Action Research Proposal on Parent Involvement in Early Childhood By: Krista Morrison Arkansas State University E-mail: krista.morrison@smail.astate.edu

Do Types of Parent Involvement in Early Childhood Effect Preschool Children’s Learning Outcomes? In recent years policy makers and educational experts have expressed alarm about the growing problem of parent involvement and its effect on student out comes in the United States.

What is Parent Involvement?

Why Do We Research Types of Parent Involvement?

Participants The participants will be... Randomly Selected from a single classroom Six Children Three Male Three Female Parents of the Children

Procedure Selection of participants Hold a preview and sign up meeting Test children and give a post test Issue a post survey to the parents Conduct various parent /child activities Complete post test on children Complete post test on parents Compile data Report findings in paper

Time Line September 3 Random selection of participants, briefing and consents. Establish parent involvement types and times they will occur. October 10 Pre-test for children and pre-questionnaire for parents. October 17 Mid- term meeting with parents October 24 Administer post-test for children and post questionnaire for adults November1 Collect all data and process results. November 8 Conclude and write paper November15 Turn in paper

The Three Types of Parent Involvement Include… Attending classroom activities and volunteering Full Involvement in all Activities Take Home Activities and Home Visits

Take Home Activities and Home Visits include but not limited to… Take home activities for the child and parent to be involved in Parent can make materials for the classroom and for home activities with their child Being present for the home visits made by the teacher and paraprofessional

Full Involvement in all Activities

Some Sample Questions on the Parent Questionnaire are … Will you please define Parent Involvement? How many times a week are you actively involved in activities with your child? Do you work? Are you married or do you live with a significant other that assist you I the care and support of your child? Do you have transportation? What is your income? Do you have other children in the home? When would you be available to be involved with your child in activities?

Data Collection should Show a comparison as follows… Parent Pre Questionnaire Child Pre Test Data collection of the Parent involvement Parent Post Questionnaire Child Post Test Data collection of the Childs improvement

Some Samples of Data Collection are Children Parents Portfolios Teacher Observations Teacher Observed Parent/Child Interaction Photos Teacher Observed Parent/Child Interaction Parent Attendance Records Photos Materials made for the classroom

How Might this Proposed Action Research be Significant? The research could have a significant effect on the practice of how we involve parents in the early childhood classroom. The research could have a significant effect on the learning outcomes of young children. The research could significantly change the structure of the curriculum to include the parent more and discover the type or types of parent activities that work the best. The research could lead to further studies of this nature and effect trends in research.

Conclusion The research will be positively or negatively skewed The value of this study could prove that one specific type of parent involvement activity is effective on learning outcomes for young children The active research lends itself to further investigation either way that the data is skewed. The research could have an impact on the profession of early childhood.

Parent Involvement Has a Direct impact on Learning Outcomes in Early Childhood Lets all join hands to improve our parent involvement for the benefit of the children

References   Arnold, D., Zelio, A., Doctoroff, G., &Ortis, C. (2008). Parent involvement in preschool: predictors and the relation of involvement to pre-literacy development. School Psychology Review, 17(1), 74-90. Buyuktaskaup, S. Department of Preschool Education, Education Science Theory and Practice.(2012). Effect of family supported pre-reading training program given to children in preschool education period on reading success in primary school. Retrieved from Educational Consultancy and Research Center website: www.edam.com.tr/estp Hay, I., & Fielding-Barnsley, R. (2007). Facilitating children's emergent literacy using shared reading: Aa comparison of two models. Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, 30(3), 191-202. Hilado , A., Kallemeyn, L., Leow, C., Lundy, M., &Isreal , M. (2011). Supporting child welfare and parent involvement in preschool programs.Early Childhood Education, 39, 343-353. Knopf, H., &Swick, K. (2008).Using our understanding of families to strengthen family involvement.Early Childhood Education, 35, 419-427. Karlson, I., &Simonsson, M. (2008). Preschool work teams' view of ways of working with gender-parents' involvement. Early Childhood Education, 36, 171-177. Korfmacher, J., Green, B., Staerkel, F., Peterson, C., Cook, G., Roggman, L., Faldowski, R., &Schiffman, R. (2008). Parent involvement in early childhood home visitiing.Child Youth Care Forum, 37, 171-196.

References LaForett, D., & Mendez, J. (2010).Parent involvement, parental depression, and program satisfaction among low-income parents participating in a two- generation early childhood education program.Early Childhood Education and Development, 21(4), 517-535. Lynch, J. (2009). Preschool teachers' beliefs about children’s print literacy development.Early Years, 29(2), 191-203. Markstrom, A. (2011). To involve parents in the assessment of the child in parent-teacher conferences: A case study. EarlyChildhood Education, 38, 465-474. Pang, Y. (2010).Facilitating family involvement in early intervention to preschool transition.The School Community Journal, 20(2), 183-198. Renolds, A., White, B., & Robertson, D. (2011). Age 26 cost-benefit analysis of the child-parent center early education program. Child Development, 82(1), 379-404. Swanson, J., Raab, M., &Dunst, C. (2011).Strengthening family capacity to provide young children everyday natural learning opportunities.Journal of Early Childhood Research, 9(1), 66-80. Tekin, A. (2011). Parent involvement revisited:background, theories, and models. Ijaes, 11(1), 2- 13. Zellman, G., & Perlman, M. (2006). Parent involvement in childcare settings:conceptual and measurement issues. Early Child Development, 176(5), 521-538.