Parent Training

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Challenges in parent training will come on three fronts:

1. Each household will access computer that operates in a unique way.
2. Each parent will have a unique skill set when using computers is involved.
3. Language may be a barrier for some parents.

Every parent needs access to Basic End User Training but you should also consider these three challenges.

1. Each home-based will operate in a unique and/or unpredictable way.

   As discussed in the Tools in Your Home section, ensuring every family can access an Internet-connected computer is paramount to the success of the Portal. And while the optimal situation is an Internet-connected computer in the home, providing other means (a parent computer at the school, employers allowing access during the work day) is a step towards equity.

   But unlike the computers in schools where you have some assurance as to how the Portal will function, different operating systems and browsers of the home user mean the Portal may function differently or unfortunately not at all. In your technical decisions, you will decide what operating systems and browsers you will test for and in a separate decision which ones you will support^[1]. You will then need to create training materials for each of those environments that you choose to support. You may also want to create materials to help parents move their computer to a supported environment (see Tools at Home for a broader discussion of this issue).

2. Parents will come to the Portal with a wide range of computer skills. Some will have no computer skills. What is your responsibility in providing basic computer training? The reality is that without these skills some parents will be denied access. So you need to provision this training in some way.

   Be creative! Some schools have launched computer clubs for parents, with students as trainers and facilitators. Think of the benefits – computers normally idle in the evening are being used at schools, parents are welcomed and present at school, and students enhance their own learning. Other strategies to address this gap are presented in the Change Management plan.

3. Language may be a barrier for some parents. If your Portal training, and the Portal itself, is offered in a language that is not understood then the Portal will not be accessible to them. Consider the current strategies within your school or district for dealing with language as a barrier and apply those strategies to your Portal initiative.