The purpose of the study was to profile perceptions and beliefs of
Oregon State University international student parents who have children in
area public elementary schools. The research methods included a survey to 26
self-selected participants, and seven tape-recorded interviews with volunteers
from the survey sample. These study subjects displayed a large range of
origin, cultural backgrounds, seniority in the area, family size and views
towards their children's education. Data collected were categorized and
interpreted with reference to the current theories in education.
The study findings included the international parents' domains of
satisfaction or dissatisfaction with their children's education in the area
schools, the parents' goals for their children's elementary education and the
parents' opinions and suggestions regarding parent involvement and
elementary education reform as related to improving elementary education
for international children enrolled in American schools. The domains of
parents' satisfaction with their children's education were analyzed in three
major groups: educational outcomes, skills and subjects offered by schools. It
also described the domains of the international parents' dissatisfaction and
their criticism about school activities and their organization. The
international parents' goals for their children's elementary education were
analyzed into five groups: Intellectual knowledge, personality development,
acquisition of life skills, preservation of parents' cultural values and
education for a multicultural life. The parents' involvement in their
children's education at home and at school was analyzed concerning parents'
comprehension of its necessity, initiatives, helpers and barriers for
involvement, and suggestions to improve their children's learning.
Recommendations for further research into international children's
education were presented. They were oriented towards replication of the
study to an extended population nationwide in different schools and at
different levels. They also suggested widening the research methods and
categories of parents, and matching parents' views with that of school agents
to coherently reform education in its complexity involving the whole
community of educators. / Graduation date: 1998
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ORGSU/oai:ir.library.oregonstate.edu:1957/33800 |
| Date | 30 December 1997 |
| Creators | Harelimana, Froduald |
| Contributors | Engel, Joanne B. |
| Source Sets | Oregon State University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
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