Abstract:
The purpose of this action research study was to determine why parents use or do not
use a teacher-created web page as an informational resource, as well as how teacher-created
web pages affect communication among parents, teachers, and students. Participants in the
study consisted of ten parents/guardians of second-grade students. A survey was administered
both prior to and after the intervention to determine what, if any, effects the web page had on
communication. Parents were also asked to complete a questionnaire consisting of open-ended
responses concerning those components of the web page they considered most beneficial.
Parent interviews were conducted with five of the participants to gain further insight into the
perceived usefulness of the web page. A teacher log of observation during the study allowed
reflection concerning the implementation of the program.
Based on evidence obtained from the surveys, questionnaires, and interviews,
participants in the study viewed teacher-created web pages as an effective form of
communication with schools. The most beneficial components of the web page were the
classroom calendar and the one-to-one correspondence area. Parents stated that knowing what
their children were learning about and how their children were performing academically helped
them to stay more involved in their children's education. However, of the 68 possible
participants to the study, only 10 parents opted to participate. Several factors could be related
to this low level of participation. These factors include time constraints, the parent's lack of
computer access or lack of knowledge of navigating the Internet, and a low level of interest in
this form of communication.