M.Ed. (Educational Management) / Marketing in historically black public secondary schools in Phuthaditjhaba was never used as a management strategy by school principals. However principals ofindependent schools in the same region are using marketing to promote the image of their institutions in order to increase the enrolment of learners. These principals hold discussions with business men who evaluate their school programmes with the purpose of Keeping pace with the external environment. The failure to market the public secondary schools has a negative impact on the image ofthese schools and on the attitude that the community adopts towards them. This attitude compels parents to remove their children from such schools and to relocate them to others where marketing of the institution is a daily process and where a sound relationship with both the private sector and the external community of the institution has been established...

Parental participation in educational issues is relevant in assisting parents in understanding and becoming satisfied with their child's educational experience. Parental involvement is not only an ethical issue for teachers, but mandates have been established for special educators through various public laws. When involving parents in their children's education, it is relevant to consider various factors associated with students who are culturally and linguistically diverse. Parental satisfaction plays an important role in many cultures in obtaining parental involvement in decision-making meetings. If parents experience negative interactions, parental participation can be diminished. In other cultures, the satisfaction level raises parental trust in allowing school staff to make the appropriate choices for their children. Family values and beliefs among the various cultures should be a consideration when encouraging parents to participate in their child's educational process. Several barriers exist when involving different cultural groups; therefore, it is essential for educators to become aware of these barriers and learn strategies to overcome them. This study addresses parental understanding and satisfaction among ethnic group and throughout various disability groups by evaluating parental responses from a statewide survey and three focus groups.

With the rise of "helicopter" parents within primary and secondary education, school officials nationwide have started to address how to manage parental involvement in the educational system, specifically with regard to parent-teacher communication. Beginning in the 1980s, school administrators actively implemented programs targeting increased parental involvement in K-12 public schools, though the use of contact and relationship building strategies, in order to substantiate school-teacher-parent communication and further parental influence over decision making processes. While administrators and parents may view parent-teacher interactions as productive, teachers' negative experiences with parents may lead to stress, burnout, and attrition. Researchers have indicated that between 20 and 50% of first through third year teachers leave the profession due to increased, long-term stress, unrealistic workload, and an overall feeling of decreased personal and professional fulfillment. Likewise, through educational reform initiatives to standardize curriculum and increase parental involvement within public schools, teachers' roles within the educational system have shifted from positions of power, to figureheads for the system. The purpose of this study is to examine public school K-12 teachers' standpoints as they relate to parent-teacher communication.

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The purpose of this non-positivistic mixed-methods study is to examine parental attitudes towards the use of computer and video games in their child’s classroom and to investigate how the sociocultural contexts in which parents live affect those attitudes. The research was conducted using a mixed-methods triangulation design, including both quantitative and qualitative techniques. First, the study tried to identify which groups of parents were better positioned to accept and support digital game-based learning and which groups were less likely to have a positive attitude toward integrating digital games into the classroom. This study tried to determine if socioeconomic status, age, education level, and/or cultural background could serve as a predictor of parental attitudes toward digital game-based learning. Second, the study tried to recognize how social and cultural contexts in which parents live affect their attitudes toward digital games in the classroom. Many researchers agree that parents play an important role in students’ and eventually, educators’ attitudes toward gaming. It has been argued that if parents accept a certain non-traditional (digital) learning tool, then their children would most likely have a similar attitude toward it. Parents might be the support system that educators need in order to ensure that students are able to see the educational value of video games and are willing to think critically and draw connections between what they learn in a gaming environment and core subject areas.

MEDCS / Department of Curriculum Studies and Education Management

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Arts in fulfillment of the requirements of the Masters Degree in the Department of Sociology at the University of Zululand, 2004. / Previously in the early fifties, education was based on racial inequality and segregation. The perspective on school development through partnership in education with parents as a community changed after the democratization of S.A in 1994. Previously in 1984, parents were not fully involved in the education system. After 1994 election the culture of learning and teaching was launched, Parents, educators, non-educators and learners were involved in education. School Governing bodies were elected. They were formed by all stakeholders i.e. parents, educators, non-educators and learners. This partnership was designed to improve the quality of education for all South Africans. School development through partnership in education empowers schools to take responsibility for their own development. Development of schools is now the responsibility of all South Africans who have a stake in the education system. Tensions frequently exist between educators and parents. Many problems result from societal influences, values, assumption, ignorance and inadequate information. Since the democratization of the country in 1994 the emphases in education focused on educational rights for all. Democratization of education includes the idea that stakeholders such as parents must participate fully in the activities of the schools, regulations relating to the election of the school governing bodies in public schools. Regulation should suit all levels of communities, rural or urban areas. Schools in rural areas could benefit from community members who may have the useful contribution to the performance of the school. The process of school development reflects the values and the beliefs of the community. Educators, together with parents can organize different activities to bring about the bond among three pillars i.e. educators, parents and learners. In the partnership in education, parents and educators cater for the general welfare of the learners. Educators could also take a leadership role in learner counseling, guidance and discipline. For partnership in education to be successful all the stakeholders should be involved in the decision making in school matters. Both parents and educators should sometimes sacrifice their time in order to promote good partnership. Educators need to be exposed to more cognitive and co-operative learning and teaching styles. The study further reveals that parents have a very crucial role to play in education. Parents play an integral part in moulding and educating a child. Formal and informal education should work hand in hand. It is this reason that parents are involved through the school governing bodies. Parents should take a lead in the education of their children. Through their partnership in education, parents are involved in many activities at school. Activities like the maintenance of the school buildings, facilities, resources and the management of the funds. Research has shown that successful and quality improvements are most likely to be achieved when individual school takes responsibility for their own quality standards. The stakeholders should align with the goals of organization and should take initiative. They should persue goals despite obstacles and setbacks. When community are well developed, they have pride and sense of ownership for their schools.

The purpose of this research was to identify parental involvement variables which are effective in improving the Reading and Math achievement of children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). A conceptual model examining achievement as influenced by background variables and parental involvement variables was hypothesized. Background variables of socio-economic status, ethnicity, gender, child age, and ability were proposed to affect parental involvement variables which were represented by expectations, communication, structure, participation, homework procedures and time, TV time, medication, special education, and the outcome variable, achievement. Parental involvement variables were proposed to have direct affects on achievement. Data from a sample of 208 families with a child diagnosed as having ADHD and attending elementary school (grades Kindergarten through sixth) were subjected to path analytic analyses using multiple regression procedures. Findings were generally inconsistent with much of the previous research on parental involvement within the nonADHD population. Results did suggest some parental involvement variables which had differential, important effects on achievement depending on which criterion was used (Reading or Math grades). It was suggested that these findings were indicative of the behavioral and management problems seen in children with Attention Deficit Disorders, but that there do appear to be certain strategies parents can use to help their ADHD children achieve at a higher level in school. / Ed. D.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of parental involvement on grades and achievement test scores through the variables time on task, general self-esteem, and student attitude about school. The study controlled for the background characteristics of ethnicity, gender, family background, and ability. To do this, structural models were developed based on theory, logic, prior research, and time precedence and were analyzed using 18,141 subjects from the High School and Beyond data set. Although parental involvement in the home had no direct effect on grades or achievement test scores in high school, it did affect time on task, general self-esteem, and attitude about school in such a way as to indirectly improve grades, especially through student attitude about school. When individual components of parental involvement were analyzed, consistent indirect effects on high school grades were found from fathers and mothers. The study suggests that if parents monitor school work, help with school plans, and talk to their child about personal experiences, their child's time on task, general self-esteem, and attitude about school will improve in a way that improves grades in school at the high school level. / Ph. D.