Week 31- Evaluate your impacts

Activity 7: Evaluate how your inquiry impacts on future inquiry/practice

Step 1: What is the observed impact after the ‘Take Action’ phase?

The evidence from ‘Take Action’ phase shows that parents are willing to engage with their child’s school but just do not have the time. Whanau all want to play a pivotal role in their child’s academic achievement, learning and success but cannot commit to attend sessions within school.  The 2015 publication from Stoll and Temperley indicates “it’s an open process - while there’s a structure to keep people on track, it’s tailored to what conversations with pupils elicit rather than trying to fit their answers into existing plans” (pg. 12). This statement from Stoll and Temperley (2015) sums up how I found the inquiry process, in the beginning I had an approach but through the inquiry process my approach changed, then changed again once I had analysed the surveys, student and parent interviews. In the beginning of this inquiry, I was trying to fit the answers into my preconceived plan of what I thought it would look like.

It is widely known that parent engagement can have an impact on student achievement and success, this is not a new concept. The question I find myself reflecting on is how can we gain parent engagement when parents are busy? What would that engagement look like?

Step 2: How is the observed impact different from or similar to the anticipated one?

During the ‘Learn’ phase I said that through research and previous interactions with our parents, I feel that if we can build solid relationships with our whanau I will have a lot more parent participation in their child’s digital learning. My understanding during that phase of the inquiry led me to think that if parents participated in digital workshops that it would help their child’s digital learning. The findings from my inquiry actually show that any parent participation will enhance their child’s learning not just if parents knew how to complete different activities around Hangarau. At this stage of the process I begun thinking how can I use a digital platform to enhance parent engagement in order to strengthen a child’s academic success in all areas of the curriculum. Henderson and Berla (1994) reinforce the ideas that if I gain parents engagement it will help develop students attitude towards school, improved academic achievement, better behaviour, higher rates of work completion, increased participation and better attendance.

Step 3: What is the impact on future inquiry/practice?

It is important for me to ask myself as I reflect on my inquiry process, have I made enough of a difference and how do I know? I have made a start to making a difference. Yes, at Clendon Park School we want parent engagement but gaining this parent engagement is an ongoing process. We have currently implemented at our school the use of a Class Facebook pages in order to inform and update our parents who are busy. This has allowed us to make contact and enhance relationships with those ‘hard to reach’ parents. This is not an easy or an overnight fix, I have adapted my thinking that this is not something that can be changed overnight, but in order to improve parent engagement we must take small steps and ensure parents are on board throughout the process. I am wanting to enhance what is posted on Class Facebook pages to show what students are currently learning in class, sharing success, sharing learning and sharing ideas on ways parents can help their child in various areas at home.

Grouping	Questions
Senior Management and the Board of Trustees	How amenable is your school culture to change which challenges current practice? I am very fortunate to work at a school that is amenable to change and challenge current practices. During my inquiry process, Senior Management and the Board of Trustees were very open to my findings as many had been faced with the same issue but really didn’t know how to go about changing it.
Colleagues and Parents	How might the inquiry help you improve learning for your pupils and advance your practice? Many teachers have reflected that through the use of Class Facebook pages they have seen an increase of those parents who they wouldn’t usually see, step inside the classroom. They have commented on how what they see on the Class Facebook page have enticed parents to come into class and see what else is happening. The parent and teacher relationships have also been enhanced and strengthened as they have made contact through Facebook and parents feel more comfortable.
Students	What has been the greatest impact? Students have commented on how they feel happier that their parents are more involved. They know Mum and Dad are more informed now so they can’t leave assignments until last minute to complete.

References;

Henderson, A. T. & Berla, N. (1994). A new generation of evidence: The family is critical to student achievement. St Louis: Danforth Foundation; and Flint, MI: Mott (C.S.) Foundation.

Stoll, L., and Temperley, J. (2015). Narrowing the Gap with Spirals of Enquiry: Evaluation of Whole Education’s Pilot. Whole Education, UK. Retrieved from http://www.wholeeducation.org/download,634

Word Count- 586 (excluding table)