School leaders’ use of ICT to engage parents in their children’s education

Abstract

Parental engagement in children’s learning at all levels is associated with a learner’s academic success as well as the overall success of the school. Despite the significant amount of evidence on the importance of parent engagement in student learning, there seems to be a lack of parent engagement in schools due to schools not creating opportunities for engagement, a lack of inclusivity in schools, and the socio-economic status and personal circumstances of parents. This requires school leaders to develop innovative ways of reaching out to parents and fostering engagement in their children’s learning. This study views ICT as a tool that secondary school leaders can use to engage parents in the day-to-day activities related to their children’s education. It appreciates the role of ICT in teaching and learning against the backdrop of the rising use of social media and online platforms. Its purpose is to examine how secondary school leaders at Tshwane East district use ICT to engage parents in their children’s learning. Based on a case study design and following a qualitative approach, the study generated and analysed data collected from nine (9) participants drawn from three (3) secondary schools. The participants included purposively selected principals, deputy principals and departmental heads. Semi-structured interviews enabled participants to share their experiences of using ICT to engage parents in student learning. The Hoover-Dempsey and Sandler model underpins the study and sustains its focus until its completion. This study concludes that, despite the challenges regarding parent engagement in schools and the use of ICT in fostering this engagement, there are strategies that secondary school leaders can adopt to ensure success.