Parent Beliefs about Technology: A Comparison of Homeschool and Formal Education Families

The purpose of this study was to gain information about how technology is used by parents to assist school learning as well as their opinions and beliefs about the role of technology in the learning process. Specifically, using homeschool and educational networks as well as social media for distribution of a digital questionnaire, this study sought to gauge parents’ experience with, as well as responses to, attitudes, and values towards the use of technology in homeschool and classroom education. Sixty-five parents of children who are studying at the elementary grade levels participated in this study. Twenty of these were parents of children enrolled in formal education settings, e.g., public/ private schools, and forty-five were parents of children being homeschooled. Demographic information was used to segment the data into homeschool and formal schooling groups. The study found that although homeschooled children do receive more exposure to technology than formal schooled children, homeschooled children are much less likely to be encouraged to use technology than formal schooled children

Our digital children

The power relationship between adults and children in the West is shifting. Factors of age and life experience are becoming counterbalanced by children’s affinity for burgeoning developments in digital technology, where skills developed in online gaming and social media provide a strong foundation for knowledge economy occupations. The implications for parenting, schooling and society are immense. This paper summarises the current debate on issues around children’s use of digital devices and social media. It argues that for many parents a lack of familiarity and understanding creates anxieties and impairs them from helping their children realise the opportunities for social, moral and economic development afforded by the new technologies. Schools have a leading role to play but are hampered by teachers’ technical skills and confidence to innovate. The paper concludes with recommendations for a proactive approach to yield benefits for both children and adults

Evaluation of the ICT Test Bed project: final report, June 2007

The report describes three strands of evaluation used in the review of the 2006 outcomes from ICT Test Bed and the findings from each strand. a) Quantitative data: Benchmarking of changes in performance on national tests against matched comparator schools and national averages; b) Qualitative data: Site visits including classroom observations, interviews with local authority managers, head teachers, teachers, administrative staff, technicians and students; and c) Document analysis