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Family Engagement in the Digital Age
Lisa Guernsey, New America
Family Engagement Summit 2017
Linthicum Heights, MD
The Case for Strengthening Families
Stresses families face today:
• Changing role of women and men in
workplace
• Rise of single parenthood
• Rising cost of living
• Generational downward mobility
• Decline in number and quality of
jobs
• Decline in family businesses
• Pressure of modern technology
Bronfenbrenner (1979); Takeuchi (2011)
Government
Agencies
Digital
Media
Market
Local
School
System
Church, Library,
After-school
Spaces
School,
Teachers,
Peers
Digital
Media Spaces
The
Neighborhood
Dominant
Beliefs Cultural
Values
Mass
Media
Parents’ Work
Home,
Parents,
Siblings
Attitudes & Ideologies
National & State
Policy
Ecological Perspectives on Development
Macrosystem
Exosystem
Mesosystem
Microsystem
Why?
The Quiet Crisis
How Do We Address This?
• How do we ensure that all children and
families have opportunities and access?
• How do we ensure that technology is not
used as a replacement for engagement?
• How do we help to set the conditions for
social interaction and lifelong learning
among children and parents every year of
their lives?
• How do we empower?
Comienza en Casa
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AlCSa88BBc
Guidance from National Organizations
Stresses the importance of parents and
educators in young children’s lives
Sesame Street photo used with permission. Photo of Gov
Patrick used under Creative Commons license.
The AAP’s online worksheet to help families consider their needs and values
tech.ed.gov/ea
rlylearning/
Deeper Dives into STEM & Literacy
Applying Findings and Lessons from the
Learning Sciences on How Children Develop
Skills and Knowledge
Research Is Becoming More Sophisticated
Addressing questions of content and context
while examining the implementation of
particular tools in particular settings for
subgroups of children
New Volume on Scientific Findings
Implications for:
•Parenting programs
•Library design
•School budgets and
purchasing choices
•Teacher training
Early Learning Lab Technology Strategy Preview
June 13, 2017
Early Learning Lab’s Interviews
What are we learning about parents’ needs, motivators, barriers and tech use?
Mobile First Peer-to-peer learning
Parents have high aspirations for their kids’ education but….
Parents don’t know what they don’t know
Source:
Now in Focus: The Importance of Mentoring
Parents and Educators
Recognizing the Need for New Systems and
Models for Reaching Families, Empowering
Parents, and Upskilling Librarians and
Teachers
Family Engagement & media mentor book here
Communities Taking Action
Integrating Technology in Early Literacy (InTEL)
http://atlas.newamerica.org/tech-early-literacy
Community guides on TapClickRead.orgources for
Taking Action at Home
4 Interlocking Steps
1. Take stock with eye toward equity
2. Build professional learning system for
media mentors
3. Expand physical infrastructure &
connectivity
4. Set up cycle for continuous
improvement
Written to be useful in concert with…
• Building Blocks for Success report from
the Center for Study of Social Policy &
National League of Cities
• Collective impact models underway with
the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading
• Guidance from Next Century Cities and
the National Broadband Report
• As well as …
4 STEPS
1. Take stock with eye toward equity
2. Build professional learning system for
media mentors
3. Expand physical infrastructure &
connectivity
4. Set up cycle for continuous
improvement
Where does
Maryland stand?
• Getting started
–For example, conducting a community needs
assessment
• Making progress
–For example, piloting an approach and
collecting evidence
• Sharing with others and scaling up
–For example, advocating for new PD policies
Actions on the ground
• Baltimore County Public Schools
• Pittsburgh – Remake Learning Network
• Public libraries in Addison, IL
• Public media in Jackson, MS
• Alexandria City Public Schools, VA
• Utilities build-out in Santa Monica, CA
• Parent & teacher surveys in 3 counties in
Silicon Valley
What is on your to-do list?
A. Taking stock of family engagement offerings with an
eye towards equity?
B. Developing professional development
opportunities to build a corps of media mentors and
family engagement specialists?
C. Creating a continuous cycle of improvement with
family engagement programs?
D. Investing in physical infrastructure that promotes
digital connectivity?
E. Providing training, support, and peer-to-peer learning
opportunities for users of digital technology?
