Date

10-2015

Department

School of Education

Degree

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Chair

Gary W. Kuhne

Keywords

Maternal Soldiers, Military Deployments, Parental Involvement

Disciplines

Curriculum and Social Inquiry | Education | Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | Educational Psychology | Other Education | Student Counseling and Personnel Services

Abstract

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the experiences of maternal soldiers’ in communicating with school staff during a military deployment. The increasing number of deployments since 2001 has affected the family unit, especially the children. The primary focus of the research on military deployments has been related to the effects on children and the family. This study used purposeful sampling to select seven maternal veterans who experienced a military deployment within the past five years lasting six months or longer. Participants shared their experiences with a deployment through a semi-structured interview. Prior to the interview, participants completed an online parental involvement survey to determine their level of involvement with their child’s school. A focus group with school staff was conducted to explore parental involvement during a maternal deployment. The four themes that emerged from the data analysis included; school connection, technology based communication, school support, and lack of understanding and feelings of helplessness.

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