The Influence of Interaction Apps on Teacher-Parent Interaction Patterns in an Elementary-Level English Class

Julie Lin; Sa-hui Fan; Ray-I Chang

The Influence of Interaction Apps on Teacher-Parent Interaction Patterns in an Elementary-Level English Class

Julie Lin [popo2880899@yahoo.com.tw], Sa-hui Fan [fan.agatha@gmail.com], National Taichung University of Education, Ray-I Chang [rayichang@ntu.edu.tw], National Taiwan University, Taiwan

Abstract

Good teacher-parent communications are associated with better academic performance and reduced failure rates for lower-achieving students in American schools, and teacher-parent interactions are correlated with children’s language learning (Kraft & Rogers, 2015). Traditionally, paper homebooks (the booklets used to inform parents of their children’s daily homework), phone calls, and PTA meetings improve teacher-parent communications. However, how teacher-parent interactions are affected by e-homebooks or interaction apps is under-investigated. This study explores how teacher-parent interactions are influenced by interaction apps in an elementary-level English class in Taiwan. Nineteen students and their parents participated in this study for one semester. Three apps, AppleTree, ClassDojo, and ClassTing, were studied. Online observations and surveys were used to collect data. Findings show that employing teacher-parent interaction apps encourages parent engagement and changes parental involvement from the collaborative pattern (positive and direct) to the compromising pattern (positive but indirect). Although technology in teacher-parent teacher communications seems to have a positive effect on directing parents’ attention to students’ schoolwork, developing more constructive communication between English teachers and parents remains an issue. Furthermore, the culture of app designers might be unconsciously embedded in app design and might reshape users’ parental involvement.

Abstract in Chinese

美國的教育研究指出，良好的親師溝通能有效提升，低學業成就學生的學業成績與通過率。而親師互動也的確會影響學生的語言學習 (Kraft & Rogers, 2015) 傳統上，家庭聯絡簿、電話、以及親師座談會是親師溝通的主要管道。然而，在現代科技發達的社會，親師溝通的成效如何受到使用電子聯絡簿的影響，卻是少有研究。這個研究的研究主題，即是針對電子聯絡簿如何在台灣國小的英語課程，影響親師互動。19位國小學童以及他們的父母，被邀請來參加這個為期一學期的研究。三種電子聯絡簿應用軟體：AppleTree, ClassDojo, 和ClassTing，在這個研究當中使用。網路觀察以及問卷是主要的研究資料蒐集方法。研究結果顯示使用電子親師聯絡簿確能增進親師互動，但也使得親師互動類型從由合作(正向而直接)溝通類型居多，轉為妥協(正向而間接)得溝通類型居多，雖然使用科技應用軟體的確吸引了更多父母與國小英語教師的溝通互動，並花更多時間注意孩子的功課，但如何在英語教師與家長使用電子溝通應用程式的同時，發展出有效而具建設性的溝通內容，仍是待研究的課題。

Keywords: parental involvement, interaction apps, English learning, elementary school, teacher-parent communications

The Influence of Interactions Apps on Teacher-Parent Interaction Patterns in an Elementary-Level English Class

Abundant studies have shown that enhancing teacher-parent communication is strongly correlated with the improvements of grade-school students’ academic performance (Cheung & Pomerantz, 2011; Kraft & Rogers, 2015). In addition, language learning researchers have long paid attention to language stimuli provided at home and the relationship between home and school literacy environments (Heath, 1983; Heath & Street, 2008; Street, 2003; 2008). Plenty of educational research shows that teacher-parent interactions have significant impacts on children’s language learning. Therefore, improving connections between teachers and parents should be a major concern of English teachers. Traditional methods to connect teachers and parents in Taiwanese public schools include paper homebooks, phone calls, and PTA meetings. In recent years, accompanying the advancements of technological devices, many untraditional e-homebooks and interaction apps have been largely used by schoolteachers in Taiwan. Nevertheless, the questions of if the technological devices really enhance parental participations on their children’s schoolwork and of how teacher-parent interaction patterns are influenced by the interaction apps is still unanswered. To this end, this research is intended to investigate how teacher-parent interaction patterns are affected by different interaction apps in an elementary-level English class in Taiwan. Nineteen students and their parents participated in this study for one semester. Three apps, AppleTree, ClassDojo, and ClassTing were employed in this study. Online observations and two surveys were used to collect numerical data. The overarching questions in the current study are as follows: (a) What are the usage frequencies of the adopted 3 interaction apps in this study? (b) How are the teacher-parent interaction patterns influenced by the 3 apps?

Literature Review

In order to understand the questions better, this literature review provides reviews of studies on parental involvement, models of teacher-parent interactions, and channels of teacher-parent interactions. A brief introduction of the three apps adopted in this study is also presented.

Parental Involvement

The correlations between parental involvement and student performance have been richly documented in the research literature (Behrman, Parker, Todd, & Wolpin, 2015; Cheung & Pomerantz, 2011; Fan & Chen, 2001; Houtenville & Conway, 2008; Kraft & Rogers, 2015). Most previous literature indicates that parental involvement is a good predictor of children’s performance at school. In other words, if better communications can be built up between teachers and parents, students’ higher academic performance can be anticipated. However, research evidence also shows that schools in many places, including the US and Taiwan, generally fail to fully engage parents and to provide them with information about their children’s learning in school (Lamy, 2013; Chang, 2000). It seems to be crucial for educational researchers to put efforts into enhancing parental involvement by identifying barriers (Network, 2004) and creating connections (Kraft & Rogers, 2015).

Parental involvement also plays a significant role in children’s language learning and development by shaping the literacy environment and literacy practices in their homes (Heath, 1983; Hsin, 2011). In Glynn and Glynn’s (1986) study, interventions were given to investigate the effectiveness of shared reading by Cambodian mothers and children learning English as a second language in New Zealand. Results show that during a shared reading program (mothers and daughters reading together) the mothers and children introduced to shared reading in a multiple-baseline, cross-subjects design markedly increased their rate of progress through book levels.

Sénéchal and LeFevre (2002) researched early home literacy experiences that classified two kinds of parental involvement at home, informal literacy practices, including shared book reading to promote children’s vocabulary growth, and formal literacy practices, including teaching children the sounds and names associated with letters, correlated to their later literacy development. Hess and Holloway (1984) noted five areas of parental involvement associated with children’s literacy development: value placed on literacy, press for achievement, availability and instrumental use of reading materials, reading with children, and opportunities for verbal interaction. Most previous studies show that parental involvement also plays an important role in children’s language and literacy learning.

However, there are reports identifying barriers for parents to regularly be involved with their children’s schoolwork. In the US, the National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education (NCPIE) (Network, 2004) identified five barriers that hinder American parents from becoming involved with their children’s education. These barriers include limited English ability, limited literacy, economic disadvantage, and racial and ethnic minority background. This report reinforces that interventions and assistance for teacher-parent communications for parents from different backgrounds are needed.

Parental involvement plays a critical role in every aspect of children’s learning. Furthermore, for language learning, better teacher-parent communications can help parents to shape a better home language environment full of adequate linguistic stimuli. Constructive teacher-parent communications and connections can facilitate children’s English learning. Nevertheless, there are still predicaments that prevent parents from maintaining good communications with teachers. Interventions designed to strengthen communication is needed.

Models of Teacher-Parent Interactions

To create an effective intervention of parental involvement, it is necessary to first understand patterns of teacher-parent interventions. In Power and Bartholomew’s (1987) ecological analysis of family-school relationship patterns, they identify avoidant, competitive, merged, one-way, and collaborative relationship patterns. They also conclude that effective interventions must balance ecological analysis with sociocultural influences in developing strategies for change.

Swap’s (1993) “Developing Home-School Partnerships: From Concepts to Practice” reviews the practical ideas offered to help educators move toward school and family partnerships. Important distinctions are drawn in approaches that avoid or promote full partnerships. In this book, the school and family partnership models include a protective model, a school-to-home transmission model, a curriculum enrichment model, and a partnership model. Swap concludes that the partnership model is a better and more responsive approach that enables schools to implement a comprehensive program of school and family connections.

Whitehead (1988) proposes a framework for determining the importance of cohesion and communication between families and day care. The four types of teacher-parent partnership identified are high cohesion/high communication, low cohesion/high communication, high cohesion/low communication, and low communication/low cohesion. It is suggested by the author that high cohesion and communication are desirable for parents of infants or families of children with special needs, while decreasing cohesion with continued high communication may be appropriate as children grow older.

Chang (2000) categorizes teacher-parent interactions into direct and indirect patterns based on methods of involvement for Taiwanese parents. The factor of attitude adds a new dimension to these patterns. Chang therefore proposes four sub-categories, including compliant, compromising, collaborative, and conflicting, in the instruments for teacher-parent interaction models by mixing the two factors, involvement and attitude. Detailed explanations of each model are provided in the following subsections.

Collaborative

This is the pattern in the dimension of direct involvement and a positive attitude. Teachers and parents in this pattern interact often and closely. Parents are frequently involved in class affairs and discuss children’s issues with a positive attitude in the hope that their children can receive better education. This is regarded by Chang as the healthiest teacher-parent interaction pattern for Taiwanese parents. Teachers and parents can work together in a cordial atmosphere under this interaction pattern.

Conflicting

This is the pattern in the dimension of direct involvement but a negative attitude. Parents belonging to this pattern usually disagree with the teachers or even show strong and apparent disapproval. The conflicts of teachers and parents might show apparently and sometimes it slows down the teacher-parent cooperation.

Compromising

This is the pattern in the dimension of indirect involvement but a positive attitude. Parents of this pattern usually allow teachers to make any decision at school as long as nothing harmful happens to their children. They do not actively participate in school activities. Under this pattern the parents neither show their eagerness to participate in improving their children’s schoolwork nor interfering the teachers’ teaching. The parents’ attitude might make the teachers feel helpless even though they are not harmful.

Compliant

This is the pattern in the dimension of indirect involvement but a negative attitude. Parents of this pattern usually disapprove of teachers. However, they are reluctant to express their opinions to teachers directly. Under this pattern the parents are generally reluctant to work with the teachers to improve their children’s schoolwork because from their hearts the parents disapprove of the ways the teachers teach.

Chang’s (2000) self-designed survey (Appendix 2) for quantitatively estimating these four teacher-parent interaction models was also employed in this study. This instrument was designed especially for parents in Taiwan. This survey contains three main questions for the parents: (a) When you disagree with the teacher, what will you do? (b) When you disapprove your children’s homework assigned by the teacher, what will you do? (c) When you disapprove the teacher’s class managements and disciplinary rules, what will you do?

Table 1: Interaction model

Table 1

Channels for Teacher-Parent Interactions

Because of the fast development of communication technologies, traditional paper communications have been gradually replaced by e-communications. Accompanying fast-changing technological devices, in addition to the traditional tools such as paper homebooks, phone calls, and visits, there have been efforts from schools to adopt a larger variety of tools, such as texting systems, websites, and apps, to contact and engage parents (Chen, Yu, & Chang, 2007; Chena & Chena, 2015).

Chen, Yu, & Chang (2007) found that their self-designed e-homebook system provided a place for students, parents, and teachers to communicate, implemented an integrated performance measurement method, and conducted a better teaching strategy support interface for elementary education. Research supports that modern technologies might be used as an efficient tool to enhance teacher-parent communications so that general school performance and student behaviour might be improved. However, the question how teacher-parent communications are affected by interaction interfaces remains unanswered.

Three Apps for Teacher-Parent Interactions

The three apps used in this study, AppleTree, ClassDojo, Classting, were selected because of their innovation, compatibility, and observable nature. The three apps are all designed for the teacher-parent interactions, not for teacher-student or student-parent interactions. The three apps are described in detail in the following sections.

AppleTree

AppleTree is a free online communication platform between elementary schoolteachers and parents and is available on IOS, Android, and web. It was designed by an American company, Chatter, Inc. According to the homepage of the platform (https://www.goappletree.com/about), it was designed for the purpose of facilitating critical connections between teachers and parents, simplifying teachers’ communication responsibilities, and helping teachers build the support system a student needs to succeed.

AppleTree’s key features include private and group messaging, a fully integrated calendar, interactive volunteer invites, one-touch progress reports, instant updates with photos and videos, and emergency alerts. Teachers can easily send communications from their handheld devices or desktops, and parents receive them however they prefer: in the AppleTree app, via email, or via SMS (https://www.goappletree.com).

Figure 1. AppleTree on iOS

ClassDojo

ClassDojo is a free communication app for K-8 schools that allows parents to view their kids’ work at school. It is one of the most popular teacher-parent interaction apps in the US. The designers aim to connect teachers, parents, and students who use it by sharing photos, videos, and messages throughout the school day. With this feature, the designers hope that children’s growth mindsets and empathy will both be developed in the connection process. According to a company report (https://www.classdojo.com/zh-tw/learnmore/?redirect=true), it has been actively used in 90% of American K-8 schools and in over 180 countries. Its interface has been translated and used in 35 languages, including Chinese. The Chinese platform is easier for the Taiwanese parents to understand. ClassDojo comprises the following features:

Classroom: Classroom is where teachers and students build their classroom culture. They choose skills and values, things like creativity or teamwork, and share feedback on progress with each other.
Messages: Messages allows teachers, parents, and school leaders to instantly message each other. Messages can be translated into 35 different languages, and Quiet Hours lets teachers set away times so parents know when they are not available.
Stories: Stories are instantly updated streams of pictures and videos from the school day. Every class, school, and student has their own Story, all of which are shared with parents. Stories can be separated into School Stories (for school leaders), Class Stories (for the teachers and parents), and Student Stories (students’ portfolios of each day).
Big Ideas: Big Ideas provide ways for teachers and parents to access original content that helps students learn about important concepts and socio-emotional skills.

(https://www.classdojo.com/zh-tw/?redirect=true)

Figure 2. ClassDojo

ClassTing

ClassTing is an SNS (social network site) application developed by a former elementary school teacher in South Korea. Its features allow students to share notes, photos, and videos with parents and teachers by using smart devices and computers, and students can also send private or anonymous messages to their teachers. The major features of ClassTing are a message board on which members can post their opinions or thoughts, a news board on which teachers can announce classroom news or information, a photo album, and a video room for sharing video clips (Khine, 2015).

ClassTing has become the most popular SNS learning platform in South Korea. There are more than 2 million users in South Korea, and the app designers have also developed an English platform via a partnership with UCLA CREST (https://www.newswire.com/press-release/classting-koreas-largest-ed-tech-startup-brings-social-based). In addition, its Chinese platform has also been successfully launched. Its basic features are free, but users need to pay for using extra features. ClassTing is very secure as well.

Figure 3. ClassTing

Table 2: Comparison of AppleTree, ClassDojo, and ClassTing

Table 2

Current Study

This study is designed to specify how teacher-parent interaction patterns are influenced by the web-based interaction interfaces of AppleTree, ClassDojo, and ClassTing and determine what implied meanings can be derived for English educators as well as for app designers. To this end, this study adopts a quantitative approach by delivering two surveys for parents to record the view frequencies and conducting pre- and post-tests of teacher-parent collaboration patterns. The school administrators generally welcome educational experiments to be conducted in the school. However, they limit the number of the experimental class to one only.

Settings

A medium-sized elementary school in central Taiwan was invited to participate in this study. The settings are described as in the following sections. Due to the limited number of class the school agrees upon, there is no control group used in this study.

School Population

The school was built more than 20 years ago in a suburban area in Taiwan. The student population is 750 and there are 60 staff members, including teachers and administrators. The average student number in each class is 25.

Parents

Most parents hold bachelor’s degrees. The percentage of bachelor holders in the age group 25-34 is as high as 71.1% in Taiwan (Dec. 24, 2017, The Merit Times). The most common communication channels between teachers and parents are paper homebooks, PTA meetings, or messages forwarded by the PTA to the school.

Participants

The participating class was the one class of nineteen fourth graders that was randomly assigned into three groups. Each group adopted either AppleTree, ClassDojo, or ClassTing: six used AppleTree, six used ClassDojo, and seven used ClassTing.

Teacher Lu is the English teacher of this participating class and a graduate from a university of education in Taiwan. She had six years of teaching experience prior to this study and exclusive to this school. Although Teacher Lu graduated from a university of education, she had never taken a course relevant to teacher-parent interactions. Her skills for communicating with the parents, according to her own descriptions, were acquired through learning by doing.

The Used Features of the Three Apps

Because of the different features provided by the three different apps, how the apps were used in this study varied slightly. The used features of AppleTree, ClassDojo, and ClassTing are illustrated in the following sections.