Results, Suggestions, and Related Research for Classroom Educators
Teaching with Technology
85% of classroom educators ask families about student strengths or learning preferences
53% of classroom educators use the information provided by families about student strengths or learning preferences to personalize learning
Focus Group Question: How have your student’s classroom educators used information provided by your family to modify teaching practices that incorporate information, education, or assistive technologies?
Teaching Focus Group Themes Among Focus Group Participant Responses:
Communication and collaboration (11 statements)
Example statement: "The art teacher said recently, "We're going to be doing this. I know with the problems with his hands that he's going to have a difficult time. Can you think of a way that I could modify this? Would this work?"
Attentiveness to student needs (8 statements)
Example statement: "They talked about changing everything in order to offer my daughter as much as possible. All that could be done within the available parameters."
Classroom educator technology use (5 statements)
Example statement: "Some classes were dual, they had some in-person and some virtual. And so I think that was difficult to probably teach both at the same time."
Related Research and Suggestions for Classroom Educators by Focus Group Theme
Communication and collaboration
Related Research:
Valerie and Foss-Swanson (2012) found that family message journals and the Electronic Home Note Program (EHNP) can be helpful tools for families to personalize learning.
Educators' regular communication motivates families to engage in other school and class activities because they feel part of the learning community (Valerie & Foss-Swanson, 2012).
Recommendation for Classroom Educators:
Reach out to families before and during the school year using family-preferred communication methods (see the graph below) to learn about student strengths and how they prefer to learn.
Attentiveness to student needs
Related Research:
Cosier et al. (2013) mentioned that when teachers open up communication with families, families can share the skills and knowledge that students demonstrate at home.
Recommendation for Classroom Educators:
Ask families for their ideas and opinions on updating learning materials and lessons based on student strengths.
Classroom educator technology use
Related Research:
Borup et al. (2019) emphasized the importance of collaborating with families to find the best ways to manage online instruction.
Recommendation for Classroom Educators:
Ask families for their ideas and opinions on how best to use technology to accommodate student needs during teaching and setting up assistive technology or communication tools to help students participate in learning activities.
Communication Methods: Classroom Educators' Usage vs. Families' Preferences for Interacting with Classroom Educators
This bar graph shows the percentage of families and classroom educators who prefer and use specific communication methods for communicating with each other. Families and classroom educators both highly prefer virtual meetings or conferences, emails, and face-to-face meetings or conferences as their top three communication methods. The order of communication methods is consistent for both groups. However, there is a notable statistical difference in the percentage of educators using each method compared to the percentage of families preferring them.
Survey results revealed the following demographic differences in communication method preferences for families when communicating with classroom educators:
Age
Family members who are 45-74 years old prefer communicating with classroom educators via email, virtual meetings or conferences, and face-to-face meetings or conferences significantly more than family members who are 18 - 44 years old.
Gender identity
Family members who identify as female prefer communicating with classroom educators via email and a face-to-face meeting or conference significantly more than male or gender fluid family members.
Transgender identity
Family members who identify as not transgender prefer communicating with classroom educators via email and face-to-face meetings or conferences significantly more than family members who identify as transgender.
Ethnicity
Family members who identify as not Hispanic or Latino prefer communicating with classroom educators via email and face-to-face meetings or conferences significantly more than family members who identify as Hispanic or Latino.
Highest level of education
Family members with a bachelor's degree prefer communicating with classroom educators via email significantly more than family members with an associate's degree, high school diplomas, or who are not high school graduates.
Family members with some college or an associate's degree or a bachelor's degree prefer communicating with classroom educators via face-to-face meetings or conferences significantly more than family members with high school diplomas or who are not high school graduates.
Technology proficiency
Family members who can create web content or software prefer communicating with classroom educators via email and face-to-face meetings or conferences significantly more than family members who cannot.
Family members who are not technology users prefer communicating with classroom educators via phone calls more than family members who are technology users.
Student eligibility for free or reduced price lunch
Family members whose student(s) are not eligible for free or reduced price lunch prefer communicating with classroom educators via email significantly more than family members whose student(s) are eligible.
Number of students in the family with an IEP or 504 plan
Family members with one or two students with an IEP or 504 plan prefer communicating with classroom educators via email and virtual meetings or conferences significantly more than family members with three or more students with an IEP or 504 plan.
Related Research
Garcia et al. (2016a) and Natale and Lubniewski (2018) recommended asking families what communication methods they prefer and using different tools to share information.
Using family-preferred communication methods, like phone calls and text messages, can have benefits, as observed in Kraft and Dougherty's (2013) study, where it resulted in a lower chance of failure and could motivate students by reinforcing positive behavior and setting achievable goals.
Blackstone et al. (2021) recommended that service providers offer training and resources to families through their preferred communication methods, like phone calls, emails, or notes, to help them work with their child using assistive technologies.
Considering factors like schedules and family demographics, such as language, is also important in family communication (Garcia et al., 2016b).
Learning with Technology
37% of classroom educators provide families with information about using technology to participate in and make choices about out-of-school learning opportunities
27% of classroom educators provided families with information about empowering their student to communicate what and how they prefer to learn out-of-school
Focus Group Question: How have your student’s classroom educators used information provided by your family to identify and refine learning experiences using information, education, or assistive technologies?
Learning Focus Group Themes Among Focus Group Participant Responses:
Supplemental learning opportunities (5 statements)
Example statement: "They have access to Lexia, which they're supposed to use at home when they want to but it's just something extra that you can do."
Related Research and Suggestions for Classroom Educators by Focus Group Theme
Supplemental learning opportunities
Related Research:
Craig et al. (2015) found that information about using technology for learning outside of school can help families support their child's skill development at home.
McCarthy et al. (2018) discovered that this information also increases students' interest in what they are learning at school. Additionally,
Michaelson et al. (2015) observed that it helps students apply what they learn in school to real-life tasks at home.
The Harvard Family Research Project (2013) suggests that educators should provide families with various resources that are relevant to their child's needs to enhance their learning and help them understand how to use these resources effectively.
Recommendation for Classroom Educators:
Give families technology resources that are helpful for their student's learning at home and in the community, so they can actively take part in their child's education.
Classroom Assessment Accessibility and Accommodations
60% of classroom educators provided families with information about classroom assessment accessibility and accommodations
Focus Group Question: How have your student’s classroom educators used information provided by your family to modify classroom assessments using information, education, or assistive technologies?
Classroom Assessment Accessibility Focus Group Themes Among Focus Group Participant Responses:
Inadequate accommodations (6 statements)
Example statement: "If they give an assessment, dyslexia, dysgraphia or whatever, well, supposed to be able to dictate to a scribe, but nobody can understand what's being said."
Appropriate accommodations provided (4 statements)
Example statement: "Teachers are very willing to get tests to the teacher of the blind to have them brailed or have them in large print."
Related Research and Suggestions for Classroom Educators by Focus Group Theme
Inadequate accommodations
Related Research:
Larson et al. (2019) suggested that teachers should use assessment accessibility features and allow accommodations during instruction, giving students practice with them before the actual assessment.
Recommendation for Classroom Educators:
Give families information on how assessment tools and supports are used in the classroom, so they can help their child practice at home with those tools and supports.
Appropriate accommodations provided
Related Research:
Michaelson et al. (2015) and Harper et al. (2016) found that when students with disabilities use assistive technology during classroom assessments, they can participate alongside their peers without disabilities.
Griful-Freixenet et al. (2020) emphasized the importance of using Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles to reduce assessment barriers for all students in the classroom.
Murawski and Ricci (2019) recommend using co-teaching and UDL together to minimize accommodations and modifications needed, making general education content and instruction accessible to all students.
Recommendation for Classroom Educators:
Involve families in making decisions about how to adapt assessments for their student's needs.
Use of Classroom Assessment Data for Decision-Making
56% of classroom educators provided families with information about how they use classroom assessment data for decision-making
Focus Group Question: How have your student’s classroom educators used classroom assessment data to modify instruction for your student?
Classroom Assessment Data Use Focus Group Themes Among Focus Group Participant Responses:
Classroom educator collaboration (1 statement)
Example statement: "The teachers did work together and formed a team in order to have a score for every child and classes for all of them three times a day via Zoom."
Related Research and Suggestions for Classroom Educators by Focus Group Theme
Classroom educator collaboration
Related Research:
ePortfolios serve as a valuable tool for assessing students' skills and achievements, allowing families to see what their child has accomplished (Clancy & Gardner, 2017).
By sharing classroom assessment data effectively, educators and families can identify learning opportunities in the community and set academic and lifelong learning goals for the student (McWilliams & Patton, 2015).
The Harvard Family Research Project (2013) suggests that sharing student data in meaningful ways on a regular basis strengthens the partnership between families and schools and enhances student learning.
Recommendation for Classroom Educators:
Use data from different learning settings and input from families about how students are learning at home to make decisions about teaching and transitioning to a new grade, class, or school.
References
Blackstone, S. W., Luo, F., Canchola, J., Wilkinson, K. M., & Roman-Lantzy, C. (2021). Children with Cortical Visual Impairment and complex communication needs: Identifying gaps between needs and current practice. Language, speech, and hearing services in schools, 52(2), 612–629. https://doi.org/10.1044/2020LSHSS-20-00088
Borup, J., Chambers, C. B., & Stimson, R. (2019). Online teacher and on-site facilitator perceptions of parental engagement at a supplemental virtual high school. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 20(2). https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v20i2.4237
Clancy, M., & Gardner, J. (2017). Using digital portfolios to develop non-traditional domains in special education settings. International Journal of EPortfolio, 7(1), 93–100.
Cosier, M., Gomez, A., McKee, A., Maghzi, K. S. (2013). Smart phones permitted: How teachers use text messaging to collaborate. Education and Information Technologies, 20(2), 347–358. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-013-9288-2
Craig, A. B., Brown, E. R., Upright, J., & DeRosier, M. E. (2015). Enhancing children’s social emotional functioning through virtual game-based delivery of social skills training. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 25(3), 959–968. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-015-0274-8
Garcia, M. E., Frunzi, K., Dean, C. B., Flores, N., & Miller, K. B. (2016a). Toolkit of Resources for Engaging Families and the Community as Partners in Education: Part 3: Building trusting relationships with families and the community through effective communication (REL 2016– 152). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Regional Educational Laboratory Pacific. http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs
Garcia, M. E., Frunzi, K., Dean, C. B., Flores, N., & Miller, K. B. (2016b). Toolkit of Resources for Engaging Families and the Community as Partners in Education: Part 4: Engaging all in data conversations (REL 2016–153). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Regional Educational Laboratory Pacific. http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs
Griful-Freixenet, J.; Struyven, K.; Vantieghem, W.; Gheyssens, E. (2020) Exploring the interrelationship between universal design for learning (UDL) and differentiated instruction (DI): A systematic review. Education Research Review. 29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2019.100306
Harper, K. A., Kurtzworth-Keen, K., & Marable, M. A. (2016). Assistive technology for students with learning disabilities: A glimpse of the Livescribe pen and its impact on homework completion. Education and Information Technologies, 22(5), 2471–2483. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-016-9555-0
Harvard Family Research Project. (2013). Tips for administrators, teachers, and families: How to share data effectively. Family Involvement Network of Educators (FINE) Newsletter, 6(3). https://archive.globalfrp.org/var/hfrp/storage/fckeditor/File/7-DataSharingTipSheets-HarvardFamilyResearchProject.pdf
Kraft, M. A., & Dougherty, S. M. (2013). The effect of teacher–family communication on student engagement: Evidence from a randomized field experiment. Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness, 6(3), 199-222.
Larson, E. D., Thurlow, M. L., Lazarus, S. S., & Liu, K. K. (2019). Paradigm shifts in states’ assessment accessibility policies: Addressing challenges in implementation. Journal of Disability Policy Studies, 30(4), 244–252. https://doi.org/10.1177/1044207319848071
McCarthy, E., Tiu, M., & Li, L. (2018). Learning math with Curious George and The Odd Squad: Transmedia in the classroom. Technology, Knowledge, and Learning, 23(2), 223–246. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10758-018-9361-4
McWilliams, L. & Patton, C. (2015). How to share data with families. Education Leadership., 73(3). 46-49.
Michaelson, K. J., Matz, L., & Morgan, D. (2015). Using a new electronic brailler to improve Braille learning at the Florida School for the deaf and blind. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 109(3), 226–231. https://doi.org/10.1177/0145482x1510900308
Murawski, W. W., & Ricci, L. A. (2019). UDL and co-teaching: Establishing the perfect union. In W. W. Murawski and K. L. Scott (Eds). What really works with Universal Design for Learning. (pp.141-155). Corwin.
Natale, K., & Lubniewski, K. (2018). Use of communication and technology among educational professionals and families. International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education, 10(3), 377–384. https://doi.org/10.26822/iejee.2018336196
Valerie, L. M., & Foss-Swanson, S. (2012). Using family message journals to improve student writing and strengthen the school–home partnership. TEACHING Exceptional Children, 44(3), 40–48. https://doi.org/10.1177/004005991204400305