Participation, Parental Engagement and Technology

Learning from the PEAL Project and Beyond

Paul CutlerAssociate - National Children’s Bureau

pauldcutler@gmail.com

I want to tell you about...

• The PEAL story - Parents, Early Years and Learning

• How PEAL has involved parents in their children’s learning and in early years services

• The role of technology in this

• Lessons and learning

Involvement is about people’s stories

• “…I never realised how wise she was…”

• “…it has shown me how to spend more time watching her and listening to her…”

• “…I noticed Lilly’s love of words…”

• “… I want to share that I have always been anxious about speaking with parents…”

How do we involve parents in their children’s learning?

The big question

First principles• Parents are experts• Parents are so important - value them!• Relationships are crucial• Valuing diversity has to be real and practical• Communication • It is a highly skilled role• Do it together, not to - participation• Technology gives us powerful tools• EYFS context

The PEAL Project - 2006 to 2008

• 283 individual workshops

• 113 events

• 4221 individuals trained

• Most disadvantaged areas

• Outreach and consultancy - the outsider perspective

• Created a network

Lifecycle of a project• Literature review and research• Collecting examples and case studies• Creating a training workshop• Developing materials• Testing• Roll out year one• Roll out year two• And onwards...

Reaching out

• Children’s centres

• Private and voluntary settings

• Child minders

• Local authorities

• Colleges

• Partners - NCMA, NDNA, PLA, City & Guilds

Evidence base• Big studies

• Small studies

• Grassroots material - practitioner led, parent led

• Engagement with the literature

• Critical reflection

• Adding to the evidence base

• Accessing it all online

Key Research Messages # 1 Sylva et al, 2004, EPPE

• ‘What parents do is more important than who they are’

• ‘The home learning environment gives children an advantage in both social and intellectual development’

• Home or informal learning ‘stretches a child’s mind’

Key Research Messages #2

• ‘In the primary age range, the impact on achievement of different levels of parental involvement is bigger than differences associated with variations in the quality of schools’

• Deforges and Abouchaar, 2003

Key Research Messages #3

• Fathers’ interest and involvement has an independent effect on children. It gives additional benefit to mothers’ interest and involvement’

• Goldman, 2005

Key Research Messages #4• What do parents want from partnership?• To be listened to• Their knowledge of their child valued• Confidence enhanced• Choices• Some control• Active partners in problem solving• Quinton, 2004

What can technology offer to help parents and practitioners

achieve this?

Key question

PEAL sessions

• What is it like for parents?

• What do parents want from practitioners?

• Respectful relationships

• Why work with parents?

• What might stop us?

• Communication and confidence

• What needs to be in place?

Inspirations from Pen Green• Innovative uses of technology• Involvement and participation from the first

step• Scale of the involvement• Parents as the camera person - passing on

control and power• Getting absorbed in the observations• Linking to schemas and other models

What stops parental involvement?

• Time pressures

• Parents journeys

• Past experiences - often negative

• Perceptions

• Small details = big barriers

• First impressions and welcomes

• Access

Technology helps with• Communication - 2-way• Conversations - keep them going• Observations• Capturing• Recording• Storing - memory and reflection• Comparing• Stories• Editing and personalising• Insight• Celebrating

Types of technology• Mobile phones• SMS• DVD and video• Digital photography• Music, mp3 and podcasts• Email• Websites - Flickr, Facebook• Other social media - wikis, forums, blogs• Others

Examples• Sharing observations• Stop, Look and Listen - Margaret Carr• Treasureboxes• Story sacks• Video and DVD• Photo books• PEAL forum, comment pages• Science museum and library trips - local, free• Web based dissemination• Electronic documents - case studies, reports

Fathers and technology• Do men like gadgets? Discuss

• Personal invitations

• Multiple forms of contact

• Picture messages

• Including dad in feedback / communication

• Valuing different types of involvement and learning

• Asking for feedback - beware gender assumptions

Technology and diversity

• Access

• Language

• Networks

• Disability groups

• Using a range of tools

• Introduce at people’s own pace

• Get feedback

Key lessons - getting it right• Be prepared to loan and share technology• Be prepared to take risks• Be prepared to build trust• Build staff confidence• Build on existing strengths• Avoid jargon• Learn from other settings - network• Focus on the learning and the relationship• Make it fun

Barriers

• If I tell you the truth…

• Word on the street

• Will I let you down?

• Why are we doing this?

• I didn’t know - getting information

• Missing the point - technology as a facilitator

Future opportunities - who changes?

• Find the amazing stuff that is out there• Institutionalise involvement and participation

in settings - forums and beyond• Get out in to the real world• Focus on the power of parents and children’s

learning• Develop the networks and information

Useful links

• PEAL www.peal.org.uk

• PEAL online forum www.peal.org.uk/forum

• Participation tools www.participationworks.org.uk

• Byron Review www.dfes.gov.uk/byronreview

About me

• Pauldcutler@gmail.com

• www.stronger-and-more-effective.co.uk

• Blog at www.publicaction.org.uk

• Twittering at http://twitter.com/paulcutler

References

• Desforges, C. and Abouchaar, A. (2003) The Impact of Parental Involvement, Parental Support and Family Education: A Literature Review, Research Report 433. London: DfES

• Goldman, R. (2005) Fathers’ Involvement in their Children’s Education. London: NFPI

• Quinton, D. (2004) Supporting Parents: Messages from Research. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers

• Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Sammons, P. and Melhuish, E. (2004) The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) Project: Final Report. London: DfES

• Wheeler, H. and Connor, J. (2006) Parents, Early Years and Learning: Reader. London: NCB