The Function of Electronic Communication Devices in Assisting Parental Involvement in Middle Schools

The importance of home-to-school and school-to-home communication and parental involvement is well documented by researchers and acknowledged by practitioners. A number of earlier studies argue that there is a positive association between two-way communication, parental involvement, and student achievement at all levels of K-12 education. However, the research strongly indicates that parental involvement declines as a child enters middle school and high school. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of three electronic communication forms (email, web sites, and student information systems) in facilitating involvement of parents at Madison Middle School, Madison Central School District in Madison, South Dakota. Respondents for this study were drawn from parents who had students in the Madison Middle School during the 2008-09 school year. The survey population was 256 parents and 60.9% of the parents participated in the survey. Analysis of the data reveals that regardless of parental socio-economic, gender, age, or ethnicity, using email, school websites, and the student information systems provides a good source of school information and is the preferred and most convenient way to communicate with the school. The student information system (parent portal) is the most used electronic device by parents to learn about the academic progress of their children. However, the majority of parents still prefer a face-to-face meeting to learn about their child's behavior, and a yearly parent-teacher conference. The perception of the parents showed the school is occasionally practicing the six activities involved in building a partnership with the school and community. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]