I have discussed different
types of electronic technologies that are used by schools to establish
family-school connection. Of course, technology cannot be a quick fix
for family-school interaction and for education at large: "While
technology may seem like a single, unified, and almost mythic answer
to the problems of the family-school connection and American education,
of course it is not. Technology is only a tool-but a very powerful tool
with a variety of solutions to a variety of problems. That is its strength"
(Blanchard, 1998, p. 10). Blanchard (1998) suggests at least four ways
of how technology can serve the family-school connection: 1) communication
and information, 2) learning and instruction, 3) interest and motivation,
and 4) resources and costs. For parents, technology expands opportunities
to communicate with schools and become more knowledgeable about the
education their children are getting. It can also increase parental
motivation to become more engaged in students' learning and save them
resources (financial, emotional, time, etc.) usually required for face-to-face
interaction.
As more new communication
technologies become available on the market, perhaps some of them can
also be used to support family-school connection. The role of other
technologies can also be re-examined in order to determine whether they
can promote PI. The next subsection of the essay discusses one of these
technologies, web sites, and how they can promote PI.
2.2 District/school/classroom
web sites: their missions and content
The Internet has become a
tool for research, for storing and distributing information and for
online learning and creativity (U.S. Department of Education, 2000a,
b). Schools understand that if appropriately used, the Internet can
benefit students, teachers and other members of school communities in
a vast number of ways. For example, in schools that have Internet access,
teachers and students are using the Internet for searching and retrieving
information they need.
At the beginning, designing
a web site was very complicated, and few people possessed the necessary
expertise to create web sites. For instance, Taylor (1999) reports that
in 1994 only 140 school web sites existed on the net. With an increasing
percentage of schools connected to the Internet, the number of schools
having their own web sites has also grown. From 1994 to 1997, the percentage
of schools reporting Internet access increased from 35% to 78% (a 222%
increase), while the number of schools that had their own web sites
had almost a 1,200% increase between the years 1995 and 1998 (Barron
& Ivers, 1998; Carr, 1998). According to Sanchez's (1998) and Carr's
(1998) estimates, by December 1997, nearly 2,000 school districts (14,000
elementary and secondary schools) were operating their own web site
and more than 8,000 schools were listed on Web66. The astonishing growth
of the number of school web sites indicates that the role of schools
on the net has become more active. Schools no longer only consume Internet
resources; they replenish those resources.
Richard Riley, the former
U.S. Secretary of Education, notes that school web sites are now tools
for "supplementing traditional learning, providing creative methods
of teaching, and building and enhancing links between businesses, families
and schools" (cited in Otterbourg, 1998, p. 9). Undoubtedly, instruction
and professional development are the areas that can significantly benefit
from using school and classroom web sites, but these two areas are beyond
the scope of this essay. Therefore, I will only discuss the potential
of using the Internet and school/classroom web sites to connect schools
with families and communities.
The existing literature questions
the positive effects of the Internet. However, researchers seem to agree
that these technologies can significantly benefit PI (e.g., Bauch, 1997,
1998, 2000; Blanchard, 1998; McAffee, 1997; Otterbourg, 1998). The literature
suggests that the structure and content of a web site should be carefully
planned in order to reach the particular audience it targets. A web
site is like an ID of the person or the organization it represents,
and the school web site is an image of the school community. For example,
in Moravia, NY, a district web site serves four purposes: communication;
publicity (visibility among prospective employers and relocating families);
a showcase of student work; and providing a safe Internet environment
(Sanchez, 1998). According to Rutkowski (1998), public schools still
have a choice of establishing their web presence. Private schools, however,
need to have their web sites in order for parents learn about them and
send their children there. Some private schools are targeting parents
worldwide. Therefore, the audience of a school web site is not only
the school community, but also people around the globe that can potentially
visit that site while browsing the web. Thus, establishing a web site
presence for the school is not only a matter of reputation, but also
a strategic way to pass particular messages to an audience.
If a school aims at increasing
PI in their children's education, the school should consider parents
as the main audience for at least some components of that school web
site (Adamyk & Dach, 1999; Sanchez, 1998). The literature indicates
that the following components of a school/classroom web site are family-friendly:
- A welcome message for
parents. Parents visiting the school home pages should be warmly
greeted and invited to journey through the school web pages. Dunman
(1998) suggests that a greeting by the principal, a mission (or a
school philosophy) statement may efficiently introduce the school
to parents. It is also important that people who are visiting a school
home page have the option to choose which language the information
will be presented to them. For example, Dunman (1998) reports that
Borel Middle School in San Mateo, California, allows parents to choose
between English and Spanish versions of selected web pages.
- "What's new?"
section. This section should inform parents and children about
upcoming and past events. A school newsletter may also be posted in
this section.
- School history section.
This section may highlight the main point of the school history and
show how faculty's commitment benefits the school. Information about
the school's award for educational excellence and stories portraying
successful alumni are all appropriate for the school history section.
- "Frequently asked
questions (FAQ)" section. The section should answer most
of the questions about the school routine. For example, school hours,
rules for school visitors (parking, checking-in and out in the main
office), how to report about student absence, etc. In addition, this
section may include school handbooks (a handbook created specially
for parents is desirable) and calendars.
- "How to contact?"
section. The section is extremely important. It should contain
the information about the school location (it is worthwhile to include
a map with driving directions) and school telephone directory, including
bookmarks of the school home page and classroom web pages, faxes and
e-mails. However, no information about school personnel should be
provided without their consent. Schools are legally obligated not
to reveal any personal information about their students. Alternately,
contact information can be a part of a FAQ section.
- Faculty and staff showcase
section. The section may include the images of school administration
and teachers. Parents who have never talked with the school principal,
or with teachers, might be embarrassed that they cannot recognize
the person they are meeting with.
- Extra-curricular activities
section. The section may display students' artwork and contain
a calendar of sport events.
- Library-media center.
This section may include information about educational resources available
for students and their parents, and hints about their use. For example,
some library-media centers allow families to use school computers
after the school day is over. Abilock (1997) reports that a media
center in her Californian school organizes "Parent Internet Driving
School" workshops where parents are taught to use the Internet.
Dunman (1998) tells about South View Middle School in Edina, Michigan,
which organizes its "Media Moms" program. She also points
out that a library media-center page can offer parents volunteering
opportunities. It can also include links to other useful web sites.
- "Only for parents"
or PTA/PTSA section. The page should provide information about
events organized for parents or entire families. Thus, information
about open houses, parent nights, lectures and workshops for parents,
as well as links to the official PTA/PTSA web site may be included
in this section. If PTA/PTSA does not have its own web site, the school
educational technology specialist or a media librarian can help to
create a web site for the PTA/PTSA to host. In addition, the section
may provide links to other organizations that support families.
- Community information.
Dunman (1998) and Rutkowski (1998) note that parents who recently
moved to the area served by the school, or those who are considering
doing this may want to know more about the community. If the school
web page does not inform about the community (e.g., about city school
government, local businesses, the school system, geography, weather),
it should at least include links to other web sites that have this
information.
