Date
7-2019
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Education in Curriculum & Instruction (EdD)
Chair
Meredith Park
Keywords
Twenty-first Century Learning, Parents, Parental Expectations, Transition Theory, Educational Technology, Pedagogy Change
Disciplines
Education | Educational Methods
Recommended Citation
Ozolnieks, Matthew Oswald, "Parental Perspectives on Twenty-First Century Learning Environments in Private Middle Schools: A Phenomenological Study" (2019). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 2156.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/2156
Abstract
Over the last decade instructional technology has experienced tremendous growth in adoption and implementation throughout K-12 schools; pedagogy has shifted to keep pace. Within this growth of technological and pedagogical adoption and implementation a lag has emerged. While teachers and administrators have worked hard to maintain the pace with regard to changes, a major stakeholder (i.e. the parents), have struggled to keep up. The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to better understand the experiences of parents with middle school students enrolled in private, twenty-first century learning model/technology-rich ACSI schools in South Florida. The theory guiding this study was Schlossberg’s transition theory as it addresses the progression of parents from elementary through middle school and on to high school. Participants in this study included parents of middle school students enrolled in technology-rich ACSI schools in South Florida. Phenomenological analysis identified common four themes across four schools, Socio-economic levels, and degree attainment levels. These were: Technology change & strategic consideration, parental control, parental isolation, and parent pacing. Implications for the research suggested that improved communication and more granular approach by schools in reaching out to parents could have a significant positive impact parents experiences. Recommendations for future research are provided.
