laura goldin inte 6720 university of colorado denver
TRANSCRIPT
Laura Goldin Final Action Research
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Using Technology for Effective and Efficient Classroom Parent Volunteering Final Action Research
Laura Goldin INTE 6720
University of Colorado Denver
Fall 2012
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Introduction and Problem Statement
Teachers wear many hats and have endless hours of work and responsibility. Organization
and efficiency are a must when it comes to running an effective classroom. When I started my
teaching career in a school district in Eastern Colorado teaching 4th grade, I learned how to time
manage all the responsibilities I had. I learned how to plan effectively, work through the learning
standards, and reach my diverse learners. One thing that I struggled with was trying to get parent
volunteers into my classroom or even at a parent teacher conference. I sent out paper reminders at
the beginning of the year to get volunteers, but I had little to no success. When conferences came
around, I sent out numerous paper reminders and would have about a 50% success rate with parents
that attended.
With that said, when I took a new 4th grade teaching position last year at a brand new charter
school in Southern Colorado, I suddenly had a whole new challenge when it came to parent
volunteers. I feel now that I am lucky in the fact that it is challenging keeping track and organizing it
all when I have so many eager parents wanting to help and volunteer. Last year, I started my school
year using the paper method with Thursday folders, then moved to email, and finally near the end of
the year I had heard of an online tool called SignUp Genius (Appendix A) that the PTO, Parent
Teacher Organization, had been using to organize events. I realized how amazing this tool was
compared to the piles of papers I had to sift through or hundreds of emails I had to track on a daily
basis when I used the tool for our final field trip. I found that this online tool is a free and easy way
to create and organize online sign-up forms for all kinds of group activities. This is something that I
wanted to use at the start of my school year to help set up volunteering opportunities in my
classroom, set up conferences, set up parties, and more. I hoped that by using this tool I would learn
how to be more consistent, effective, and organized with parent volunteers.
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Purpose and Intended Audience
The purpose of this investigation was to explore how the online tool SignUp Genius helped
my classroom use volunteers in a more effective manner. I wanted to find out if the tool would help
me as the teacher keep better track of parents that came into my classroom. Furthermore, this study
examined the effects of the online tool SignUp Genius as it related to the number of volunteers in the
classroom, the consistency of volunteers in the classroom, and the time management of it all.
The intended audience for this research was other education professionals, specifically those
who have a high number of parents that want to get involved. My classroom parents make up a part
of the audience, as my parents were the ones I was investigating. Additionally, my instructor and
peers in my Research in IT course at the University of Colorado Denver are included as an important
audience as I learned the steps in this action inquiry.
Research Questions
This research explored the tool SignUp Genius a tool, which can improve parent involvement
in the classroom by making it more efficient, consistent and organized. I sought to answer the
following questions:
v To what extent does SignUp Genius impact parent participation in the classroom?
o How will the use of SignUp Genius impact the number of parents who volunteer in
the classroom?
o To what extent will the use of Sign Up Genius impact parent participation with
parent-teacher conferences?
o How will the use of SignUp Genius impact the parent/teacher perceptions of
participation in the classroom?
v To what extent does the use of SignUp Genius impact a teachers time spent on soliciting
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parent participation?
Context of Study
This research was conducted at a Preschool- 7th grade charter school in Southern Colorado.
The school has approximately 750 students. The demographics of the school are 87% white, 10%
Asian, and 3% other. Since we are a new school that opened up fall 2011, we only have one year
worth of TCAP, Transitional Colorado Assessment Program, data. The state of Colorado has nearly
70% of the state’s students are reading at grade level, a slight increase over 2011. About 56% are
proficient or above in math, essentially flat over last year. Fewer students – or 54% – are writing at
grade level, a marginal decline. Science scores are slightly up, with 49% of students achieving
proficiency. The data for the 4th grade class at Brian Fish Academy is as follows:
Taking a look at the data, fourth grader take reading, writing and math TCAP tests.
In math, fourth grade was 44% advanced, 45% proficient, and 12% partially proficient. Writing, had
7% advanced, 60% proficient, 32% partially proficient, and 1% unsatisfactory. There reading scores
were, 3% advanced, 77% proficient, 17% partially proficient, and 4% unsatisfactory.
This charter school, like other charter schools, has an educational program that is uniquely
tailored to the school and community it serves. We are a Core Knowledge school. The Core
Knowledge Sequence is a research-based program founded on the premise that a grade-by-grade
core of common learning is necessary to ensure a sound and complete elementary education. The
sequence was developed by Dr. E. D. Hirsch, Jr. and is based on a large body of research in
cognitive psychology, as well as a careful examination of several of the world’s fairest and most
effective school systems. Dr. Hirsch has argued that, for the sake of academic excellence, greater
fairness and higher literacy, early schooling should provide a solid, specific and shared core
curriculum in order to help children establish strong foundations of knowledge. Students learn new
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knowledge by building upon what they already know. The Core Knowledge Sequence defines the
knowledge and skills students will master at each grade level and raises the bar for student
accomplishment. The Sequence overview of the Core Knowledge Sequence for preschool through
eighth grade, what Brian Fish Academy will become next year. This is different than public school
curriculum and many charter school curriculums. It is a curriculum that creates well-rounded
individuals.
The school’s mission is to develop young adults with character like America’s founding
Renaissance man, Benjamin Franklin: well-read, scientifically curious, and civically engaged. The
students excel academically through a challenging, sequenced curriculum that emphasizes math,
science, and literacy. We are a data driven institution, focusing on individual students. The
students, teachers, parents, staff, and leaders are held accountable for the success of our
school. Finally, we recognize that an education is incomplete without fostering the arts, sports,
nature, and character.
Brian Fish Academy has a strong staff that includes administration, teachers, specialists, and
teacher aids. The community is committed to education and involvement in their child’s education.
Every family is required 30 hours of volunteering each school year. This includes working in
classrooms, setting up parties, working in the lunchroom, and organizing school wide events. We
work together as a family, and we thrive with an active community of parents.
Literature Review Introduction
Teachers wear many hats and have endless hours of work and responsibility. Organization
and efficiency are a must when it comes to running an effective classroom. When I started my
teaching career in the Aurora Public School district teaching 4th grade, I learned how to time manage
all the responsibilities I had. I learned how to plan effectively, work through the learning standards,
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and reach my diverse learners. One thing that I struggled with was trying to get parent volunteers
into my classroom or even at a parent teacher conference. I sent out paper reminders at the beginning
of the year to get volunteers, but I had little to no success. When conferences came around, I sent out
numerous paper reminders and would have about a 50% success rate with parents that attended.
With that said, when I took a new teaching position last year at a brand new charter school in
Southern Colorado, I suddenly had a whole new challenge when it came to parent volunteers. I feel
now that I am lucky in the fact that it is challenging keeping track and organize it all when I have so
many eager parents wanting to help and volunteer! Last year, I started my school year using the
paper method, then moved to email, and finally near the end of the year I had heard of an online tool
called SignUp Genius that the PTO had been using to organize events. I realized how amazing this
tool was compared to the piles of papers I had to sift through or hundreds of emails I had to track on
a daily basis when I used the tool for our final field trip. I found that this online tool is a free and
easy way to create and organize online sign-up forms for all kinds of group activities. This is
something that I want to use at the start of my school year to help set up volunteering opportunities
in my classroom, set up conferences, set up parties, and more. I hope that by using this tool I will
learn how to be more consistent, effective, and organized with parent volunteers.
In order to uncover how other professionals approached and studied the topic of parent
volunteers in the classroom and the use of an online tool, I completed a literature review. This
review provided me with information regarding the use and outcomes of online sign ups used in
a classroom or school setting.
Literature Review Questions
In order to further understand the relationship between online sign up tools, I explored the
following research questions:
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v How does effective parent participation affect learning?
v What are effective ways to increase parent participation?
v How can technology play a role in communication?
Literature Search Procedures
To start my literature research, I explored the databases provided by Douglas County
District Library Media Center. I used key words such as, “parents and online tools,” “parent
communication” and “online volunteering.” I was not successful with this search. This database
was more geared towards elementary and secondary uses. I then decided to search the Auraria
Campus library databases for the same keywords and this search provided over 100
articles/papers.
By sorting the articles by relevance, I found six articles that would benefit my research. I
did one more search and added in “online teacher communication.” I was able to get six more
articles from that search that would help my research. Last, I looked up “increase parent
involvement.” I was able to come across the articles that I had already found, but I did not
discover any new ones that would help my research. Overall, this research through Auraria
Library provided me with twelve peer-reviewed articles related to my Action Research focus.
Literature Review
Educators know that Parent-Teacher communication is crucial to children’s education.
There has to be strong communication so that everyone can be working together as a team.
Teachers must get and keep parents involved, but many teachers and parents view parental
involvement as their, “biggest challenge” due to different reasons such as language, socio-
economic status, flexibility, and time (Juniu & Shin, 2000).
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The Importance of Effective Parent Participation
Effectively engaging parents and families in the education of their children has the
potential to be far more transformational than any other type of education reform. Numerous
research articles cite improvements in student behavior, attitudes toward school, and academic
success, when positive relationships are established with parents and primary caregivers (Flynn,
2008). Flynn’s extensive review of current literature on parental involvement clearly shows that
children whose parents are involved with their schools, “do better academically, have fewer
absences, are more willing to do their homework, have higher graduation rates, and feel more
competent about their abilities” (Flynn, 2008, p.1).
The most cited reason for a lack of involvement is that parents are just, “too
overwhelmed by the day-to-day responsibilities in their own complicated daily lives” (Flynn,
2008, p. 1). Other reasons include parents feeling negative about their educational experiences,
intimidated, or in some cases, language and cultural differences (Flynn, 2008). However, making
the extra effort to form relationships with parents can have vast returns for a student. In 2001, a
study was conducted between third, fourth and fifth grade students in 71 elementary schools and
published by the U.S. Department of Education. What researchers found was that in schools
where teachers reported high levels of outreach to parents of low-achieving students, reading test
scores grew at a rate 50 percent higher and math test scores at a rate 40 percent higher than in
schools where teachers reported low levels of outreach (Flynn, 2008).
Educators need to effectively inspire parent participation at school events. Parents that
are involved in their child’s education increase a child’s chance for success. It is up to the teacher
and school to make sure parents know the importance of their involvement and how they can be
involved (Juniu & Shin, 2000). “Teachers should inform parents not only the date events occur,
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but teachers should also take care to highlight the events that may be of particular interest to the
parents in their class, either by the grade level of the student or the subject matter of the class”
(Juniu & Shin 2000, p. 6). In addition to this, teachers should provide a brief context noting the
importance and benefits each event provides. By letting parents know the potential benefits,
parent participation is likely to increase (Juniu & Shin, 2000).
Overall, the research supports that parents and teachers together need to recognize how
important both their roles are in a child’s education. The research methods of studying student
growth and interviewing parents about their feelings towards parent involvement, helped prove
this to be true. Everyone working together as a team is what is going to set a child up for success.
How to Increase Parent Participation
Teachers must possess basic communication proficiency since the topics for
communication have vastly expanded over the recent past.
Communication between teachers and families now involves a wider range of
scenarios that go beyond typical meetings and student conferences-such as
discussing special health care needs, debating proposed school-wide behavior
policies, and considering the consequences of students failing a standardized test
(Kasprowicz, 2002, p. 2).
The lack of interpersonal expertise in the communication arena has led to many parents
losing confidence in their child’s teacher and the school. Since schools are making a push for
differentiated instruction for students, communication should not be the same for each family
(Conderman, Johnston-Rodriguez, Hartman, Kemp, 2010). The needs and resources are different
for each family and should be taken into consideration.
An implicit assumption in the existing research is that parents, students, and teachers
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hold similar conceptions of what counts as parental involvement. However, it may
be problematic to assume that parents, students, and teachers universally share
common preconceptions of parental involvement and their associated
communication forms (Conderman, et al, p. 1).
To some, parent involvement is simply an open line of communication; while for others,
it is determined by time volunteered at the school. One such definition, proposed by Epstein
(2008) suggested that there are six aspects that contribute to what is commonly termed parental
involvement. The six categories included parenting, communication, volunteering, learning at
home, decision-making, and collaborating with the community (Epstein, 2008). This definition
provides a spectrum of involvement that could be misunderstood (Epstein, 2008).
Parent-teacher communication has taken place in various forms. However, due to work
demands of the parent and teacher alike, some methods may not be considered relevant or
reasonable. Methods frequently implemented include, but are not limited to, “newsletters, parent-
teacher conferences, weekly folders, notes, and phone calls (Kasprowicz, 2002, p.1). While these
are good methods, each teacher must determine what is specifically beneficial for the parents that
they serve. More recently, researchers are suggesting the incorporation of technology to bridge
the ever-expanding gap between parents and teachers (Epstein, 2008). “School and class
websites, blogging and podcasting, electronic mail, and social networking have joined the ranks
of effective communication for parents and teachers” (Epstein, 2008, p.3). Technology has been
instrumental in expressing expectations, managing classrooms, and providing virtually unlimited
access to student data, which is enjoyed by parents and students alike.
To further increase the chances of parental involvement, “teachers should provide this
information at the beginning of the semester to allow time for parents to schedule for events that
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are of interest” (Anderson, 2000, p.4). There are different online tools that will help to keep
event dates fresh in the minds of parents and to assure parents that their input and involvement is
both necessary and welcome (Anderson, 2000). This is another part to the volunteering and
involvement problem. Some parents might have the best intentions, but forget that they signed up
for something. Then in turn, the teacher is scrambling to try and fill in for the missing parent.
With technology this happens less and less, or a parent can at least let the teacher know quickly
and efficiently. Also, the use a variety of communication tools on a regular basis, seeking to
facilitate two way interaction through each type of medium, “will enhance and support students
academic success” (Anderson, 2000, p.2).
Together, studies are supporting that with teachers and parents using a variety of forms of
communication that include technology, more and more success will come about with effective
communication in the classroom and at home. The methods used in this study-included
interviews and using different technologies in a school settings to see which technologies helped
increase parent participation. Teachers and parents will have more ways to reach one another and
can find the best method that will work for everyone involved.
Using Technology to Communicate
Traditional forms of communication between the school and home usually consist of,
“hand-written notes, phone calls, conferences, parental signatures required on homework or
report cards, and even newsletters (Hoover, 2002, p.1). These forms of communication have
proven, “problematic and challenging to sustain over time and not a very practical use of time or
resources” (Hoover, 2002, p. 3). However, it has not escaped notice of even the most casual
observers that millions of students and their parents spend an inordinate amount of time each day
using various forms of technology, including, “computers, the Internet, video-games, and more
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currently, their cell phones to do all of that and much more” (Hoover, 2002, p. 2). In fact, in a
recent study, 60 elementary teachers found that when asked, parents of their most problematic
students chose to be contacted via text messages to their cell phones, and as a distant second
choice, an email (Hoover, 2002, p. 4).
One of the interesting discoveries for these teachers was the large number of families
with multiple cells phones and virtually all had home computers with Internet access, even in
presumed high poverty areas. This was a welcome sign due to the fact that communicating via
texting or email is fast and efficient, and, more importantly, increases the likelihood of a parental
response (Hoover, 2002).
Technology can make it easier to communicate with families who have been difficult to
reach and should probably be considered as a first choice method instead of a last resort (Hoover,
2002). “The use of a management system (i.e. SchoolFusion, Engrade) and non-commercial
applications (i.e. yahoo calendar, skype, google) have the potential to meet all of these needs by
allowing schools to maximize organization, communication, and build a community in which all
stakeholders feel informed and valued” (Anderson, 2000, p. 4).
Many schools are becoming very technologically focused. All that is needed for the
schools and parents to utilize many of these different applications are a computer with Internet
access, as well as the minimum requirements to run programs such as word processing, web
browsers, and e-mail (Anderson, 2000). The methods used in this study were interviews and
applying everyday technologies in a school setting. The research on everyday tools and what
parents and teachers prefer helped determine and prove effective communication tools. Many
schools are requiring parents to have Internet and email in order to apply and attend certain
schools. Knowing this, and with the supporting research, implementing different tools using
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technology as the way communicate between teachers and parents, is the way of efficient and
effective communication for the future.
Quality of Literature
Thomas (2009) discusses the importance of quality research. The quality of my literature
findings was exceptional. This was because of the large number studies that supported the
importance of parental involvement in a child’s education and how technology needs to play a
role in communication.
My selection of quality research was analyzed. For the majority of my literature, I chose
peer reviewed academic articles of both large-scale and small-scale studies, that have been
referenced in a majority of the research on the topic. Many of these studies were conducted in
universities and high school classrooms across subjects. I can trust these findings because of the
peer review process and the reliability of the journals where these articles were published.
The diverse perspectives and ideas related to parent involvement and the use of
technology from the different articles appeared reliable and precise. Each source that was read
and used in my review referenced a number of other studies, thus demonstrating that the authors
have done their research. There were numerous authors and studies quoted throughout each
paper with endless data and research. Each paper included in-text citations and a reference
section of where the information came from. The studies were summarized and reported with
pronounced detail and accurate results. There was not an apparent bias during the readings and
all agree that parental involvement makes a huge difference. This is a statement that can be made
based on all the readings.
For example, several studies that were shown in the articles prove how important parent
involvement is in a child’s life, “existing research has shown that effective communication
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between teachers and parents requires open contacts between schools and families. Parents and
teacher collaboration, active communication and involvement are positively related to students’
success in school; students tend to perform better, attend school more regularly, and have better
behavior and more positive attitudes toward school” (Flynn, 2002, p. 3).
Another study that enhances the quality of the literature was, from Kasprowicz (2002), it
has research to support that parents find it difficult to get information from their
uncommunicative children about what happened during school. Therefore, with increasing
Internet access, parents are beginning to rely more on these online sites for daily updates about
their child’s grades, attendance, and homework. This study really shows that parents are ready
for online tools that help them get into the classroom, help them know what is going on, and
allow them to be reminded about their commitments they have made.
Although interviews and studying different communication tools is helpful in the
research, it seemed as though the studies would have been stronger with concrete data. This was
the strongest research because it had strong qualitative data. The conclusions that were drawn
were strong, trusted, and proven to be true, but more quantitative data would have made them
even stronger.
Gap in Literature
Although reliable, there was an apparent gap in the literature. Thinking about my study
and wanting to know more about a new effective and efficient way to get volunteers in the
classroom and keep them there was not apparent or “answered” in these articles. Many of the
studies mention other management tools such as calendars, email, websites, but none of them
discussed a way like SignUp Genius that pretty much does all of those things using one tool. I
have heard of schools using calendars, email, websites and paper based ways of getting parents
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into the classroom, but that just does not seem to be the most effective way. Papers are lost,
people forget, calendars can become cluttered and emails can be overlooked. The literature
verified the positive perspective how important it is to have parents in the classroom and
involved, and even how technology can play a role.
Methods
Below you will find the methods for carrying out this action research project. It includes,
site selection and sampling, data collection methods, data analysis procedures, the predicted and
actual schedule, and checks for rigor.
Site Selection and Sampling
In order to carry out this study, I worked with my 4th grade classroom parents, as well as
my staff. I worked with this group because I have access to it and there are a large number of
parents that can easily participate through normal classroom procedures. I have twenty-six students.
In some families both parents participated and others had just one parent participate. With twenty-
six students and different families, I had sixty-two parents. At the beginning of the year, I was able
to confirm that all parents had Internet access, as it is a requirement to attend this school. I knew
from this that I would be able to implement SignUp Genius.
Data Collection Methods
The design of this study was an action inquiry and field experiment. The following methods
were utilized to collect and analyze data for the research questions:
Research Question Data Collection Method
To what extent does SignUp Genius impact parent participation?
Excel Tracker (Appendix B) Parent Survey (Appendix C)
Teacher Survey (Appendix C)
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How will the use of SignUp Genius impact the number of parents who
volunteer in the classroom?
Excel Tracker (Appendix B) Parent Survey (Appendix C)
To what extent will the use of Sign Up Genius impact parent participation
with parent-teacher conferences?
Excel Tracker (Appendix B) Parent Survey (Appendix C)
Teacher Survey (Appendix C)
How will the use of SignUp Genius impact the parent/teacher
perceptions of participation in the classroom?
Teacher Survey (Appendix C) Parent Survey (Appendix C)
To what extent does the use of SignUp Genius impact a teachers time
spent on soliciting parent participation?
Teacher Survey (Appendix C)
Table A- Data Collection Methods
I implemented a SignUp Genius to set up my back to school meet and greets, reading groups,
math groups, and monthly bulletin board. After these first few Sign ups, in early October, we had
parent conferences. I used SignUp Genius to set up my conferences. Also, the rest of my staff also
used this tool because it has become a school wide requirement.
In order to analyze whether SignUp Genius was effective or not, I tracked different sign ups
that I created to see if parents 1) signed up and 2) were consistent and followed through with the
responsibility. I used the different sign ups using SignUp Genius and created my own excel tracker
sheets (Appendix B), along with delivering a parent and teacher survey (Appendix C) to collect
qualitative and quantitative data.
Data Analysis Procedures
With the excel trackers, I compared the parents that signed up for a group/activity and
tracked to see if parents remembered to come. Also, I compared the parents that signed up for a
conference and tracked to see if parents remembered to come at their allotted time. When the
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surveys were completed, I was able to look at which method parents and teacher preferred more
when it came to communication. I analyzed the open-ended questions by reading what they
thought and comparing it to my other data. There were many positive comments that fit together
with the quantitative data. I also, categorized answers so I could better see which ones were fit
with my other data (Appendix B).
Also, in order to have qualitative data, the Google Form survey (Appendix B) also helped me
analyze my research questions. I analyzed these open-ended questions while looking at my excel
tracker and other survey results. It helped me use word for word statements from parents or teachers
to prove or disprove data.
Schedule
In an effort to stay on track with my research with such a limited time frame, I created a schedule
at the beginning of my action research. Table B compares my planned schedule to the actual schedule
my research followed:
Milestone Planned Time Frame Actual/Adjusted
Create Consent (Appendix C)
August 20 August 20
Send out Consent August 20 August 20 Set up sign ups for reading, math, and bulletin board volunteers
August 27 August 27
Send out sign ups by email and post on my website
August 30 September 5
Track sign ups for reading, math and bulletin
September 24-November 20 September 24-November 20
Set up SignUp Genius site for Fall Conferences
September 15 September 10
Send out sign ups by email and post on my website
September 15-18 September 15-18
Track sign ups for conferences
September 15-October 11 September 15- October 8
Set up SignUp Genius site for Medieval Feast
October 7 October 8
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volunteers and supplies Send out sign ups by email and post on my website
October 15 October 10
Track sign ups for feast October 10-Octover 23 October 10-Octover 23 Send out Post-Questionnaire
November 17 October 20
Collect and analyze data from questionnaire
November 17-20 October 20
Write data analysis November 17-December 1 October 23 Revise proposal for
research action report
November 17-December 1 October 12- November 20
Write final research action
report
November 17-December 1 October 12- November 20
Table B- Schedule
Checks For Rigor
With action research, it was my goal to create generalized knowledge that has similar
goals conducted in other studies about parents in the classroom. I made sure to leave names of
parents, students and teachers out of my research to maintain confidentiality. I planned to also use
qualitative and quantitative data to help prove this online tool is an effective tool. Parents also filled
out a consent form to be a part of this research (Appendix A). Also, as it states in Action Research:
Third Edition, “ people have the right to refuse to participate, they may withdraw at any time, data
related to them will be returned to them, any information will be stored safely so that it cannot be
view by others, and none of the information that identifies them will be made public or revealed to
others with out explicit and written consent” (Stringer, 2007, p. 55). I followed all of these ethical
procedures in order to maintain confidentiality.
According to Stringer (2007), “rigor in action research is maintained through credibility,
transferability, dependability, and confirmability” (pp. 57-59). I obtained credibility by tracking my
parent volunteers each time they came into the classroom. Not only did I check the SignUp Genius,
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but also I made sure parents were following through. Since action research uses more qualitative
data than traditional research, “rigor in action research is based on checks to ensure that the
outcomes of research are trustworthy - that they do not merely reflect the particular perspectives,
biases, or worldview of the researcher” (Stringer, 2007, p. 57). My data collection methods included
both qualitative and quantitative data to ensure a thorough picture of the problem.
I obtained transferability by sharing my experiences with my colleagues throughout my
research process. I attained dependability by reporting all findings honestly. “Researchers increase
their effectiveness when they immerse themselves in the richness of group life,” (Stringer, 2007, p
60). I reached confirmability with the inclusion of charts and tables that portray the responses from
which I draw conclusions. I immersed myself in my group of participants and research to gain more
in my results.
Findings
By following the schedule, I was able to come up with my findings. Here are my findings as they
relate to the research questions:
Parent Participation
Parents responded well to SignUp Genius. I had success with parents signing up and parents
attending their allotted times.
Graph 1- Monthly/Weekly Parent Volunteers
0 5 10 15 Yes, they came!
No Show, but emailed
No Show, No Contact
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Looking at my above graph, one can see that I had amazing success with not only getting the
volunteers I needed, but actually having them follow through. 14 out of the 16 parents came without
any problems for reading groups, 11 out of 14 parents came for math groups, and my bulletin board
was always completed when needed. When a parent did not show, they did send me an email letting
me know in advance. These were the groups I struggled with the most last year because I would have
a lot of no shows and I would be scrambling at the last minute. I did not have any moments where a
parent just did not come and not let me know. One parents said, “ Signing up for volunteering has
never been so easy!” Below you can see an example sign up page that parents see when they go to the
website I provide. They can always refer back to this and reminders can be set up through email.
Chart 1- Reading Groups Sign Up Example Page
Number of Parents
It was great to see that SignUp Genius worked for more than one type of volunteer
opportunity in my classroom. The graph below shows the medieval feast event we had in
November. The graph shows the supplies I needed and the amount that I received. With this
event, I needed parents and supplies. All parents came, but I did have a few missing supplies. I
was left to scramble for table clothes and cups. Luckily, having all my volunteers come and be
reliable, we were able to solve the tablecloth and cup problem quickly. One parent stated, “ I
work and I am not able to always come to school events, but it is great to know that I can still
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help out.” In the past, an event like this would have taken forever to coordinate or would have
been put on either just the teacher or just a few parents.
Graph 2- Medieval Feast Items Received
Parent Teacher Conferences
Using a sign up for conferences was another type of parent teacher communication pieces that I
wanted to take on. Below is a chart that shows the sign up I created for my fall conferences. When
parents click on the dark gold sign up button, they take that time slot. It then send an email to me, as
well as reminder the parents 2 days before the event. I can go in and make changes if needed, and
parents can go in and adjust their time if it needs to be changed. When conference day comes, I can
easily print out this sheet and have my list all ready to go.
Chart 2- Fall Conference SignUp Genius Page
In the past I have sent endless pieces of paper back and forth to parents. One parent said, “One
click and I am done, no more papers!” I agree. In the past I would have piles of papers to sift through,
papers being lost by students, and parents not remembering what they signed up for because so many
0 20 40
Table
Center
Pie
Grape
Cups
Napkin
Forks
Spoons
Ice
Medieval Feast Items
Received
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papers were sent home, or never made it home. Needless to say, it was a large task to complete. My
solution to this is using SignUp Genius.
Excel Tracker 3- Fall Parent Teacher
Looking at the tracker for fall conferences, it is easy to see that using SignUp Genius not
only saved me a lot of excess paper work, but I was able to make contact with almost all my
parents, or have contact with a few that had personal issues arise. All parents signed up, 23 out of
26 parents showed up to conferences, and 2 of the parents that did not come, did send my an
email before and we made new arrangements. I only had one parent that contacted me after
conferences about a personal issue. We were able to reschedule. I have to say that in my four
years of teaching, I have never had a more efficient and effective ways to set up my parent
teacher conferences than using SignUp Genius.
Parent/Teacher Perceptions
My quantitative data from parent surveys demonstrates that SignUp Genius is a great online tool
to use for classroom volunteering. I know that it is something that I will continue to use, and using
my qualitative data from my surveys, others agree with me. Looking at each question, 87% prefer to
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learn about volunteer opportunities using SignUp Genius, 91% of parents also think that SignUp
Genius has been the most successful method in obtaining parent volunteers. When it comes to
actually signing up for events in the classroom, 100% of parents agree that SignUp Genius is the best
tool to use to sign up and to help remind their of their times and dates they need to attend.
Graph 3- Parent Survey
After the parents were better exposed to SignUp Genius they agree that this is a great tool. I was
able to look at questions 5-7 on my survey and pull quotes from happy parents. I used a table
(Appendix B) to analyze these open-ended answers. Parents agreed it was the best way for them to
get into the classroom and be organized about volunteering and parent teacher communication. Some
more quotes that I pulled from my questions were, “ My son would never bring home his Thursday
folder when he was suppose to, so it was a great way to learn about volunteering and conferences on
time.” Another parent said, “ Two clicks and I am done! I even get an email reminder!” My favorite
quote, and I could not agree more was, “Why didn’t we use this tool sooner!” Parents found SignUp
Genius to be the best tool for them to use to get into their child’s classroom and learn about events.
My quantitative data from teacher surveys also establishes that SignUp Genius is a great online
tool to use for classroom volunteering. 90% of teachers that participated prefer use SignUp Genius to
request volunteer opportunities, and 95% of teachers also think that they had to most success getting
parents in the classroom by using SignUp Genius. Also, 100% of teachers at Brian Fish Academy
0 20 40 60 80
Question A
Question B
Question C
Question D
Phone Calls
Thursday Folders
SignUp Genius
Other
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who participated in the survey agree that SignUp Genius is the best way to set up their parent/teacher
conferences, and had the most success with parents attending their allotted conference.
Graph 4- Teacher Survey
Also, by pulling quotes from questions 5-8 on my survey, I can strongly support the above data
that teachers prefer SignUp Genius. One teacher said, “Less paper, I like it!” Another teacher said, “
It keeps track of who is coming for me. I can even print out a list that is easy to read and use.” One
other teacher said, “ Scheduling conferences is a breeze, I never thought this was possible!” Teachers
at BFA agree, that SignUp Genius is the tool to use.
Comparison of research to the literature review
There were similarities and differences between my research and the literature review. I found
very similar themes, such as the importance of parent involvement and how technology can play a
role. Many articles and research discussed how important parents are in a child’s education, and it is
even more important to be in communication with their teachers. Although these noted themes were
similar, there was a lack of information and research about how to best acquire parents in the
classroom. The research was missing the ‘how’ to make parents become a stronger part of their
child’s education and involved in classroom and school events. When parents and teachers
communicate, the student wins! For example, “existing research has shown that effective
0
5
10
15
20
25
Question A
Question B
Question C Question D
Phone Calls
Thursday Folders
SignUp Genius
Other
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communication between teachers and parents requires open contacts between schools and families”
(Juniu, S., Shin, J., 2000). This is great research and educators around the world agree, but how can
this effectively be done? That is where my action research came into play. SignUp Genius is a great
online tool for more efficient and effective volunteering in the classroom. It will allow parents to
easily learn about volunteering and school events, sign up easily and quickly, as well as keep the
teacher and parent organized with dates and times.
Limitations
There were some limitations throughout my research. One limitation to my research was the
amount of time I had to collect data. In an ideal setting, I would have been able to implement the sign
ups for longer and tracks parents’ consistency. I would have had more data to compare and other sign
ups to pick apart to see if they were used effectively. We also have spring conferences, so I could
have compared fall to spring success rates.
Also, another limitation was the fact that not all teachers participated in the given surveys
making my pool of data smaller. It would have been more effective to have more opinions prove an
idea more or less from the teacher’s perspective.
Granted, there were limitations, but I believe my research is still important because I now
know what works best when it comes to juggling parents and students. SignUp Genius is what works
for my classroom and for many classrooms at Brian Fish Academy.
Implications for Practice
Based on the research findings, I will continue to use SignUp Genius in my classroom. SignUp
Genius seems to be working for parents and teachers. My building will be using this tool for all
events school wide, and I encourage other teachers to use this tool in their classroom. From my
findings, it is better than previous methods used, folders, papers, email and phone. It is evident that
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more research is needed to draw more conclusions on specific situations it will work best for, but
overall, SignUp Genius is a great tool to use when helping parents get involved in different classroom
and school events.
Conclusion
I have gained information regarding what is best for teachers, parents, and in the end,
students. When the classroom is run efficiently and there are more adults working with students
consistently, students benefit. Overall, I have expanded my ways to help improve student
performance, by making my classroom more efficient, which, ultimately, is what we strive to do each
and every day.
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References
Anderson, L., Hicock, M., & McClellan, K. (2000). Improving Parental Involvement through School Sponsored Events. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service). Retrieved September 1, 2012 from http://eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs database.
Bauch, J. P. (2000, April). Electronic parent involvement? New developments with phones, e-mail, and the
Internet to link schools and homes. The paper prepared for the 10th Annual International Roundtable on School, Family and Community Partnerships . New Orleans, Louisiana. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service). Retrieved September 1, 2012 from http://eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs database.
Conderman, G., Johnston-Rodriguez, S., Hartman, P., & Kemp, D. (2010). What teachers should say and
how they should say it. Kappa Delta Pi Record, 46(4), 175-181. Retrieved October 10, 2012 from http://eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs database.
Conderman, G., Morin, J., & Stephens, J. (2005). Special education student teaching practices. Preventing
School Failure, 49(3), 5-10. Retrieved October 10, 2012 from http://eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs database. Epstein, J. L. (2008). Improving family and community involvement in secondary schools. Education
Digest, 73(6), 9-12. Retrieved from Education Research Complete database. Retrieved October 10, 2012 from http://eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs database.
Flynn, G., & Noland, B. (2008). What Do School Principals Think About Current School-Family
Relationships? NASSP Bulletin, 92(3), 173-90. Retrieved October 10, 2012 from http://eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs database.
Freytag, C. E. (2001, November). Teacher-parent communication: Starting the year off right. Paper
presented at the Biennial Meeting of the Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education. Retrieved September 1, 2012 from http://eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs database.
Kasprowicz, T. (2002). Managing the classroom with technology: On progress reports and online
communications, and how to manage the two different Communication Techniques. Techdirections, 61(10). Retrieved September 1, 2012 from http://eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs database.
Koshy, V. (2010). Action research for improving educational practice (2nd ed.). London: SAGE
Publications.
Hoover-Dempsey, K. V., Walker, J., Jones, K. P., & Reed, R. P. (2002). Teachers involving parents (TIP): Results of an in-service teacher education program for enhancing parental involvement. Teaching and Teacher Education, 18, 843-867. Retrieved October 10, 2012 from http://eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs database
Jeynes, William H. (2005). Parental Involvement and Student Achievement: A Meta-Analysis , Family
Involvement Research Digest (Cambridge, MA: Harvard Family Research Project), http://www.hfrp.org/publicationsresources/ publications-series/ family-involvement-research-digests. Retrieved October 10, 2012 from http://eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs database.
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Juniu, S., Shin, J., Snow, C., Nivens-Wilburg, W.. (2000). Parent-Teacher Computer Mediated
Communication in Public K-12 Schools: Synchronous and Asynchronous Communication for Parent-Teacher Communication. Teachers College, Columbia University. Retrieved September 1, 2012 from http://eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs database.
McNiff, J., & Whitehead, J. (2006). All you need to know about action research. London: SAGE
Publications. Merkley, D., Schmidt, D., Dirksen, C., & Fulher, C. (2006). Enhancing parent-teacher communication
using technology: A reading improvement clinic example. Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 6(1), 11-42. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service). Retrieved September 1, 2012 from http://eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs database.
Thomas, G. (2009). How to do your research project: A guide for students in education and applied
social sciences. London: Sage Publications. Stringer, E. T. (2007). Action Research (3rd Edition ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.
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Appendix A: Consent Form
Brian Fish Academy Study of Parent Volunteering in the Classroom
Research Facilitator: Laura Goldin: 4th grade teacher, Brian Fish Academy
Phone: 720-515-8387
Email: lgoldinbfacademy.org Laura Goldin of Brian Fish Academy wishes to complete an action research study on the best ways to get parent volunteers into the classroom. The information utilized in this project will be collected by surveys, data using SignUp Genius, and an excel tracking sheet. Participants will be asked to participate via email and SignUp Genius. Names will be kept confidential. Information will be used for future improvements to procedures with parent volunteering and communication with teachers. You may contact the researcher at anytime via phone or email. If you wish not to participate or withdraw at anytime, please let the researcher know. I, ____________________________________ have read the information above and any questions I have asked have been answered to my satisfaction. I agree to participate in this research study with the understanding that I may withdraw at any time. I agree that the research generated will be used for further school procedure improvement and I will not otherwise be identified. Signed: _______________________(Participant) Date: ___________ Signed: ________________________ (Facilitator) Date: ___________
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Appendix B: Data Collection Methods
SignUp Genius Screen Shot
Parent Volunteer Tracker
Parent Teacher Conference Tracker
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Appendix C: Parent and Teacher Surveys/ Analyzing Tool
Teacher Survey
1) How do you prefer to request volunteers in your classroom? a) Email b) Phone Call c) Thursday folders d) SignUp Genius e) Other
2) Which method has been the most successful in getting parents to volunteer in your classroom?
a) Email b) Phone Call c) Thursday folders d) SignUp Genius e) Other
3) How do you prefer to set up your parent/teacher conferences?
a) Email b) Phone Call c) Thursday folders d) SignUp Genius e) Other
4) Which method has been the most successful in getting parents to attend parent/teacher conferences?
a) Email b) Phone call c) Thursday Folders d) SignUp Genius e) Other
5) If you used SignUp Genius, to what extent did it impact the amount of frequency of parent volunteers in
my classroom?
6) What impact did SignUp Genius have with parent/teacher conferences?
7) What impact did SignUp Genius have with spending time managing volunteers?
8) What other thoughts do you have regarding parent volunteering would you like to share?
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Parent Survey
1) How do you prefer to learn about volunteer opportunities in your child’s classroom? a) Email b) Phone Call c) Thursday folders d) SignUp Genius e) Other
2) Which method has been the most successful in getting you in the classroom?
a) Email b) Phone Call c) Thursday folders d) SignUp Genius e) Other
3) How do you prefer to sign up for your parent/teacher conferences? a) Email b) Phone Call c) Thursday folders d) SignUp Genius e) Other
4) Which method has been most successful in helping you remember to attend your child’s parent/teacher conference times?
a) Email b) Phone call c) Thursday Folders d) Sign Up Genius e) Other
5) If you used SignUp Genius, to what extent did it impact the likelihood to volunteer in your child’s classroom? 6) What impact did SignUp Genius have with scheduling parent/teacher conferences? 7) What other thoughts would you like to share regarding volunteering in your child’s classroom?
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Analyzing Open-Ended Questions Tool (Parent)
Question Reponses
If you used SignUp Genius, to what extent did it impact the likelihood to volunteer in your child’s classroom?
What impact did SignUp Genius have with scheduling parent/teacher conferences?
What other thoughts would you like to share regarding volunteering in your child’s classroom?
Analyzing Open-Ended Questions Tool (Teacher)
Question Reponses
If you used SignUp Genius, to what extent did it impact the amount of frequency of parent volunteers in my classroom?
What impact did SignUp Genius have with parent/teacher conferences?
What impact did SignUp Genius have with spending time managing volunteers?
What other thoughts do you have regarding parent volunteering would you like to share?