacigalupe & Lambe, 2011;Olmstead, 2013). This creates a critical moment where families can connect directly without interference from electronic devices. ...
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This study explores how technology affects the interaction dynamics between parents and children in the family sphere. This study uses library research with integrative and comprehensive analysis in investigating and analyzing various related literature sources to understand the effect of technology use on parent-child interaction in the family context. The findings of this study highlight that the use of technology significantly impacts the interaction between parents and children in the family. The use of technology, especially when it is not regulated correctly, tends to reduce the time parents and children should spend together. However, it should be recognized that technology also has the potential to be a valuable tool, mainly when used wisely and as a positive educational resource. Therefore, effective management related to the use of technology in the family environment plays a crucial role in maintaining this balance. Parents have a responsibility to set healthy rules and boundaries regarding the use of technology, as well as to educate children about digital ethics. In addition, parents' active involvement in using technology with their children becomes crucial. With a wise and sustainable approach to technology, families can achieve a balance that supports the development and happiness of children amid an era of technological development that continues to grow.
... The prominence of technology use in study on STEM education at home is also a remarkable result. Similarly, there are many studies that enable parent participation in education through technology (Walsh et al., 2014;Olmstead, 2013;Patrikakou, 2016). Marcus et al. (2021) stated the positive effects of home engineering activities. ...
Article
STEM education has been a significant subject in the world and it has been studied by researchers. But parental involvement to STEM education hasn’t been on the agenda enough. In this study, findings were reached by examining 24 studies determined by literature review and PRISMA criteria. When analysis on the studies; it was concluded that there was an increase in 2021, the most in article type were written, they were mostly made in the USA, mostly primary school students were the subject, and the studies were mainly conducted in the survey model. It has seen that the subject of family participation in the STEM program (parent-child activities) is and their positively results frequently pointed. The positive effects of family career and their emotional characteristics on STEM success are frequently studied topics. In the theme of STEM activities at home, it was concluded that studies were conducted in which parents support STEM education mostly in terms of technology. Suggestions were made for performing STEM activities with the participation of families and investigating their effects.
... To address these challenges, schools need to provide guidelines, resources, and foster proactive involvement between parents and teachers. Digital technology has the potential to facilitate collaboration between parents and teachers, promoting better communication and collaboration (Olmstead, 2013). Models of parent-professional collaboration extend beyond family-school collaboration to include family-school-community collaboration (Larivée et al., 2017). ...
Conference Paper
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Since 1994, the inclusion of students with special educational needs (SEN) has been a vital part of the educational system (UNESCO, 1994). In the early 2000s, educational systems underwent reforms to accommodate this change, leading to increased communication and collaboration efforts between families and educational partners (Wehmeyer & Patton, 2017). These efforts are supported by the growth of digital technologies (Kefallinou et al., 2020; Zallio & Ohashi, 2022). Various models of family-professional collaboration, such as the "Sunshine Model" (Haines et al., 2017), "Whole School Model" (Lewallen et al., 2015), "Smart Holistic Model" (Hafidh et al., 2019), and polycentric approaches (Ebersold & Detraux, 2013), have been developed to involve the broader educational community.Despite the integration of technologies and the recognized importance of collaboration, limited research has been conducted on the potential of collaborative technologies in the educational context for SEN. However, relevant stakeholders endorse their use.To address this gap, a systematic review of international literature was conducted to identify collaborative technologies for the inclusion of SEN, along with their advantages and limitations. Out of 1360 identified articles, 10 were selected for analysis.These 10 articles focused on 8 different digital technologies that facilitate collaboration between families, education, and healthcare actors. The technologies were developed using various methodologies and aimed at different communication and collaboration objectives. Some technologies focused on communication related to student behavior or school activities, while others emphasized collaboration related to the student's inclusion project.We will present each of these technologies, their development context, as well as their advantages and limitations. We will hightlight their relevance to the different theoretical models applied to family-professional collaboration, and their contributions Finally, we will highlight the contributions of collaborative technologies to promoting SEN inclusion and reducing educational inequalities.
... Technological features, such as the synchronous nature of teleconferencing applications and the asynchronous nature of message board posts, offered the flexibility to keep in touch with her child and monitor her child's learning remotely. Previous findings also revealed one benefit felt by parents who have work demands and needs is flexibility, where parents can respond to communication in their spare time (Hollingworth et al., 2011;Lewin & Luckin, 2010;Olmstead, 2013). ...
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Abstrak: Keterlibatan orang tua dalam membimbing anak belajar di rumah dan pemanfaatan teknologi dalam memfasilitasi kerja sama rumah-sekolah sangat diperlukan di masa pandemi Covid-19. Studi kasus kami membahas pengalaman Yanti, seorang ibu karir yang tinggal jauh dari keluarganya, berkolaborasi dengan pihak sekolah anaknya, dan peran teknologi dalam kolaborasi tersebut. Kami menemukan bahwa teknologi menawarkan manfaat penting bagi Yanti, seperti komunikasi jarak jauh yang intensif dengan anak, meninjau pembelajaran anak dari jarak jauh, dan memungkinkan komunikasi dengan sekolah. Namun, tantangan seperti sikap sekolah dalam mendukung keterlibatan orang tua, kurangnya keterbukaan sekolah untuk menerima masukan dari orang tua, dan ketidaksiapan sekolah untuk beradaptasi dengan teknologi sangat terlihat jelas. Yanti berusaha mengatasi tantangan tersebut dengan intens bertanya kepada guru dan anak serta berinisiatif untuk membangun komunitas orang tua. Meski Yanti juga mempekerjakan guru privat untuk menjaga anaknya tetap di jalur progres pembelajaran, di sisi lain, kondisi ini justru bisa melemahkan kerja sama antara orang tua dan sekolah karena orang tua tidak terlalu bergantung pada sekolah lagi. Oleh karena itu, untuk membangun kerja sama yang kuat antara orang tua dan sekolah, sekolah dapat menyesuaikan budaya sekolah dengan menyediakan pembaruan pembelajaran siswa yang lengkap, menyambut masukan orang tua, dan beradaptasi dengan era digital dengan mengoptimalkan teknologi. Abstract: Parental engagement in guiding children to study at home and the use of technology in home-school partnerships are necessary during the Covid-19 pandemic. Our case study described the experience of a career mother who lived away from her family in collaborating with her child's school, and how technology can be used in that collaboration. We found that technology offered benefits to her, such as intensive distance communication with her child, reviewing her child's learning remotely, and allowing communication with her child's school. However, challenges such as the school's attitude in supporting parental engagement, the lack of openness of the school to receive input from parents, and school unpreparedness to adapt to technology were visible. Yanti attempted to overcome the challenges by intensely asking teachers and the child and initiating to build a group of parents. Although she also employed a private tutor to keep her child on track, this approach might weaken parent-school collaboration as the parents did not rely too much on school anymore. Therefore, to establish strong home-school partnerships, the school might adjust the school culture by providing complete student learning updates, welcoming any parents' input, and adapting to the digital era by optimizing technology.
... Benefits of an Early Childhood School digital marketing strategy is presented in table 1. In the contemporary digital era, marketing strategies for ECE schools ought to remain abreast of the latest technological advancements and leverage online platforms to enhance school promotion, foster parent engagement, and fortify relationships with potential students (Olmstead, 2013) and (Lindeman et al., 2021). When implementing marketing strategies, educational institutions should prioritize the school's image, optimize their social media presence, provide educational content, host online events, integrate technology in learning, establish partnerships with communities, and ensure the security of their data. ...
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In the contemporary technological era, the significance of marketing for educational institutions has experienced a significant surge. The effective execution of marketing tactics can aid in the recruitment of prospective students and concurrently elevate the standing of the institution. Marketing initiatives should be carried out prudently and in accordance with the technological progressions that occur. The objective of this study is to furnish insights for early childhood education institutions in formulating efficacious marketing tactics that align with contemporary demands. The primary emphasis of this investigation is on qualitative analysis. Methods for gathering information include paying close attention and taking detailed notes, with subsequent analysis including data reduction, visualisation, and conclusions. The results of this study show that to develop marketing strategies in the digital era, schools need to consider factors such as market characteristics and needs, the use of social media and online platforms, data security, the quality of educators, and the needs of students. Therefore, they should consider the needs and characteristics of the market and develop educational content that is relevant and appealing to prospective students and parents, which implies that by optimising technology and online platforms and considering the needs and characteristics of the market, schools can improve the reputation and quality of education offered and help increase parental and community involvement in promoting education.
... However, establishing a virtual network system has limitations such as the high cost and unfamiliarity of these systems, which requires VR specialists. 22 Dental students' knowledge of panoramic anatomy, errors, or artifacts has been investigated and showed varying degrees of correct answers. 23,24 Implementing new methods in teaching radiographic anatomy was tested however, was based on senior students, utilized 2D digital techniques, or applied VR video for teeth morphology only. ...
Article
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Purpose: This work aimed to utilize virtual reality (VR) in dental radiographic anatomical interpretation in junior dental students and test if it can enhance student learning, engagement, and performance. Methods: VR software for panoramic anatomy was developed. Sixty-nine first-year dental students were divided into a control group (lecture-based) and an experimental group (VR) to learn panoramic radiographic anatomy. Both groups were then tested on knowledge via a 20-question quiz. Student feedback on VR experience was collected via an online survey. Results: There was a statistically significant difference between lecture-based and VR students in the correct identification of anatomical landmarks. Lecture-based students scored higher in identifying the ear lobe, hyoid bone, condylar neck, and external oblique ridge, whereas VR students scored higher in identifying zygoma (Chi-squared test, p < 0.005). The VR group reported high evaluation on all perception items of the online feedback survey on their experience (Student t-test, p < 0.005). Conclusions: Lecture-based students generally showed better performance in panoramic radiographic anatomy. Several structures were not correctly identified in both groups of novice students. The positive feedback of VR experience encourages future implementation in education to augment conventional methods of radiographic anatomy in dentistry with considerations to repeated exposures throughout undergraduate dental education.
... Such decision making procedures could entail parents' training on contemporary learning methodologies, parents' proposals on potential changes in educational curricula as well as their capability to notify the teacher of any special requirements in relation to their children. In short, parents should have the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and develop the skills to be able to maintain a genuine, humane and positive emotional and empathic relationship with their children as well as to be able to take the initiative to communicate their thoughts as equal partners of the school community [9,10]. ...
Article
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Parents need to develop their cognitive and metacognitive skills such as lifelong learning skills, self-leadership, self-regulation, empathy as well as mindfulness and self-consciousness in order to sustain their parenting role as well as develop their personal and professional capabilities. More specifically, emerging technologies, such as mobiles and artificial intelligence have gained ground on enhancing responsible parenting, parents' engagement with children's learning procedures, parents' wellness and active aging as well as parents' cognitive and emotional balance in regard to their parenting role. Emerging technologies offer convenient, personalized and cost-effective training and assessment tools for parents with the final aim to create flexible and inclusive school communities.
... In the school context, the use of social media such as Facebook, e-mail lists, or websites is common. Many schools employ digital means, and some establish their own social networking site through which they can create groups to connect with parents, share learning materials, and post updates about events (Kaplan & Haenlein, 2010;Olmstead, 2013). On the same note, Bouhnik and Deshen (2014) stated that class WhatsApp groups are used for four main purposes: ...
Article
The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of regulating WhatsApp group content on effective communication. The study was guided by Kurt Lewin's Gatekeeping theory. A case study research design was used.The study population comprised all the WhatsApp group administrators in Nairobi County. Convenience sampling was used to identify WhatsApp group administrators who were available and willing to participate in the study. The researcher interviewed one WhatsApp group administrator from each of the 17 constituencies in Nairobi County, totaling a sample size of 17 respondents. Data were collected using in-depth interviews. After the completion of data collection, qualitative data were coded and analyzed for themes and sub-themes. Finally, the researcher made possible and plausible explanations of the findings. Study findings revealed that most of the study respondents were WhatsApp group administrators of family, friends, class, and church groups. These groups were mainly for sharing information, uniting members, and fundraising. Family and friends' WhatsApp groups were open to a variety of information. Members were allowed to discuss each other's well-being and share religious, political, entertaining, birthday, and congratulatory messages. All church groups only allowed members to share religious information, while in class WhatsApp groups, teachers and parents were allowed to share information on students' well-being and academic activities. Insults, vulgar language, and pornographic information were unacceptable WhatsApp group content. Written rules were used to regulate WhatsApp group content. The rules were often re-shared when a member posted unacceptable content. The administrator further contacted the defiant member to point out the mistake, warn and request the deletion of the message. Implementation of WhatsApp group regulations led to effective communication among members. This study recommended that WhatsApp group administrators should pin group regulations for easy access. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of regulating WhatsApp group content on effective communication. The study was guided by Kurt Lewin's Gatekeeping theory. A case study research design was used.The study population comprised all the WhatsApp group administrators in Nairobi County. Convenience sampling was used to identify WhatsApp group administrators who were available and willing to participate in the study. The researcher interviewed one WhatsApp group administrator from each of the 17 constituencies in Nairobi County, totaling a sample size of 17 respondents. Data were collected using in-depth interviews. After the completion of data collection, qualitative data were coded and analyzed for themes and sub-themes. Finally, the researcher made possible and plausible explanations of the findings. Study findings revealed that most of the study respondents were WhatsApp group administrators of family, friends, class, and church groups. These groups were mainly for sharing information, uniting members, and fundraising. Family and friends' WhatsApp groups were open to a variety of information. Members were allowed to discuss each other's well-being and share religious, political, entertaining, birthday, and congratulatory messages. All church groups only allowed members to share religious information, while in class WhatsApp groups, teachers and parents were allowed to share information on students' well-being and academic activities. Insults, vulgar language, and pornographic information were unacceptable WhatsApp group content. Written rules were used to regulate WhatsApp group content. The rules were often re-shared when a member posted unacceptable content. The administrator further contacted the defiant member to point out the mistake, warn and request the deletion of the message. Implementation of WhatsApp group regulations led to effective communication among members. This study recommended that WhatsApp group administrators should pin group regulations for easy access.
... En los últimos años, las tecnologías digitales han introducido cambios en las formas de comunicación entre la escuela y las familias, llegando a plantear nuevas maneras de participación e implicación (Vázquez Cano et al., 2014), y convirtiéndose en los principales canales de información (Sánchez-Garrote y Cortada-Pujol, 2015). Diversos estudios (Olmstead, 2013;Macià y Garreta, 2018), han demostrado cómo estos nuevos canales han permitido una mayor eficacia. ...
... Las denominadas Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación (TIC) son ensalzadas en la literatura pedagógica como recursos que facilitan la enseñanza, que promueven aprendizajes, que desarrollan competencias, que agilizan la burocracia de los centros escolares y que tienen un gran potencial para mejorar las relaciones familia-escuela. Disponemos ya de un elenco de investigaciones que visibilizan ventajas e inconvenientes de las nuevas modalidades de interlocución entre escuelas y familias (Ballesta y Cerezo, 2011;Beneyto-Seoane y Collet-Sabé, 2016;Freitas, Paredes y Sánchez-Antolín, 2019;Goodall, 2016;Macià y Garreta, 2018;Magdaleno y Llopis, 2014;Olmstead, 2013;Sánchez-Garrote y Cortada-Pujol, 2015). ...
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El blog de aula y el WhatsApp ¿herramientas útiles para la comunicación entre maestras y familias? Classroom Blog and WhatsApp, useful tools for teachers and families communication? Soledad García-Gómez; solgar@us.es Universidad de Sevilla (España) Mónica López-Gil; monica.maria@uca.es Universidad de Cádiz (España) Resumen La literatura específica muestra que hay dos herramientas tecnológicas con gran potencial para enriquecer la comunicación entre maestras y familias: los blogs de aula y el WhatsApp. El objetivo del estudio descriptivo ha sido explorar si estas herramientas son utilizadas para ampliar la comunicación entre ambos colectivos. Los datos se han recogido mediante entrevistas estructuradas a maestras de Educación Infantil. Tras categorizar los datos se han cuantificado y sometido a análisis del contenido textual. Resultados. En torno al 80% de las maestras no cuenta con blog de aula. Las razones primordiales son: la falta de tiempo y los problemas técnicos. Quienes sí lo tienen lo utilizan preferentemente como exposición de lo que ocurre en las aulas. El uso del WhatsApp tampoco es mayoritario, es rechazado con frecuencia por los malentendidos que suele producir. Las maestras que sí lo utilizan lo hacen a través de la madre delegada de clase. Se evidencia que hay problemas vinculados al uso de ciertas TIC que han de ser conocidos para tratar de paliarlos. Palabras clave: Educación infantil, familias, comunicación, blogs, WhatsApp Abstract The state of the art evidences that communication between teachers and families will improve by using these two technological tools: classroom blogs and WhatsApp. The aim of this descriptive study has been to explore if these tools are nowadays really being use to extend communication. Data have been collected through structured interviews to preschool teachers. We have categorized and quantified them, and we have also done a textual content analysis. Results. Around 80% of teachers do not have a classroom blog. Main reasons for this scarce use are: lack of time and technical problems. Teachers who edit blogs consider they are very useful to show what is going on in the class. We have also found that WhatsApp is not frequently used by teachers because they try to avoid misunderstandings. They use this application only with the mother that represents the other families. It is obvious that there are some problems about the uses of ICT that should be known in order to solve them.
Article
Objectives: The objective of this study is to address the increasing number of children with developmental disabilities in South Korea by improving communication among caregivers, families, and professionals involved in their care. Effective communication is essential for ensuring coordinated support and tracking developmental progress to provide holistic care for these children.Methods: This qualitative study was conducted in four stages: planning, development, implementation, and evaluation. Before developing the intervention, focus group interviews with caregivers and professionals were conducted to assess existing communication methods, such as formal documentation, face-to-face meetings, and telephone consultations. Based on the findings from these interviews, a mobile application called "Link-I" was developed to facilitate the daily recording and sharing of events and developmental milestones among caregivers, families, and professionals. After the app was implemented, a second round of focus group interviews was conducted during the evaluation phase to gather detailed feedback on its usability, accessibility, and overall effectiveness in improving communication.Results: The implementation of Link-I showed considerable potential to enhance communication and improve the tracking of developmental progress for children with disabilities. However, many caregivers reported that the app was difficult to use due to its complexity and the time required for frequent updates. Despite these issues, professionals found the real-time information sharing helpful for monitoring the children’s progress and coordinating care more efficiently.Conclusion: Although challenges in usability and accessibility were highlighted, the study demonstrates that Link-I can improve communication between caregivers and professionals. With further refinements and enhancements, the app could better serve its users, ultimately improving care and developmental tracking for children with developmental disabilities.
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It is undisputable that an effective home-school partnership has an impact on their children’s learning and subsequent academic performance. However, the extent of parental involvement is found to be lacking due to various reasons according to the literature. This paper reports on the effectiveness of utilizing workshops as an intervention strategy to facilitate a home-school partnership that could enhance student mathematics performance in a public senior secondary school in Botswana. Parents from one, purposively selected public senior secondary school, participated in this study. The study used a pragmatist paradigm to draw on a mixed-methods approach and employ a quasi-experimental research design with experimental and control groups. Questionnaires for parents and their children, parents’ interviews, and tests in mathematics were the main data collection instruments for this study and were used as pre and post-interventions. The parents’ workshops intervention was implemented for a period of three weeks on the experimental group. Parents were provided with knowledge and skills through presentations on parental involvement. The results demonstrated that the parents’ workshops intervention improved home-school partnership. The results showed that the intervention had a large positive impact on Home-school communication with an effect size difference of 2.260 between pre-test and post-test mean scores for the parents in the experimental group. Consequently, children’s mathematics performance positively changed after the intervention. The difference between pre-test and post-test within the control group showed a small effect size (0.308) while a large and practical effect size (2.215) was found between pre-test and post-test within the experimental students.
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This article reports on two action research projects which are part of the Campaign for Learning’s Learning to Learn programme. The programme focuses on individual schools’ and teachers’ research priorities, within an overarching framework which seeks to under- stand the factors which promote successful learning. The programme has just finished the first cycle of research. The findings reported here are reflections on the process as well as explorations of the interactions between parents and schools. While both schools report increased pupil attainment as a result of the parental involvement, perhaps the most inter- esting aspect of the research is the way in which teachers and schools are making explicit their ideas about learning and testing them in dialogue with parents. Arguably, this creation of shared understandings could have the most profound impact on the pupils, their parents’ views of learning and on the place of the schools within their communities.
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This article reviews psychological theory and research critical to understanding why parents become involved in their children’s elementary and secondary education. Three major constructs are believed to be central to parents’ basic involvement decisions. First, parents’ role construction defines parents’ beliefs about what they are supposed to do in their children’s education and appears to establish the basic range of activities that parents construe as important, necessary, and permissible for their own actions with and on behalf of children. Second, parents’ sense of efficacy for helping their children succeed in school focuses on the extent to which parents believe that through their involvement they can exert positive influence on their children’s educational outcomes. Third, general invitations, demands, and opportunities for involvement refer to parents’ perceptions that the child and school want them to be involved. Hypotheses concerning the functioning of the three constructs in an additive model are suggested, as are implications for research and practice. Overall, the review suggests that even well-designed school programs inviting involvement will meet with only limited success if they do not address issues of parental role construction and parental sense of efficacy for helping children succeed in school.
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This study explores the nature of teacher—parent relations as perceived by principals at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. Participants included 144 principals who completed a survey examining differences in parent and teacher involvement at each level, preparedness of first-year teachers to communicate with parents, and the types of support schools provide parents and teachers to facilitate teacher—parent alliances. Significant differences were found at each level. Recommendations are made for improving school—family relationships through preservice and in-service training.
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This research-based framework of six types of involvement guides state and district leaders, school principals, teachers, parents, and community partners to form Action Teams for Partnerships--dynamic groups that plan, implement, evaluate, and continually improve family and community involvement for student success. This edition offers tools and strategies--innovations tested for more than 15 yrs that are being used by leaders in schools, districts, and state departments of education across the country to create partnership programs that support school improvement goals. With this second edition, the reader will learn how to: involve the community in school, family, and community partnerships; organize more effective Action Teams for Partnerships; strengthen partnership programs in middle and high schools; implement interactive homework for students to show and share with their families; organize successful volunteers in the middle grades; and conduct state and district leadership activities to help school develop partnership programs. This edition also provides examples of successful partnership activities linked to school goals for students, new planning and evaluation tools, and new guidelines and materials for conducting effective training workshops on partnerships. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
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Everyone seems to agree about the importance of parental involvement (PI) in children's education. Two-way communication between families and schools is essential both for schools (they gain better understanding of the child's needs and secure parental assistance) and for parents (being more informed about their child's progress at school promotes levels of PI that are even more beneficial for children's education and personality development). For a variety of reasons, however, many parents and teachers find themselves unable to timely contact each other when they find a need. This essay examines new telecommunication technologies, such as voice-messaging system, e-mail, Internet and web sites, and demonstrates their potential to support family-school connection. I argue that effective classroom, school and school district web sites have a positive impact not only on student learning, but also on PI, and envision the future of PI, and web site and other telecommunication technologies.
Engaging all families: Creating a positive school culture by putting research into practice
  • S Constantino
Parent involvement in schools
  • Child Trends
Tapping into technology: The role of the Internet in family-school communication
  • S M Bouffard
  • SM Bouffard
A new generation of evidence: The family is critical to student achievement. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service
  • A T Henderson
  • N Berla
Human communication: Principles and contexts
  • S Tubbs
  • S Moss
School, family, and community partnerships
  • J L Epstein
  • M G Sanders
  • B S Simon
  • K C Salinas
  • N R Jansorn
  • F L Van Voorhis
  • JL Epstein