Engaging in a Digital World: Perceptions from Families and Educators about Communication in Elementary School during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

This phenomenological study explored the technology tools and modalities that elementary schools used to communicate with and engage parents and families during the COVID-19 health pandemic, and how parents and teachers experienced and perceived the shift from in-person interactions to remote and online communication. The study examined three rural, low-income school districts in central Maine through a series of focus group interviews that included 18 parents and 18 educators. Drawing on Epstein and Sheldon's (2006) Spheres of Influence model as a conceptual framework for this study, the authors described how the parent sphere of influence over a child's educational experience and parent engagement with the school expanded during the pandemic period. Findings from the study reflect three broad themes related to the positive impacts of expanded modalities for school-family communication: increased flexibility, opportunity for synchronous and asynchronous communication, and increased voice for parents. The authors concluded that the quality and frequency of communication between families and educators was strengthened using new technology. They encourage school leaders to recognize the diverse needs and challenges of families that make in-person school visits difficult and to embrace the positive changes in remote communication that were piloted during the pandemic.