Monthly DVD Classroom Newsletters: Young Children's Experiences with a Technology-Based Parent Involvement Tool

Monthly DVD classroom newsletters are one proposed means for using technology to encourage parent involvement with all families, including the growing Hispanic population. Previous studies have explored parent and teacher experiences with this parent involvement tool. Children's experiences have not been a major area of focus in the emerging monthly DVD classroom newsletter literature. Children are stakeholders in parent involvement as they are the individuals who are at the center of the home-school relationship and the focus of parent involvement outcomes. Research focusing on children's experiences recognizes children as respected persons who have valued thoughts and responses about what they encounter in the world. This study focused on the experiences of pre-kindergarten (Pre-K) children who come from predominantly Spanish-speaking homes with bilingual (English and Spanish) monthly DVD classroom newsletters. Children's experiences were captured through child interviews and other sources including parent logs, teacher logs, and a teacher focus group. Parent and teacher input were gathered to add insight as it was assumed that the young Pre-K children would not be able to verbalize all of their thoughts and experiences during child interviews. Results depict children's experiences with this parent involvement tool and major themes are presented and explored. Results indicate children have overall positive experiences with Monthly DVD classroom newsletters. Findings also suggest monthly DVD classroom newsletters are supportive of parent involvement and classroom learning experiences. Overall findings support the use of DVD newsletters in Pre-K programs.<italic>Keywords:</italic> experiences, Hispanic, monthly DVD classroom newsletters, parent involvement, pre-kindergarten, technology, qualitative

Level thesis:degree_level

Master's Degree

Year dc:date.issued

2012

Author dc:creator

• Cromer, Heidi E.

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Walsh, Bridget A.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Burnham, Melissa
• Brock, Cynthia

• Hispanic
• monthly DVD classroom newsletters
• parent involvement
• pre-kindergarten
• qualitative
• technology

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright(All Rights Reserved)

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/11714/3670

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarwolf.unr.edu:11714/3670