Introduction

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School districts are implementing technology solutions to support and improve relationships with parents. But will these technologies make a difference? Does it matter how these solutions are implemented? What are parents expecting from the technology?

A parent responding to a blog posting about parent engagement described the problem well:

We have great teacher’s (sic) that want to involve parent’s (sic) but are not sure how to go beyond the photo-copying, cutting out, washing desks kind of tasks. They would be willing to try but administration seems to throw roadblocks at every attempt. Offer to help with the website — no I’m sorry that’s a security risk. Help a teacher start a Blog — sorry blog’s (sic) are scary and blocked. Start a community parent’s ning (link added) — no school events, no pictures that may have been taken at the school, no teacher’s allowed to participate, no discussions regarding school (even thought it was an initiative that was community based they are still trying to control it).
My personal frustration level is at an all-time high. I want so desperately to be involved at my child’s school in a meaningful way, a way that I can share my interests and aptitudes but there is no place for me beyond the traditional parent roles (secretary, fund-raiser, parent council). How do I carve out my place — how do I quell the fears and work with administration in a productive way? I’m at a loss.

As observed through this parent’s eyes, technology presents the possibilities for parents to engage with schools in new ways, to change the story of parent engaging with school. The problem described is not about using technology to support and enable parent engagement, but rather to create a different culture of parent engagement that is aided and enabled by technology.

What is parent engagement? The term parent engagement is used to describe participation in both the planning and execution of broadly defined learning activities at home and at school.

What is a Parent Portal? A portal is defined in the Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary (2008) as “a site serving as a guide or point of entry to the World Wide Web and usually including a search engine or a collection links to other sites arranged especially by topic.” Web portals ^[a] provide a personalized gateway that aggregates information and allows access to a variety of relevant resources and services. Personalization is key here – portals allow the end user to be in control of the content rather than the person or organization delivering the content. For parents this would include the ability to connect with information and services relevant to their child’s learning and activity at school, through any computer connected to the World Wide Web. With the explosion of communication technologies, there is an opportunity to construct a model of engagement that honours parent voice, that leverages technology in the learning environment and the home, and that builds a positive connection between home and school.

This Introduction includes sections on the Purpose of and Audience for this Guide, as well as an overview of relevant research in parent engagement.

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