A mixed-method study exploring Latinx families' beliefs about school involvement, the use of social media and actual involvement.

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2022-08-08

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Abstract

Background Problem: The evidence is clear that school children who have involved parents perform better academically. Yet, little is known about Latinx family school involvement despite academic challenges faced by many Latinx children or about efforts to intervene, including the use of social media to involve parents and improve academic outcomes for their children and youth. Purpose: The purpose of this dissertation was to explore Latinx-American parent school involvement by examining parent use of social media and perceptions of social media use to communicate with the schools and teachers about their child’s education. Method: This study used a mixed-methods explanatory sequential design. In this design, both the quantitative and qualitative parts of the study had equal importance and were implemented and collected sequentially. Both quantitative and qualitative parts were analyzed separately then combined for synthesis of both parts. Participants were recruited from six elementary schools in a small Southeast Texas school district. Quantitative data sources included a customized demographic survey, a family involvement questionnaire, and a customized measure to assess parent digital literacy and perceptions and use of digital media. The qualitative data sources consisted of transcripts of two focus groups of five and three parents respectively. In the first phase, consistent with the sequential nature of the design, quantitative data (i.e., questionnaires) were collected first and analyzed using descriptive statistics and simple linear regression. In the second phase, data patterns from the quantitative phase were examined to develop a focus group protocol to be conducted in Spanish. Results. Parents’ reported experiences using social media in terms of usefulness and importance predicted the likelihood of using social media to communicate with the school for educational purposes if allowed. Parents’ reports of using social media to communicate with the teacher and other families to understand their child’s school experiences predicted the likelihood of using social media to communicate if the teacher created a social media platform. The qualitative analysis revealed the emergence of three basic categories of social media’s effects: affective, behavioral, and cognitive consequences. Conclusion. Social media use among schools, teachers, and families appears to form and strengthen community networks of parents and teachers who share information and problem solve in supporting their children’s educational success.

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Social media, School, Teacher, Latinx Families, Family Involvement, Communication

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