CAN PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT MOTIVATE KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS TO DO THEIR HOMEWORK?

1. CAN PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT MOTIVATE KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS TO DO THEIR HOMEWORK? Name: Omanda Hernandez Instructor: Dr. Sharon O’Connor-Petruso CBSE 7201 T Fall 2013

2. Table of Contents Abstract – Slide 3 Problem Statement – Slide 4 Literature Review – Slide 5 Hypothesis – Slide 6 Method – Slide 7 Experimental Design – Slide 8 Threats to Internal Validity – Slide 9 Threats to External Validity – Slide 10 Data Analysis –Slide 11, 12 Results – Slide 13 Discussions and Implications – Slide 14 References – Slide 15, 16

3. Abstract This action research project examines the effect of parental involvement on the rate of homework completion of kindergarten students. The hypothesis was that students whose parents are more involved in their child’s education, indicated by their involvement in their child’s homework, would be more diligent in completing homework assignments on a regular basis. In a quasi-experimental design, data on the completion of homework assignments for sixteen kindergarten students in a public school in Brooklyn was recorded over a two week period. Parents of these students were then invited to a workshop on the importance of parental involvement in students’ homework (the treatment). The post-test consisted of a repeat of the survey of homework completion for a two week period following the workshop. Because not all parents attended, there were two groups, one consisted of those students whose parents attended the workshop and the other consisted of those students whose parents did not attend. Analysis of the data showed a substantial correlation between workshop attendance and the increase in homework completion for those children whose parents attended the workshop.

4. Problem Statement I have noticed that only a small percentage of the students in kindergarten class do their homework on a daily basis. This group happens to be the most advanced in the class. The other students do their homework as well but not consistently. There are also a few students who never do their homework. This concerns me as I feel that homework is extremely important, even in kindergarten. However, I do think it should be given in realistic proportions and should reinforce what they learn in class.  It should also be fun as opposed to overwhelming. I believe that this issue is happening because either the students do not find the tasks interesting and see homework as a chore or are not receiving enough parental support with homework assignments. Therefore, I need to think of ways to motivate these students to do their homework as well as encourage the parents to get involved.  I think developing positive relationships with parentsas well as incorporating technology, educational shows or more hands on assignments will increase their enthusiasm for doing homework. My research question is: Can parental involvement motivate kindergarten students to do their homework?  

5. Literature Review Hoover-Dempseyet al. (2001) researched parental involvement in homework, focusing on various aspects of parental involvement such as what motivates parents to become involved in their children’s homework tasks, what strategies they use, how their involvement in homework tasks affects student outcomes and which outcomes are influenced by that involvement. Results indicated that parents are involved in assisting in homework because they think they should be involved and they feel that their involvement will make a positive impact. In addition, they involve themselves because they feel their child and teacher want and expect them to be involved. Role construction is a motivator for parental involvement and it reflects how the parent’s experiences affect their perception of the importance of involvement in their child’s education. Parental involvement positively influences students’ attitudes about school and homework and boosts their perception of self-competence. Battle-Bailey (2004) described how using a concept she developed called IRH (Interactive Reading Homework) in which parents and students work together on a homework task, could work to promote parent involvement in student homework. She mentions a few ways to foster parental involvement such as conducting teacher-parent workshops to enhance reading proficiency for students. Teachers can model and share techniques used in the classroom as a means for parents to support and help their children at home. She claims that parent interest will enhance student interest and will therefore give them more motivation to complete homework assignments. Her research supports the notion that parental involvement improves student achievement. Bailey, Godbey and Clark (2011) introduced a new homework approach created to improve students’ literacy skills by encouraging parents to work with their children. The kindergarten students were not completing or returning their weekly homework packets, which was very frustrating for the teachers. Through informal conversations with parents they concluded that the homework was not being done because students did not find the homework interesting and parents felt helpless trying to help their children. In addition, parents did not see any point of the homework. Their goal was to create interactive homework assignments that involved parents and that strengthened students’ literacy skills through authentic activities that promoted discovery and exploration. Results of the surveys conducted after a year, indicated that parents and their children liked having options in the homework selection and were very pleased with the homework. Both student and parent attitudes changed towards homework.

6. Hypothesis The hypothesis examined in this research project is that students whose parents are more involved in their child’s education, indicated by their involvement in their child’s homework, would be more diligent in completing homework assignments on a regular basis.

7. Methodology Participants • 16 kindergarten students • 9 parents Instruments • Consent forms • Homework record (2 weeks before and 2 weeks after) • Workshop Attendance Sheet • Procedure • In order to answer my research question I used empirical data on homework completion both before and after treatment to identify and compare homework trends in the classroom both before and after treatment. The participants in my research were 16 kindergarten students, whose homework completion was examined, and their parents, who were asked to attend a workshop whose goal it was to encourage parents to become more involved in their children’s homework and the educational process.

8. Experimental Design Research Design: Quasi-experimental design based on natural observation. I will examine the rate of homework completion of 16 students in one kindergarten class over a 2 week period. This will be considered my pre-test data. Parents will be invited to attend a workshop on the importance of parental involvement in homework and I will keep a record of those parents who attended. This workshop will be my treatment to improve the rate of homework completion. For my post-test data, I will examine the rate of homework completion during a 2 week period following the workshop to determine if students whose parents attended the workshop improved their rate of homework completion. Symbolic Design: OXO O = Rate of homework completion prior to treatment = pre-test X = Homework workshop for parents = treatment O = Rate of homework completion post treatment = post-test Rationale for Design: Young children benefit from support and positive reinforcement at home to complete homework tasks. Parents play a key role in motivating their children at that age in establishing homework habits. Inviting parents to the school to discuss the importance of parental involvement in homework should lead to improved rate of homework completion.

9. Threats to Internal Validity INTERNAL History: This may prove to be a threat to internal validity because an event that is not part of the treatment or research study may cause students to not complete their homework which may have nothing to do with parental involvement. For example, a change in classroom teacher, absence (although students can make up homework), or a power outage at home may affect their homework completion. Maturation: This can have an effect on my particular research question in that over the research period students may become more involved with their teachers and may become more interested in doing homework regardless of whether their parents are involved or not. Conversely, they may lose interest in doing homework if they do not receive positive reinforcement from their teacher for completing assignments. Utilizing a brief survey period will minimize this threat. Selection-Maturation Interaction: This could be a threat to validity since in the group I am examining students do have different maturation rates that could affect their ability and interest in doing homework.

10. Threats to External Validity EXTERNAL Generalizable Conditions:In my study I believe that threats in this area are minimized for my study but do exist in generalizing the results to other settings. For example, rater differences are eliminated by having only one rater in my study but replicating the study in another setting with another rater may introduce some inconsistency. This would be minimized by using the same instruments in which the rater is primarily a recorder and has little opportunity to introduce bias. The difference in setting can affect validity since the approach of the teaching personal rather, or in addition to, the variable that I am examining as part of my hypothesis may be significant. Selection Treatment Interaction:This is a real threat to external validity as the sample is likely to be self-selecting rather than random. In my study, those parents willing to submit to the treatment/intervention are likely to be the most interested and motivated. To avoid this threat, I will attempt to involve all the parents in a class by trying to present it as a required activity. Experimenter Effects:This always presents a threat when there is interaction between the researcher and the subjects. I will try to minimize the passive elements by using instruments that will limit interaction between the researcher and the subjects. By using objective measures, I will minimize the active elements of possible researcher bias.

11. Data Analysis Each of the 16 students were assigned a number (1-16). The attached graphs show the results in homework done over the two weeks before and after the workshop. The second graph shows the results for those students whose parents attended the workshop.

12. Data Analysis & Correlation rxy = .95 (.949719) There is a very strong correlation between increase in homework completion and parents of students who attended the workshop. Parent Workshop Affect on Student Homework

13. Results The results of my research indicated that the students whose parents attended the workshop did in fact improve in completing homework tasks. The results and data validated my hypothesis. The attached graphs in the data analysis slide show the results in homework done over the two weeks before and after the workshop and clearly indicate increase in homework completion after the intervention.

14. Discussion and Implications Although my study was, by necessity, very limited in scope, duration and sample population, due in part to limitations on time and access to subjects, many implications can be drawn from it regarding both the importance of parental involvement in homework and areas for further research. Homework itself is important for a number of reasons. In school, the teacher presents a model for learning but true learning takes place only with practice and repetition. Repetition, it has been said, is the essence of learning. This is true in all areas of learning from the practice necessary to develop the ability to play a musical instrument or to learn a language to the practice necessary to solve mathematical problems with different variables once the paradigm is acquired. Reading and solving problems allows students to acquire information/knowledge and also exposes students to new ideas and encourages them to think creatively and independently. In addition, completing homework on a regular basis enables students to develop good work habits, take responsibility for their own learning and to develop competence not only in the subject area but in managing their time and acting in a responsible manner by completing required tasks on time. It offers a great opportunity for parents, who are the child’s first educators, to continue to be involved in their child’s education once they enter school. This not only helps the child to learn but enhances the parent-child relationship as the parent helps the child and remains aware of the child’s progress. With regard to my study, there are many areas on which further research could shed light that might help develop strategies and means for greater and more effective parent involvement. One question that arose was the reason that there seemed to be an overall improvement in homework completion including those among some students whose parents did not attend the workshop. Since all parents were invited, did those who did not attend perhaps see the invitation as an indication that this was something about which the school was concerned and did they then speak to their children about homework? In other words, did the mere act of inviting parents to a workshop have a positive affect? Perhaps holding the workshop stressed the importance that the school and teacher gives to homework and created an expectation to which the students themselves responded. Or perhaps improved school behavior is infectious and when some students observe other students improving, they do not want to lag behind.

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