communicating with digital parents - event 2 in a 4-part series

Communicating with Digital ParentsPresented by: Julie Evans and Irene Afek

DIGITAL PARENTS WEBINAR

© 2012 Schoolwires, Inc. All rights reserved. 2

Control Panel

Control panel is on the right side of your screen.

• Chat with other attendees in the “Chat” section

• Submit your questions in the “Q&A” section


Webinar Tips

• Tweeting today? Use our handles @Schoolwires and @SpeakUpEd and hashtag #EngageDigitalParents

• A link to the recording of this webinar will be emailed to you

• There will be a 5 second pause before we start our speakers’ introduction and presentation…

Communicating with Digital ParentsPresented by: Julie Evans and Irene Afek



Guest Presenter: Julie Evans

• CEO of Project Tomorrow • Chief Researcher for Speak Up• Named One of Top Ten Most

Influential People in Ed Tech 1998-2008

• Frequent speaker and writer• Welcome, Julie!


Irene Afek, Coordinator of Elementary Programs

Voorhees Township Public Schools (NJ)

Plans and administers communication programs

Technology Specialist English as a Second Language

teacher Ministry of Education in Israel

Welcome, Irene!


Reaching the New Digital Parent: An Administrators’ Guide

• New collaboration between Project Tomorrow & Schoolwires

• Series of webinars, resources and white papers

• Goal: to provide school and district administrators with insights and tools to communicate, collaborate and connect with parents

• Based upon new research from Speak Up


Speak Up National Research Project

Annual national research project Online surveys + focus groups Open for all K-12 schools and schools of education Institutions receive free report with their own data

Collect ideas ↔ Stimulate conversations K-12 Students, Teachers, Parents, Administrators Pre-Service Teachers in Schools of Education

Inform policies & programs Analysis and reporting of findings and trends Consulting services to help transform teaching and learning

+ 3 million surveys since 2003


Speak Up National Research Project - 2012

K-12 Students 364,233 Teachers & Librarians 56,346 Parents (in English & Spanish) 39,713 School/District Administrators 5,511 Technology Leaders 500

About the participating schools & districtso 8,020 schools and 2,431 districtso 30% urban / 43% rural / 27% suburbano All 50 states + DC o Honor Roll of States with highest participation:

TX, CA, OH, IN, AL, NC, WI, AZ, FL, PA

© 2012 Schoolwires, Inc. All rights reserved.

Who are the New Digital Parents?

New Digital Parent Profile

Value proposition for the use of technology in education Personal usage of mobile devices Personal experience with online learning Strong interest in digital school-to-home communications

37% of parents of school-aged childrenfit this profile today


Four chapters with accompanying webinars:

• Who are the New Digital Parents?

• Communicating with the New Digital Parents

• Expectations of the New Digital Parents

• Creating a Shared Vision with the New Digital Parents




University of Chicago study:

“Strong parent-community-school ties” is one of the essential five supports for school

improvement.



University of Chicago study:

“Strong parent-community-school ties” is one of the essential five supports for school

improvement.

Yet, only 21% of parents say that communications with their child’s school is

very effective.



Communications with parents matters!

37% of administrators see engaging parents as co-teachers as key to student achievement

71% of principals want new teachers to have training during their preparation programs in how to use tech to communicate with parents

26% of administrators call “parent communications” a challenge, however!



Communications with parents matters!

Some schools and districts are already tapping into tech tools to engage/connect/communicate with parents:

Digital/phone notification systems 54%Social media

41%Twitter

17%



What are the experiences and expectations of the New Digital Parents?


Parents are social media users!

What social media do you regularly use in your personal life?

Elementary School Parents

Middle School Parents

High School Parents

Communicating via text messages 86% 86% 86%

Maintaining a social networking site

62% 55% 52%

Watching online videos 40% 36% 34%

Streaming online TV shows 37% 34% 32%

Playing online or mobile app games

30% 28% 25%

Using Twitter 14% 13% 13%


And they are mobile device users, also!

Do you have a mobile device?

Cell phone without Internet

access

Smartphone Tablet computer

Parents - 2008

90% 32% 5%

Parents - 2012

35% 73% 49%


Using Digital Tools for School to Home Communications – are we on the same page?

Twitter

Skype

Facebook

Class blogs

Mobile app

Text messaging

Portal with grade info

Personal emails

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Tech Leaders: currently supporting these toolsPrincipals: say these tools are beneficialNew Digital Parents: want to use these tools


Questions to think about:

How well are your current communications tools and strategies supporting your efforts to engage, connect and communicate with your students’ parents?

Are your school or district communications tools meeting the expectations of

your New Digital Parents for effective communications?

How can you leverage digital tools and resources to not only improve school to home communications, but to engage parents in supporting the learning process?



Next chapter: Expectations of the New Digital Parents

. . . for new learning environments for their children.



District Goals

• Enhance and improve home-school communication

• Well informed and engaged parents

• Student success in school


Communication Integration

Websites

Parent Portal

Notification System


District and School Websites

• Immediate

• Updated

• Concise

• Consistent


Usage

Website Usage

Needs

Deficiencies

Focus


Paperless

• Virtual Backpack

District

Schools

Community

• Forms

• Flyers


Parent Input

Blogging

Parent Input

Meet Their Needs


Teacher and Student Websites


Notification System

• Student Database Driven

• Multiple Phone Numbers

• E-mail Addresses• Updated Every 24

Hours

• Emergency Notices E-mail Voice Text

• E-News Weekly, As Needed Information Forms Links


Notification System


Parent Portal

Parents Always in the Know

• Attendance

• Courses

• Schedule

• Where are they right now?

• Assignments

• Grades

• Report Cards

• Contact Information


Digital Evolution – Communicating with Parents

http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=shouting+from+a+mountain+top&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=Sj3KRm4w7Q4CRM&tbnid=a8o0Ex99gu7DSM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http://www.mylot.com/w/image/1445618.aspx&ei=4mWBUf73Iav94AOJ7YG4CA&bvm=bv.45921128,d.dmg&psig=AFQjCNFnjjPG1MVjvRC2qtQdejUDZ5C3SA&ust=1367521066914352

http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=communication+devices+pictures&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=ig0D9rUqDGkxuM&tbnid=cO2D3SfPH6nKVM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http://listvisit.com/ten-great-inventions-that-changed-the-world/communication-devices/&ei=T2eBUfmxMuqi4APFpoCYAw&bvm=bv.45921128,d.dmg&psig=AFQjCNFXsXqvpRd_6Qd4I7Ky3nZkqt41dg&ust=1367521359039807

http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=communication+devices+pictures&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=Hn72DFZpXVfiTM&tbnid=vfFevtkW6y7QdM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http://www.sears.com/hello-kitty-bracelet-walkie-talkies/p-004W004926946001P&ei=fGeBUbzWDo7A4AOe7IHAAg&bvm=bv.45921128,d.dmg&psig=AFQjCNFXsXqvpRd_6Qd4I7Ky3nZkqt41dg&ust=1367521359039807

http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=ancient+communication+devices&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=EnmCuz4tO7OUXM&tbnid=X5tzxeunWw6d9M:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http://www.ehow.com/list_7612127_types-communication-during-wwi.html&ei=8GeBUYC0J9Wz4AOFl4CwBg&bvm=bv.45921128,d.dmg&psig=AFQjCNEpocCx03QxQRzRPqxgR_WEHU-XLA&ust=1367521569041240

http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=ancient+communication+devices&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=j4kcAOk3-MKDfM&tbnid=fX_kjOBLm5DjKM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http://drtingleton.com/blog/inspiration-found-at-the-alameda-flea/ancient-communication-device-vintage-telephone/&ei=xWiBUbKIJJCi4AO4wYF4&bvm=bv.45921128,d.dmg&psig=AFQjCNEpocCx03QxQRzRPqxgR_WEHU-XLA&ust=1367521569041240

http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=communication&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=ko1fVP8uCas6XM&tbnid=Bampz9p0iRj-CM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http://www.maurilioamorim.com/2011/05/what-are-you-trying-to-say/&ei=WWmBUYyjGs2g4AP144B4&bvm=bv.45921128,d.dmg&psig=AFQjCNGzkLHOum--JgAEDNGbUveWSQbh6g&ust=1367521929227556

http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=communication+devices&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=akXE5qtwAcoFGM&tbnid=eRDUuMa-hI_umM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http://www.creative-mo.com/blog/executing-a-successful-qr-code-campaign-part-3-user-experience/&ei=rGqBUdfcDLO_0QHMhoGwCg&bvm=bv.45921128,d.dmQ&psig=AFQjCNH21UneWXijdjZeG1anMSaR_sC0dg&ust=1367522333097088

http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=ancient+communication+devices&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=P5f0TG3KG_y87M&tbnid=UWXYfmMyP0PUaM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http://www.calgaryherald.com/technology/tech-biz/Gallery+Future+Wireless+Communication/8012174/story.html&ei=ZWiBUcWFI46g4APatIBg&bvm=bv.45921128,d.dmg&psig=AFQjCNEpocCx03QxQRzRPqxgR_WEHU-XLA&ust=1367521569041240


May 21, 1:00 pm ESTInvolving Digital Parents in digital learning

June 11, 1:00 pm ESTExploring Digital Parents’ vision for 21st century

learning

Register at: www.schoolwires.com/getbetterconnected

http://www.schoolwires.com/getbetterconnected


What Questions Do You Have?

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