Investigating the Influence of Technology as a Communication Tool for Parents and Early Childhood Educators
Year: 2019
Type: dissertation
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: This study examined the impact of technology in supporting parent-educator communication within the early childhood education and care sector. Participants were recruited from the pool of parents accessing child care services using HiMama communication software within the province of Ontario. One hundred and forty parents completed an online survey assessing their perspectives of changes in parent-educator communication with the introduction of HiMama. The influence of the software was explored using a retrospective mixed method survey design. Data were analyzed using paired sample t-tests and thematic analysis. The results indicated that computer-mediated communication has promising potential for strengthening parent-educator communication practices, particularly when paired with face-to-face communication. Participants reported increased communication content on children’s daily experiences and its influence in both parent-educator and parent-child relationships. This thesis concludes with recommendations to ensure on-going training and articulated expectations for use are developed to support effective application of technology to parent-educator communication practices.
Author: Ann Wilke
Language: English
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2914002468