An Evaluation of Parents and Caregiver Perceptions of Online Communication in Intermediate (Middle) Schooling: Involvement and Effectiveness

Abstract

A dominant theme of the 21st century has been the rapid changes in technology and the move towards online communication. The impact of these changes has influenced how schools interact and communicate with parents/caregivers. It has been well documented by researchers, and acknowledged by both educational leaders and practitioners, that effective partnerships between school and home have the potential to positively impact on student outcomes. The importance of parent engagement and involvement cannot be underestimated, yet in related research to date, the parent voice is rarely considered. The purpose of this study is to help rectify this gap by evaluating parent and caregiver perceptions of online communication and how this involves them in their child’s schooling. Through intermediate school-based research conducted in New Zealand, the study will identify how parents engage with online communication and examine the conditions that influence this involvement. This study will also determine how effective parents regard the online communication between school and home. Respondents for this study were selected from parents/caregivers who had students at an intermediate school in Auckland during the 2011 school year. An online survey was sent out to the school community and in addition, six parents were interviewed face to face. Analysis of the data collected revealed three major themes which influenced the engagement of parents in online communication. These broad themes were the shared responsibility of the parent and teacher to support the child’s learning, parent capability and understanding of the technology, and the expectations held by the parents towards the use of online communication by the school. From, the online survey and parent interviews it became clear that the parents wanted to be actively involved in their child’s learning. By identifying the conditions that influence parents/caregivers to engage in online communication, this study made it possible to develop guidelines for schools to enhance and encourage online partnerships.