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NORTHCENTRAL UNIVERSITYASSIGNMENT COVER SHEET

Learner: Melissa Webb Earnest

THIS FORM MUST BE COMPLETELY FILLED IN

Please Follow These Procedures: If requested by your mentor, use an assignment cover sheet as the first page of the word processor file. The assignment header should include the Learner’s last name, first initial, course code, dash, and assignment number (DoeJXXX0000-1) justified to the left and the page number justified to the right.

Keep a Photocopy or Electronic Copy of Your Assignments: You may need to re-submit assignments if your mentor has indicated that you may or must do so.

Academic Integrity: All work submitted in each course must be the Learner’s own. This includes all assignments, exams, term papers, and other projects required by the faculty mentor. The known submission of another person’s work represented as that of the Learner’s without properly citing the source of the work will be considered plagiarism and will result in an unsatisfactory grade for the work submitted or for the entire course, and may result in academic dismissal.

<Course ID Number> EDU 7000 <Faculty Mentor>Dr. Robey-Graham

<Course Title>Research <Assignment Number or Title> Assignment 9

<Add Learner comments here>

Faculty Use Only

Melissa,

You had a good start meeting the requirements of this assignment. Kudos!

However, you discussed how you intended to collect your data without describing which

research methodology/design you intended to use. At this point, you need to explain whether you

are going to do a quantitative, qualitative or mixed methods design. If you choose qualitative,

you need to explain which qualitative design you will use: case study, phenomenology, narrative

inquiry, ethnography or grounded theory. Then you need to explain why you have chosen that

design and how it relates to your study. You do not need to explain how you will gather your data

here.

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I would like you to rewrite this section and resubmit so I can grade your final paper.

Thanks,

Dr. Anne

Anne Robey-Graham, Ed.D.

School and District Communication: The Importance and The Impact

Melissa Webb Earnest

Northcentral University

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Abstract

Communication is important no matter the circumstance, but even more so in the field of

education. Varying types of communication are plentiful to select from, including the more

traditional forms as well as utilizing new technologies. But the question becomes which type to

use and when. Research exists on ways to successfully utilize public relations in schools and

districts, methods for teachers to interact with students both online and offline, the relationship

between staff members in a school and how communication can influence the rapport between

them, and many other forms of communicating within an educational parameter, but giving

educators the proper communication tool to use for a particular need or situation is one area

which should be researched even more. Both direct and indirect communication can have a

definite impact, whether it be positive or negative, and educators must know which tool to use

and when and how to make the most of their time and effort when communicating with others.

Communication is essential to the success of students, schools and districts.

Keywords: Communication, Public Relations, Education, Schools, Districts

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School and District Communication: The Importance and The Impact

Introduction

In my present position as Webmaster for a rural school district, I spend a large percentage

of my time updating our Web site, not only for the district, but quite frequently for the four

public schools and for the area technology center located on the district campus. As I have been

training teachers to establish their own personal classroom pages, I have been asked the same

question many times. Teachers want to know if what they are doing online is truly the best form

of communication for the parents and community members in our area. My answer at this point

has to be that none of us are sure. Given that not all our families have Internet access, I, too,

have wondered about the impact of such communication, noting all the time we are spending on

it. Are there other forms of communication that we should be using, both direct and indirect, that

would have a larger impact on our students and our families and even our community? If so,

what are the communication tools we need to be utilizing and focusing on rather than spinning

our wheels, so to speak, on a vehicle that may not be going anywhere?

As I pondered the various forms of communication we use in our district, I began looking

at other school districts around my own to see what they were using. Are we all focusing too

much on the technological and forgetting the traditional? Which methods of communication are

the most effective and why? How can we have a blend of all kinds so our districts are good

communicators of both good news and bad news? In beginning to research this issue, I had some

difficulty finding information, especially on the impact that Web sites have had on our

communications issues within school districts. I decided that this topic would lend itself to

academic research, because I hope to discover new ways to utilize the communication tools

already being used in schools and districts that will have the most impact. I also plan to discover

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if we have abandoned the traditional methods of communication that may have been the best

way to get our message across and why we have done so.

Overall, my main focus is to research different methods of communication being utilized

by public school districts and to critically look at each method to determine which is best for

which situations. Working with two school districts in many capacities for almost twenty-five

years has given me the ability to truly be objective about what we are communicating and how

and why, especially when disseminating news which may not be the most positive. With that

goal in mind, I also wish to discern which methods of communication reach the most persons

and therefore, where our teachers and staff members should be focusing their efforts. None of us

have the time to spend on communications which eventually go from one ear through the other

or from the desk or desktop of a computer into the trash or recycle bin.

Literature Review

Beginning to research the issue of school and district communication, I first wanted to

focus on communication skills that a principal must have since they are the instructional leader

of the school. It is important for open communication in many forms to take place between a

school and its community, including the students, parents/guardians and citizens. Effective

schools intentionally communicate programs, needs, and purposes, both internally and externally

(Stronge, Richard, & Catano, 2008). Since many stakeholders are now becoming more involved

in education, principals must be prepared to build strong relationships and must possess

leadership skills, be good listeners, and share responsibilities. Research has found that good

communication is crucial (Stronge et. al., 2008). Principals must practice two-way

communication consistently no matter the method whether it is traditional conference events or

more modern technology usage such as e-mail. It does not matter if a school is private, public,

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or charter, leaders in a school must market their schools to the community (Stronge et. al, 2008).

Effective communication is critical to school success.

A wonderful book by Robert D. Ramsey (2009) includes an entire chapter on what he

feels are the twenty biggest communication mistakes school leaders make. Luckily, Ramsey

includes information on how to avoid such mistakes. Very simply, Ramsey (2009) states

“Education is communication.” (Page 1) How true that is! It is so important educators realize

that when communication is given in an effective manner, then everyone understands; however,

if educational professionals do not learn to communicate effectively, then everything breaks

down and miscommunication becomes the norm. That is definitely not what schools want to do.

Ramsey (2009) notes the number of times students do not understand an assignment, parents

leave a conference not knowing what took place, and even staff members may not be clear on a

school’s vision or mission. To avoid these situations, educators must learn how to communicate

effectively.

What if there is an emergency situation at a school? What if the all-important attendance

in a particular district is low and funding is at risk? What do most educators consider the best

way to send communications to those who need to know? In today’s society, many districts have

implemented the use of notification systems. According to Schaffhauser (2010), ninety-five

percent of staff that uses such systems report improved attendance rates. Schools who utilize

notification systems also report increased parent involvement and cite the ability to communicate

in different languages a definite plus. Alerts can be sent quickly and easily for emergencies like

school closings for weather or in the case of a disaster like a school shooting. The ability to use

such a system has become not a luxury, but a necessity in the eyes of many educators.

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Public relations definitely is a concern in elementary and secondary education. Stewart

(2007) reminds educators that public relations is too often seen as something to do when

something goes wrong. Instead, school leadership should focus on getting out the correct

message and opening dialogue, hopefully preventing possible problems. According to Stewart

(2007), the principal is the instructional leader of the campus. If the principal does not pay

attention to public relations, a problem could evolve with the way the staff and the community

perceives the school, not to mention the students. The principal must have a plan in place for all

types of communications and should at the very least have a public relations program and

policies ready for any scenario. Stewart (2007) notes three steps that principals should follow.

First, goals for the public relations program should be decided. Second, the school must decide

who will be responsible for implementation. Third, the program must be periodically evaluated

for effectiveness.

Since the advent of technology, school districts have been pushed to embrace its use and

thinking of the possibilities of this usage to communicate is practically endless. Quillen (2010)

notes that electronic mail, or e-mail, was originally used by online instructors to deliver content,

but now e-mail is used more for particular communication points. Students are beginning to see

e-mail as a “relic of the past.” (Page 1). Instead, students are embracing the use of instant

messaging and social networks as a way to communicate with their instructors and their

classmates. Of course, many of these new technologies are included on cellular phones, so

students always feel connected to their education in some form or fashion. Other methods of

communicating mentioned by Quillen (2010) are blogs, wikis and videoconferencing. Perhaps

the largest issue with the use of these technologies is that many educators and parents are just

beginning to learn how to use them, while the students have grown up with them!

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Moore (2004) states unequivocally in an article “Today’s school communications should

be technologically savvy but people centered”. (Page 20) Using a survey by the National

School Public Relations Association in 2000, more than one-third of the school districts

responding stated they did not have a Web site. (Page 20) However, in a similar study in 2003,

school leadership indicated that developing a Web site and maintaining such a site was at the top

of the list of new ideas being developed based on demand. Moore (2004) notes the technology

now available must be a mix so the communication being given is still people centered and not

over the heads of the readers or users. Perhaps most importantly, Moore (2004) states that

educational institutions should use solid research and realize that “meaningful public relations

outcomes can’t be measured adequately by how many news releases are written or newsletter

printed.” (Page 22) Instead, schools should focus on the actions that are taken as a result of the

communication or the influence a communication may have. Moore (2004) is quick to point out

school communications clearly extend beyond the classroom and into the community which

means they can “inform, enthuse, inspire, challenge, mentor, listen, and more.” (Page 23)

With that in mind, was there any research already conducted to find out if it is desirable

to have one person in a district or school whose duties solely focus on communication, if truly,

that was to be a focus of the educational institution? In a public relations study conducted by the

Michigan School Public Relations Association, written surveys were sent to 394 superintendents.

“Analysis showed that very few school districts have a person who is devoted full time to public

relations activities.” (Abstract) As a part of this study, editors Lange and Young (1988) not

only presented the purpose, research design and analyses of data on public relations, they

included many articles on how important public relations can be to a school district and why it is

important to have someone trained within the district to deal with communications. The research

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portion of the study was very enlightening. The results indicated the majority of districts did not

have an established budget for public relations or a board policy about communications. About

half of the respondents stated they did not have anyone assigned within their district for specific

public relations duties. It is interesting to note that when asked to rank a list of seven activities,

publications was number three (3) and media relations was number five (5). Respondents were

offered a list of public relations topics and were able to indicate which of those topics was

something they would be interested in finding out more. Low cost projects and improving staff

morale topped the list with how to involve non-parents more and getting out information about

school budgeting close behind. It was interesting to see that most respondents had some type of

community newsletter being produced by the district, as well as having a building level

newsletter or a staff newsletter. However, electronic media was one of the lowest used

communications. Given the date of this research, 1988, perhaps that finding is not so unusual. If

the same study were conducted today, the number of districts using electronic media as a form of

communications would probably be much higher. However, there is no proof available that the

electronic media would be any better as a form of communication when compared to the

traditional forms such as newsletters or phone trees.

This important bridge of communication from the teacher to the home of the student can

be accomplished in many ways. Again, because having a Web site seems to be so important to

schools today, the focus appears to be on just that one avenue of communicating. Several

communication methods are suggested in an article by Mitchell, Foulger, & Wetzel (2009), the

first of which is to create a classroom Web site. The authors also mention the use of electronic

mail, creating a feedback form, and including a discussion forum. Perhaps more importantly,

though, is the idea that schools should offer specific training, not only for their staff members,

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but also for their families, so technology-based communication can be utilized to its fullest

potential. Another important point raised by the authors is to realize that not all families have

computers and Internet access at home, so it is essential that these families are kept informed

through more traditional methods of communication. According to Mitchell, et. al., (2009), the

research is clear that a family’s involvement in a child’s education improves their outcomes in all

areas and that the more frequent the contact between home and school, the more the child

benefits.

So what happens when the teacher does initiate some type of communication? Focusing

on a college setting, Stein (2008) studied selected online courses and observed the use of a

learning management system. “The study included instructor-initiated contacts such as

discussion forum postings, emails, announcements and links provided via course work and

handouts.” (Abstract, Page 1). Reflecting on the Socratic method of communication, Stein

(2008) noted this type of communication had a greater influence on student outcomes. Citing

earlier research by Mupinga, Nora, and Yaw (2006), Stein noted findings “that students’ top two

concerns are communication with the online professor and instructor feedback.” (Stein, 2008, p.

1). Again, the communication between the instructor and the student was shown to be very

important in the success of the student. Even with this in mind, Stein (2008) noted the

instructors in the study received little or no guidelines or training on online delivery. “Successful

online delivery mandates the effective use of communication, logically delivered content, and

consistency.” (Stein, 2008, p. 5). Once again, communication is at the forefront of research on

student success, whether it be online or delivered in person.

With student success driving the success of school systems across the United States,

teachers, principals, superintendents and school board members are learning collaboration and

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interpersonal problem solving are important. Friend and Cook (2010) note both of these are

based on communicating effectively. Broken into several chapters to be used within education

courses, Friend and Cook’s book contains solid content on communication, especially in one

chapter on interpersonal communication. The first part of the chapter notes that simply, “human

communication can be thought of as the means by which information is transmitted from one

person to another.” (Friend and Cook, 2010, p. 212.). The authors present the basic concepts in

communication as well as types of communication, frames of reference, and the skills necessary

to communicate effectively. It is evident anyone could benefit from learning these skills,

including educators.

Another resource discovered is a handbook for schools, families and communities to

utilize as they come together for the betterment of their schools and the benefit of their students.

Starting with a framework, Epstein et al. (2009) point out the importance of partnerships and

what research says about involving teachers, parents, and students in the educational process.

One of the first points brought out “emphasized the importance of honest, two-way

communication between schools and potential community partners so that each party is fully

aware of the intent and expectations of the other.” (Epstein et al., 2009, p. 35.). If there is not

honest communication between all parties involved, then the partnership and the success of the

student, the school and the district will be minimal. Epstein continues the journey giving types

of actions to try such as establishing a folder for family support, using student-led conferences,

learning at home, and bringing the PTA (Parent Teacher Association) to the parents as well as

actual forms, surveys, and action plans that can be utilized right away with little effort or change.

Thinking beyond the bake sale, Henderson, Mapp, Johnson, and Davies (2007) note that

with the passing of the No Child Left Behind law with which all educators are very familiar, all

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children must have equal opportunity to receive a high quality education. According to the

authors, “our public schools need all the help they can get – from parents, family members,

community residents, local organizations, and anyone else whom we can engage in children’s

learning.” (Henderson et al., 2007, p. 1). Since all of those entities are to come together to make

a student’s educational process successful, there must be some avenue of communication

between them. Throughout the book there are tips given and the first one supports the research

topic. “Public engagement is a way to build support for public schools that gets beyond PR.”

(Henderson et al., 2007, p. 4). It is so clear formal public relations is not the only form of

communication that has to take place for schools and students to be successful. Another

important point raised is the fact that even unpopular points of view should be heard. Citing

different ways to accomplish this professionally, the book broadens the outlook of any educator

wanting to strengthen communications with all the aspects of a successful school or district

program.

According to Prommasit (2008), the world of education has changed and now teachers

and principals are faced with meeting stringent standards and testing requirements and

Prommasit acknowledges that teachers cannot control what happens outside their classrooms.

“Therefore, the more convenient educators make the communication process, the more likely it

is that parents will form active partnerships with teachers.” (Prommasit, 2008, p. 1). Research

conducted on the success of students emphasizes that teachers, parents, and students must work

together as a team. Prommasit (2008) notes that regular communication is needed and that it is

perhaps more difficult for teachers in the higher grades to reach parents on a regular basis.

Again, Web sites are mentioned as a possibility for schools to disseminate school information, as

well as host teacher sites where they can store lesson plans, calendars of important dates, and

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contact information. Electronic mail, or e-mail, is also mentioned as a strong tool to enable all

parties to communicate in a more timely manner. Again, though, Prommasit (2008) notes that

the Internet is not an option for all, so that method of communication may not be the best form

for the district, school or teachers to employ.

Any future studies should, of course, not rule out any particular style of communicating

between students, teachers, and the home or even the community. Even though literature is

available to give opinions and some basic research on certain kinds of public relations is

obtainable, and even though we can all agree that communication is important, nothing I have

found points to the best communication method to use to have the most impact in situations

schools and districts often face.

Research Problem

The literature researched shows the extent to which the term communication is used very

broadly in the educational world. It can mean anything from newsletters being printed and sent

home in backpacks of students to maintaining Web sites at the district, school and even teacher

level. Even though there is research to support the importance of communication and public

relations for schools and districts to be successful, there is very little on the various forms of

communication and which is actually the choice that will have the most impact on students and

on their families, and even on the community at large.

Given my position and the effort and time that I spend on Web sites and blogs and such, I

often wonder if it is really worth all that focus. Time and time again as I train teachers and other

staff members to utilize our current Web hosting software, I am asked the same question I

mentioned at the very beginning - Teachers want to know if what they are doing online is truly

the best form of communication for the parents and community members in our area. I would

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like to add to the question, if online communication is really not the best form, then what should

we be doing as educators instead? That is exactly what I want to explore and hope to find

definitive answers not only for myself, but for all my colleagues in the field of education.

Methodology

Based on the information I wish to gather, I have chosen the qualitative research method

which emphasizes the generation of a theory based on the data. The first step in qualitative

research is the collection of the data to be studied through a variety of methods. Below I outline

the process I plan to go through to do so. From the data that I collect, I will prepare scientific

groupings and categories so the different forms of communication used by educators can be

separated into traditional verses technological and further broken down by the various types

within those categories. During the data analysis phase, I plan to use interpretive techniques,

including observations of the use of various forms of communication and how these forms are

perceived and received. Another technique I will use is grounded theory, which will give me the

opportunity to use a review of present communication styles, interviews with the persons the

communication is affecting, and surveys to gather data from the persons involved in every day

preparation of and receipt of all the types of public relations that educators utilize. I also plan to

utilize critical social research as this will help me to determine how people communicate and

develop meanings from the various types of communication. These methods and the resulting

findings should give me the basis for a theory as to which type of communication has the most

impact for a particular situation within the educational realm.

Conclusion

There are so many buzz phrases in education today, including ensuring we have “no child

left behind” and preparing our students for the “global economy” or “global market”. But what

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about the phrase “digital divide”? Thinking about the types of communication we use within

educational circles and within our communities, we must consider the digital divide and be

certain we are not leaving out students and their families because we are choosing a

technological type of communication over a more traditional type. With all the different styles

of communication available, surely we can make selections that will have the most impact, no

matter the message we are trying to convey. Hopefully as a result of this research, I will be able

to help fellow educators know what to select and when and how to make the most of their time

and effort when communicating with their students, with their parents/guardians, with their

colleagues and even with the at-large community.

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References

Epstein, J. L., Sanders, M. G., Sheldon, S. B., Simon, B. S., Salinas, K. C., Jansorn, N. R., . . . Williams, K. J. (2009). School, Family, and Community Partnerships: Your Handbook for Action (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Friend, M., & Cook, L. (2010). Interactions: Collaboration Skills for School Professionals (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.

Henderson, A. T., Mapp, K. L., Johnson, V. R., & Davies, D. (2007). Beyond the Bake Sale: The Essential Guide to Family-School Partnerships. New York, NY: The New Press.

Lange, L., and Young, J. (1988). Hot Topics in School Public Relations.(ED 308597; EA 021095). Available from Publications, Michigan School Public Relations Association, 421 West Kalamazoo, Lansing, MI 48933.

Mitchell, S., Foulger, T.S., & Wetzel, K. (2009). Ten tips for involving families through Internet-based communication. Young Children, 64(5), 46-49. Retrieved from http://www.naeyc.org/yc/pastissues.

Moore, E.H. (2004). The Human Touch. American School Board Journal, 191(2), 20-23. Retrieved from http://www.asbj.com/Search.aspx?SearchPhrase=Edward+H.+Moore

Prommasit, J. (2008). Communication Technology to the Rescue:New Methods for Establishing Effective Home School Communication. In K. McFerrin et al. (Eds.), Proceedings of Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference 2008 (pp. 2792-2797). Chesapeake, VA: AACE.Retrieved from http://www.editlib.org/p/27644.

Quillen, I. (2010, September 20). E-Educators Uses Daily Mix of Digital Tools. Education Week. Retrieved from http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2010/09/22/04edtech_tools.h30.html?r=1594358809

Ramsey, R.D. (2009). How to Say the Right Thing Every Time: Communicating Well With Students, Staff, Parents, and the Public (2nd ed.).Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, Inc.

Schaffhauser, D. (2010, December 7). Overall Parent Communications Improve at Schools via Emergency Notification Systems. THE Journal. Retrieved from http://thejournal.com/articles/2010/12/07/overall-parent-communications-improve-at-schools-via-emergency-notification-systems.aspx?sc_lang=en

Stein, E. C. (2008). Correlation Study Between Instructor-initiated Communication and Student Outcomes (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from http://library.ncu.edu/ncu_diss/display_abstract.aspx?dissertation_id=1030

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Stewart, L. (2007, April 9). The Importance of Public Relations. Retrieved from the Connexions Web site: http://cnx.org/content/m14430/1.1/

Stronge, J.H., Richard, H.B., & Catano, N. (2008). Qualities of Effective Principals. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

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