Action Research: 2012

I completed my action research on communication. Below is the report.

Abstract

Belton Middle School is located in Belton, TX. Belton ISD opened a third middle school for the 2011-12 school year. Before the school could open, attendance boundaries were redrawn. Belton Middle School was a Title I school during the 2010-11 school year. However, after the attendance boundaries were approved, Belton Middle School was no longer a Title I school. With new student demographics, the campus wanted to know how to effectively communicate with the new stakeholders. A survey was created and 12 parents formed a panel to promote discussion on several topics during in-service. The cumulating results indicated that parents want weekly general information and specific detailed information regarding their student when needed. Parents strongly performed email communication but stressed the importance of traditional communication for specific topics such as discipline.

Title and Author

Increasing Parental Communication in Secondary Schools Through Electronic Media by Zachary Kline

Introduction / Background (Section One)

Belton ISD opened a third middle school for the 2011-12 school year. New attendance boundaries were created. The criteria for the new boundaries were to have neighborhood schools, balance campus sizes, maintain transportation routes, and meet the needs of future projected growth of the community. Boundary changes impacted the student demographics at Belton Middle School.

During the 2010-11 school year, Belton Middle School was a Title I school. 56.8% of the student population was from low-income families. After the attendance boundary change, Belton Middle School had a 21.6% decrease in low-income students. Table 1 illustrates the demographic changes from the 2010 -11 school year to 2011-12.

Table 1

Belton Middle School AEIS Student Demographics

	2010-11	2011-12	Difference
African American	7.4	4.3	-3.1
Hispanic	35.4	29.7	-5.7
White	53.3	62.3	9.0
American Indian	1.0	1.1	0.1
Asian	0.9	2.6	1.7
Pacific Islander	0.4	0	-0.4
Two or more races	1.6	1.9	.3

Eco Disadvantaged	56.8	35.2	-21.6
LEP	6.1	4.1	-2
At Risk	37.5	33.6	-3.9
Mobility	14.2	15.3	1.1

The need for a communication assessment stems from the change of demographics at Belton Middle School. The research seeks to identify the most effective form of parent communication and parent communication preferences. As different generations and families of various income levels seek to communicate with each other, the research is aimed at providing effective communication from school to home.

Parents express two contrasting views in regards of school to home communication. Some believe there is very little communication and feel less informed than the campus their student previously attended. Other parents indicate that they are very pleased with the communication from Belton Middle School. Communication between staff and parents is similar to student learning styles. Some parents prefer email or notes to communicate while others like face to face. Each parent is different.

The 2010-11 staff at Belton Middle School knew that the demographics of the student population was going to change. The question that was at hand was how effective is the current methods of communication and how can we better communicate.

Administrators and staff communicate with parents daily. It is imperative that staff engages in effective communication. Those who will benefit from this research is diverse. Primarily, administrators and teachers at Belton Middle School will benefit. Effective communication promotes a positive campus culture that leads to school-parent partnerships that enable school programs to reach new heights. Finally, other administrators in the district and around the world will be benefit from the added knowledge base of school communication.

Terms:

Title I - The purpose of this title is to ensure that all children have a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education. To be eligible, the campus demographics must be over 50% economically disadvantaged.

Literature Review (Section Two)

Schools communicate in two ways. They send general information to everyone or specific information to specified individuals. Epstein (1987) developed a framework for understanding the school-family partnership, called overlapping spheres. Two levels of interaction between schools and families: institutional and individual. Institutional interactions refer to general practices that involve all families including parent-teacher organizations, open house, newsletters, calendars, and inviting all families to a public event. Individual interactions between parents and teachers involve a particular child. These include parent-teacher conferences or personal correspondence between a teacher and a parent. While institutional has potential to promote parental involvement, it does not foster a strong parent-school relationship like individual communication.

Secondary schools are larger organizations compared to primary schools and often see a decline in parent volunteers. Eccles and Harold (1993) suggest that the decline in parent volunteers is due to the fact that “middle schools are more departmentalized – resulting in less personal contact and parents’ feel alienated” (p. 7). In addition, Eccles et al. (1993) states, “school personnel may inhibit parent involvement by their own beliefs and attitudes about parent involvement” (p.7). Secondary school teachers are often grouped by content and grade level. When schools adopt this type of schedule, a student has seven or more different teachers. This can make individual communication a huge task for teachers. Eccles made this suggestion:

Keeping parents informed is a second method to enhance family connections to the school in the middle years. Communication should begin prior to the child’s making the secondary school transition in order to preempt the forces that lead to a decline in parents’ involvement at this point in the children’s schooling. Furthermore, it is essential that schools go beyond the more traditional approaches to communication, such as conferences and open houses, to an approach that sets up a personal relationship between particular teachers and each parent. For example, the school should assign an advisor to each student/family; this advisor could then serve as the contact person for both the student and his or her parents, and could make sure parents are given ample information about the school in general and about their adolescent in particular. This relationship could also provide the entrée for parents into the school, and thus establish an environment that feels both safe and encouraging for parent involvement. (Eccles et al., 1993, pp. 8)

Homeroom teachers serve as advisors for students and are the primary contact for parents. This system would imitate primary school communication while fostering individual communication. Lunts (2003) suggest “new technologies have the power to better the parent‐teacher relationship by providing easy, efficient, and effective methods of transferring information.” Schools must utilize available technology in a methodical way to connect with parents.

Technology connects people like never before. Parents, teachers, and students engage multiple avenues of communication daily. Obrien (2011) confirmed the backpack folder is no longer the primary source of information for parents. The top five preferred delivery method for school news included E-mail, Online parent portal, e-newsletter, website, and voice messaging system. Social media ranged near the bottom of communication preferences. Electronic communication enables parents and schools to communicate at their convenience. Thompson (2008) explains, “Parents and teachers indicated that emails worked most effectively to communicate about grades because the messages involved simple, concrete information” (pp. 208). Parents and teachers discussed the behavior of students less. Thompson (2008) indicated “teachers were extremely hesitant to use email to communicate about student behavior because of the sensitive and sometimes complex nature of this communication” (pp. 209). Technology gives teachers and parents a new way to communicate. However, it is not always the most appropriate means of communication.

The effectiveness of communication is dependent on the frequency and type. Obrien (2011) suggest most parents, 47%, want district updates as often as decisions are made. 36% of parents want monthly updates, and 13% want quarterly. Less than 1% prefer less than quarterly communication. Halsey (2005) reiterated.

Institutional contacts were less likely to contribute to parent involvement than personal contacts between teachers and parents. Schools need to promote and support teachers’ efforts to contract parents in more personal ways. Parents felt that detailed information encouraged them to become involved because they felt more comfortable about their role. Parents indicated that they enjoyed a contact after an event because it made them feel appreciated, and it encouraged them to volunteer in other capacities.

Schools are in a constant balancing act in their use of technology and traditional forms of communication. Technology provides easy and efficient communication. However, the most effective communication is sometimes the traditional form. Parents are more receptive to individual forms of communication than institutional.

Action Research Design (Section Three)

Subjects

The aim of the research is to gain an understanding on how to effectively communicate to the 2011-12 stakeholders at Belton Middle School. Therefore, the subjects were teachers and parents of students at Belton Middle School.

Procedures

Table 2 describes the actions taken to assess and address the preferred method of communication.

Table 2

Procedure Timeline

Task Responsible Time Resource Evaluation

Create survey	Zach Kline	9/6/11-9/12/11	Google Web Survey	Have an accessible survey
Request campus demographics from 2010-11 and 2011-12	Campus PEIMS – Cheryl Lafitte	9/26/11-9/30/11	None	Able to obtain data
Distribute Survey	Homeroom Teachers	9/12/11-10/1/11	Note on report card and campus website	Strive for 200 returned surveys
Analyze data to determine preferred method of communication	Zach Kline	10/1/11-10/8/11	Google Web Survey	What is the primary method of preferred communication?
Implement a communication system and distribute information to parents	Zach Kline/ Joe Brown / Journalism Class	10/8/11-6/1/12	To be determined by survey	Information is being distributed as to be determined (monthly/biweekly)
Parent Panel Discussion	Joe Brown	8/23/12	Multiple Parents representing all grade levels participate in questions	Provide additional insight to better communication
Analyze data and form conclusion	Zach Kline	10/1/12	None	Have a grounded conclusion

Data Collection

Every parent and teacher at Belton Middle School had the opportunity to respond the to communication survey. The survey was multiple choice and included one open-ended question. The survey was conducted at the end of the first reporting period, 6 weeks into the school year. Paper copies of the survey was dispersed with report cards and the survey was available online.

Findings (Section Four)

Two hundred fourteen surveys were completed. 21 teachers and 193 parents responded from Belton Middle School.

In order of parent perceived effective to least effective of current communication practices at Belton Middle School:

E-mail
Phone Call
Face-to-Face
Letters/Handouts
Teacher Website
Campus Radio Station

In order of Teacher perceived effective to least effective of current communication practices at Belton Middle School:

Face-to-Face
E-mail
Phone Call
Teacher Website
Letters/Handouts
Radio Station

Parent Comments:

My child seems to have a hard time getting notes to me and notes returned to school so I value email communication.

Communication through email is most effective. I appreciate the teachers who regularly email me. Mass text messages would be very good as well. Reminders about early out and other campus events would be great through some soft of text alert system.

Problem with communication is it doesn't seem everyone one is on the same page. I know the teacher websites where pushed but yet only 2 teachers out of 6 have theirs current and up to date. Makes it difficult for us to confirm homework and due dates. I did not realize that there was a radio station until parent teacher conferences. There is also only 2 teachers that send emails ( one of which also keeps website up to date) So I just wish that one form of communication is chosen and everyone sticks to it. I would love to know assignments and due dates so we can make sure our student doesn't get behind.

Consistency across the board would be extremely beneficial. I know each teacher has a website and calendar but I don't feel they are used efficiently. Some websites have not changed since the first week of school. I realize that they do not have the time or opportunity to do this often, so if there was any way it could be streamlined for them it would benefit all involved.

Information nights for incoming 6th grade parents, especially first time Jr high parents would be a huge benefit with a follow up meeting 6, 12 and 18 weeks into the school year. A new school year is all day to day routine for staff and teachers it is overwhelming for parents and students in a new school with new schedules. Our children look to us for guidance and assistance and information meetings would give parents and guardians the tools they need to help them. Anything parents can do or help their student with makes them more confident during the day and able to focus on learning instead of worrying about minor day to day routines.

Teacher Comments:

Communication between staff and parents is kind of like kids learning styles. Some parents, like me (my son is in elementary), prefer email or notes to communicate while others like face to face. Each set of parents is different. I would send a survey out at the beginning of the year to see how each parent would prefer to be communicated with! I cannot stand to talk on the phone so would really not like to be receiving phone calls from teachers.

One parent that I texted about her son's remarkable progress on her birthday said that I totally made her day, but another parent was extremely angered when I sent her a text (that I had thought was a caring message). Therefore, I no longer text parents.

We have to use all available means to communicate with parents and staff

Parent Panel Discussion Highlights:

Many parents prefer emails over phone calls for notifications.

If teachers see something out of the ordinary regarding their child, send an email for parents to be aware.

Some teacher websites are helpful while others only have contact information.

If there is a possibility that an email could be misinterpreted, do not send an email, use the phone.

Parents want to be notified about missing assignments.

Conclusions and Recommendations (Section Five)

Effective communication between the school and parents can foster greater student achievement. Campuses engage in institutional and individual communication. Parents prefer weekly institutional communication. However, greater parent participation is gained from individual communication. Personalized communication that provided details about an event and directly connects their student to the event will encourage parents to participate. Most parents will not be recruited to volunteer from a generic school-wide newsletter.

Parents and campuses engage in many opportunities to communicate through technology. Most parents preferred e-mail as their main form of communication. Social media was very low on the list of preferential communication. However, there is a place for traditional communication. Student issues that stem from behavior or other multidimensional issues, it is best to communicate on the phone or face-to-face.

Schools should develop a policy for communication consistency. Every school serves a different population. Therefore, their preferences may be different than those of the Belton Community. Policy for teacher website should be clear and teachers should be held accountable to the minimum expectations. For example, all assignments must be posted on an assignment calendar. In addition, schools may wish to appoint a primary contact for students. Homeroom clusters can stay together for multiple years so that the homeroom teacher and parents can build a positive relationship.

Schools wishing to conduct action research gain further insights of their stakeholder communications should not be bound to communication styles that are currently in place. It is important to find ways to make your current means of communication effective. Stakeholders may indicate a desire for new avenues of communication such as texting or email subscriptions to newsletters.

References (Final Section)

Eccles, J., Harold, R. (1993) Parent-School Involvement during the Early

Adolescent Years. Teachers College Record 94(3) 568-587.

Halsey, P. (2005) Parent Involvement in Junior High Schools: A Failure to

Communicate. American Secondary Education 34(1), 57-69.

Lunts, E. (2003). Parental involvement in children’s education: Connecting family and school by using telecommunication technologies. Meridian: A Middle School Computer Technologies Journal, 6(1), 1‐8.

Obrien, A. (2011) What Parens Want in School Communication. Edutopia.

Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/parent-involvement-survey-anne-

Obrien.

Thompson, B 2008, April Characteristics of parent-teacher email communication. Communication Education, 57(2), 201-223.

Action Research

Monday, December 3, 2012

I have a google site.

Action Research Report