Laura Goldin INTE 6720 University of Colorado Denver

Laura Goldin Final Action Research

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Using Technology for Effective and Efficient Classroom Parent Volunteering Final Action Research

Laura Goldin INTE 6720

University of Colorado Denver

Fall 2012


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Introduction and Problem Statement

Teachers wear many hats and have endless hours of work and responsibility. Organization

and efficiency are a must when it comes to running an effective classroom. When I started my

teaching career in a school district in Eastern Colorado teaching 4th grade, I learned how to time

manage all the responsibilities I had. I learned how to plan effectively, work through the learning

standards, and reach my diverse learners. One thing that I struggled with was trying to get parent

volunteers into my classroom or even at a parent teacher conference. I sent out paper reminders at

the beginning of the year to get volunteers, but I had little to no success. When conferences came

around, I sent out numerous paper reminders and would have about a 50% success rate with parents

that attended.

With that said, when I took a new 4th grade teaching position last year at a brand new charter

school in Southern Colorado, I suddenly had a whole new challenge when it came to parent

volunteers. I feel now that I am lucky in the fact that it is challenging keeping track and organizing it

all when I have so many eager parents wanting to help and volunteer. Last year, I started my school

year using the paper method with Thursday folders, then moved to email, and finally near the end of

the year I had heard of an online tool called SignUp Genius (Appendix A) that the PTO, Parent

Teacher Organization, had been using to organize events. I realized how amazing this tool was

compared to the piles of papers I had to sift through or hundreds of emails I had to track on a daily

basis when I used the tool for our final field trip. I found that this online tool is a free and easy way

to create and organize online sign-up forms for all kinds of group activities. This is something that I

wanted to use at the start of my school year to help set up volunteering opportunities in my

classroom, set up conferences, set up parties, and more. I hoped that by using this tool I would learn

how to be more consistent, effective, and organized with parent volunteers.


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Purpose and Intended Audience

The purpose of this investigation was to explore how the online tool SignUp Genius helped

my classroom use volunteers in a more effective manner. I wanted to find out if the tool would help

me as the teacher keep better track of parents that came into my classroom. Furthermore, this study

examined the effects of the online tool SignUp Genius as it related to the number of volunteers in the

classroom, the consistency of volunteers in the classroom, and the time management of it all.

The intended audience for this research was other education professionals, specifically those

who have a high number of parents that want to get involved. My classroom parents make up a part

of the audience, as my parents were the ones I was investigating. Additionally, my instructor and

peers in my Research in IT course at the University of Colorado Denver are included as an important

audience as I learned the steps in this action inquiry.

Research Questions

This research explored the tool SignUp Genius a tool, which can improve parent involvement

in the classroom by making it more efficient, consistent and organized. I sought to answer the

following questions:

v To what extent does SignUp Genius impact parent participation in the classroom?

o How will the use of SignUp Genius impact the number of parents who volunteer in

the classroom?

o To what extent will the use of Sign Up Genius impact parent participation with

parent-teacher conferences?

o How will the use of SignUp Genius impact the parent/teacher perceptions of

participation in the classroom?

v To what extent does the use of SignUp Genius impact a teachers time spent on soliciting


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parent participation?

Context of Study

This research was conducted at a Preschool- 7th grade charter school in Southern Colorado.

The school has approximately 750 students. The demographics of the school are 87% white, 10%

Asian, and 3% other. Since we are a new school that opened up fall 2011, we only have one year

worth of TCAP, Transitional Colorado Assessment Program, data. The state of Colorado has nearly

70% of the state’s students are reading at grade level, a slight increase over 2011. About 56% are

proficient or above in math, essentially flat over last year. Fewer students – or 54% – are writing at

grade level, a marginal decline. Science scores are slightly up, with 49% of students achieving

proficiency. The data for the 4th grade class at Brian Fish Academy is as follows:

Taking a look at the data, fourth grader take reading, writing and math TCAP tests.

In math, fourth grade was 44% advanced, 45% proficient, and 12% partially proficient. Writing, had

7% advanced, 60% proficient, 32% partially proficient, and 1% unsatisfactory. There reading scores

were, 3% advanced, 77% proficient, 17% partially proficient, and 4% unsatisfactory.

This charter school, like other charter schools, has an educational program that is uniquely

tailored to the school and community it serves. We are a Core Knowledge school. The Core

Knowledge Sequence is a research-based program founded on the premise that a grade-by-grade

core of common learning is necessary to ensure a sound and complete elementary education. The

sequence was developed by Dr. E. D. Hirsch, Jr. and is based on a large body of research in

cognitive psychology, as well as a careful examination of several of the world’s fairest and most

effective school systems. Dr. Hirsch has argued that, for the sake of academic excellence, greater

fairness and higher literacy, early schooling should provide a solid, specific and shared core

curriculum in order to help children establish strong foundations of knowledge. Students learn new


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knowledge by building upon what they already know. The Core Knowledge Sequence defines the

knowledge and skills students will master at each grade level and raises the bar for student

accomplishment. The Sequence overview of the Core Knowledge Sequence for preschool through

eighth grade, what Brian Fish Academy will become next year. This is different than public school

curriculum and many charter school curriculums. It is a curriculum that creates well-rounded

individuals.

The school’s mission is to develop young adults with character like America’s founding

Renaissance man, Benjamin Franklin: well-read, scientifically curious, and civically engaged. The

students excel academically through a challenging, sequenced curriculum that emphasizes math,

science, and literacy. We are a data driven institution, focusing on individual students. The

students, teachers, parents, staff, and leaders are held accountable for the success of our

school. Finally, we recognize that an education is incomplete without fostering the arts, sports,

nature, and character.

Brian Fish Academy has a strong staff that includes administration, teachers, specialists, and

teacher aids. The community is committed to education and involvement in their child’s education.

Every family is required 30 hours of volunteering each school year. This includes working in

classrooms, setting up parties, working in the lunchroom, and organizing school wide events. We

work together as a family, and we thrive with an active community of parents.

Literature Review Introduction

Teachers wear many hats and have endless hours of work and responsibility. Organization

and efficiency are a must when it comes to running an effective classroom. When I started my

teaching career in the Aurora Public School district teaching 4th grade, I learned how to time manage

all the responsibilities I had. I learned how to plan effectively, work through the learning standards,


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and reach my diverse learners. One thing that I struggled with was trying to get parent volunteers

into my classroom or even at a parent teacher conference. I sent out paper reminders at the beginning

of the year to get volunteers, but I had little to no success. When conferences came around, I sent out

numerous paper reminders and would have about a 50% success rate with parents that attended.

With that said, when I took a new teaching position last year at a brand new charter school in

Southern Colorado, I suddenly had a whole new challenge when it came to parent volunteers. I feel

now that I am lucky in the fact that it is challenging keeping track and organize it all when I have so

many eager parents wanting to help and volunteer! Last year, I started my school year using the

paper method, then moved to email, and finally near the end of the year I had heard of an online tool

called SignUp Genius that the PTO had been using to organize events. I realized how amazing this

tool was compared to the piles of papers I had to sift through or hundreds of emails I had to track on

a daily basis when I used the tool for our final field trip. I found that this online tool is a free and

easy way to create and organize online sign-up forms for all kinds of group activities. This is

something that I want to use at the start of my school year to help set up volunteering opportunities

in my classroom, set up conferences, set up parties, and more. I hope that by using this tool I will

learn how to be more consistent, effective, and organized with parent volunteers.

In order to uncover how other professionals approached and studied the topic of parent

volunteers in the classroom and the use of an online tool, I completed a literature review. This

review provided me with information regarding the use and outcomes of online sign ups used in

a classroom or school setting.

Literature Review Questions

In order to further understand the relationship between online sign up tools, I explored the

following research questions:


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v How does effective parent participation affect learning?

v What are effective ways to increase parent participation?

v How can technology play a role in communication?

Literature Search Procedures

To start my literature research, I explored the databases provided by Douglas County

District Library Media Center. I used key words such as, “parents and online tools,” “parent

communication” and “online volunteering.” I was not successful with this search. This database

was more geared towards elementary and secondary uses. I then decided to search the Auraria

Campus library databases for the same keywords and this search provided over 100

articles/papers.

By sorting the articles by relevance, I found six articles that would benefit my research. I

did one more search and added in “online teacher communication.” I was able to get six more

articles from that search that would help my research. Last, I looked up “increase parent

involvement.” I was able to come across the articles that I had already found, but I did not

discover any new ones that would help my research. Overall, this research through Auraria

Library provided me with twelve peer-reviewed articles related to my Action Research focus.

Literature Review

Educators know that Parent-Teacher communication is crucial to children’s education.

There has to be strong communication so that everyone can be working together as a team.

Teachers must get and keep parents involved, but many teachers and parents view parental

involvement as their, “biggest challenge” due to different reasons such as language, socio-

economic status, flexibility, and time (Juniu & Shin, 2000).


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The Importance of Effective Parent Participation

Effectively engaging parents and families in the education of their children has the

potential to be far more transformational than any other type of education reform. Numerous

research articles cite improvements in student behavior, attitudes toward school, and academic

success, when positive relationships are established with parents and primary caregivers (Flynn,

2008). Flynn’s extensive review of current literature on parental involvement clearly shows that

children whose parents are involved with their schools, “do better academically, have fewer

absences, are more willing to do their homework, have higher graduation rates, and feel more

competent about their abilities” (Flynn, 2008, p.1).

The most cited reason for a lack of involvement is that parents are just, “too

overwhelmed by the day-to-day responsibilities in their own complicated daily lives” (Flynn,

2008, p. 1). Other reasons include parents feeling negative about their educational experiences,

intimidated, or in some cases, language and cultural differences (Flynn, 2008). However, making

the extra effort to form relationships with parents can have vast returns for a student. In 2001, a

study was conducted between third, fourth and fifth grade students in 71 elementary schools and

published by the U.S. Department of Education. What researchers found was that in schools

where teachers reported high levels of outreach to parents of low-achieving students, reading test

scores grew at a rate 50 percent higher and math test scores at a rate 40 percent higher than in

schools where teachers reported low levels of outreach (Flynn, 2008).

Educators need to effectively inspire parent participation at school events. Parents that

are involved in their child’s education increase a child’s chance for success. It is up to the teacher

and school to make sure parents know the importance of their involvement and how they can be

involved (Juniu & Shin, 2000). “Teachers should inform parents not only the date events occur,


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but teachers should also take care to highlight the events that may be of particular interest to the

parents in their class, either by the grade level of the student or the subject matter of the class”

(Juniu & Shin 2000, p. 6). In addition to this, teachers should provide a brief context noting the

importance and benefits each event provides. By letting parents know the potential benefits,

parent participation is likely to increase (Juniu & Shin, 2000).

Overall, the research supports that parents and teachers together need to recognize how

important both their roles are in a child’s education. The research methods of studying student

growth and interviewing parents about their feelings towards parent involvement, helped prove

this to be true. Everyone working together as a team is what is going to set a child up for success.

How to Increase Parent Participation

Teachers must possess basic communication proficiency since the topics for

communication have vastly expanded over the recent past.

Communication between teachers and families now involves a wider range of

scenarios that go beyond typical meetings and student conferences-such as

discussing special health care needs, debating proposed school-wide behavior

policies, and considering the consequences of students failing a standardized test

(Kasprowicz, 2002, p. 2).

The lack of interpersonal expertise in the communication arena has led to many parents

losing confidence in their child’s teacher and the school. Since schools are making a push for

differentiated instruction for students, communication should not be the same for each family

(Conderman, Johnston-Rodriguez, Hartman, Kemp, 2010). The needs and resources are different

for each family and should be taken into consideration.

An implicit assumption in the existing research is that parents, students, and teachers


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hold similar conceptions of what counts as parental involvement. However, it may

be problematic to assume that parents, students, and teachers universally share

common preconceptions of parental involvement and their associated

communication forms (Conderman, et al, p. 1).

To some, parent involvement is simply an open line of communication; while for others,

it is determined by time volunteered at the school. One such definition, proposed by Epstein

(2008) suggested that there are six aspects that contribute to what is commonly termed parental

involvement. The six categories included parenting, communication, volunteering, learning at

home, decision-making, and collaborating with the community (Epstein, 2008). This definition

provides a spectrum of involvement that could be misunderstood (Epstein, 2008).

Parent-teacher communication has taken place in various forms. However, due to work

demands of the parent and teacher alike, some methods may not be considered relevant or

reasonable. Methods frequently implemented include, but are not limited to, “newsletters, parent-

teacher conferences, weekly folders, notes, and phone calls (Kasprowicz, 2002, p.1). While these

are good methods, each teacher must determine what is specifically beneficial for the parents that

they serve. More recently, researchers are suggesting the incorporation of technology to bridge

the ever-expanding gap between parents and teachers (Epstein, 2008). “School and class

websites, blogging and podcasting, electronic mail, and social networking have joined the ranks

of effective communication for parents and teachers” (Epstein, 2008, p.3). Technology has been

instrumental in expressing expectations, managing classrooms, and providing virtually unlimited

access to student data, which is enjoyed by parents and students alike.

To further increase the chances of parental involvement, “teachers should provide this

information at the beginning of the semester to allow time for parents to schedule for events that


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are of interest” (Anderson, 2000, p.4). There are different online tools that will help to keep

event dates fresh in the minds of parents and to assure parents that their input and involvement is

both necessary and welcome (Anderson, 2000). This is another part to the volunteering and

involvement problem. Some parents might have the best intentions, but forget that they signed up

for something. Then in turn, the teacher is scrambling to try and fill in for the missing parent.

With technology this happens less and less, or a parent can at least let the teacher know quickly

and efficiently. Also, the use a variety of communication tools on a regular basis, seeking to

facilitate two way interaction through each type of medium, “will enhance and support students

academic success” (Anderson, 2000, p.2).

Together, studies are supporting that with teachers and parents using a variety of forms of

communication that include technology, more and more success will come about with effective

communication in the classroom and at home. The methods used in this study-included

interviews and using different technologies in a school settings to see which technologies helped

increase parent participation. Teachers and parents will have more ways to reach one another and

can find the best method that will work for everyone involved.

Using Technology to Communicate

Traditional forms of communication between the school and home usually consist of,

“hand-written notes, phone calls, conferences, parental signatures required on homework or

report cards, and even newsletters (Hoover, 2002, p.1). These forms of communication have

proven, “problematic and challenging to sustain over time and not a very practical use of time or

resources” (Hoover, 2002, p. 3). However, it has not escaped notice of even the most casual

observers that millions of students and their parents spend an inordinate amount of time each day

using various forms of technology, including, “computers, the Internet, video-games, and more


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currently, their cell phones to do all of that and much more” (Hoover, 2002, p. 2). In fact, in a

recent study, 60 elementary teachers found that when asked, parents of their most problematic

students chose to be contacted via text messages to their cell phones, and as a distant second

choice, an email (Hoover, 2002, p. 4).

One of the interesting discoveries for these teachers was the large number of families

with multiple cells phones and virtually all had home computers with Internet access, even in

presumed high poverty areas. This was a welcome sign due to the fact that communicating via

texting or email is fast and efficient, and, more importantly, increases the likelihood of a parental

response (Hoover, 2002).

Technology can make it easier to communicate with families who have been difficult to

reach and should probably be considered as a first choice method instead of a last resort (Hoover,

2002). “The use of a management system (i.e. SchoolFusion, Engrade) and non-commercial

applications (i.e. yahoo calendar, skype, google) have the potential to meet all of these needs by

allowing schools to maximize organization, communication, and build a community in which all

stakeholders feel informed and valued” (Anderson, 2000, p. 4).

Many schools are becoming very technologically focused. All that is needed for the

schools and parents to utilize many of these different applications are a computer with Internet

access, as well as the minimum requirements to run programs such as word processing, web

browsers, and e-mail (Anderson, 2000). The methods used in this study were interviews and

applying everyday technologies in a school setting. The research on everyday tools and what

parents and teachers prefer helped determine and prove effective communication tools. Many

schools are requiring parents to have Internet and email in order to apply and attend certain

schools. Knowing this, and with the supporting research, implementing different tools using


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technology as the way communicate between teachers and parents, is the way of efficient and

effective communication for the future.

Quality of Literature

Thomas (2009) discusses the importance of quality research. The quality of my literature

findings was exceptional. This was because of the large number studies that supported the

importance of parental involvement in a child’s education and how technology needs to play a

role in communication.

My selection of quality research was analyzed. For the majority of my literature, I chose

peer reviewed academic articles of both large-scale and small-scale studies, that have been

referenced in a majority of the research on the topic. Many of these studies were conducted in

universities and high school classrooms across subjects. I can trust these findings because of the

peer review process and the reliability of the journals where these articles were published.

The diverse perspectives and ideas related to parent involvement and the use of

technology from the different articles appeared reliable and precise. Each source that was read

and used in my review referenced a number of other studies, thus demonstrating that the authors

have done their research. There were numerous authors and studies quoted throughout each

paper with endless data and research. Each paper included in-text citations and a reference

section of where the information came from. The studies were summarized and reported with

pronounced detail and accurate results. There was not an apparent bias during the readings and

all agree that parental involvement makes a huge difference. This is a statement that can be made

based on all the readings.

For example, several studies that were shown in the articles prove how important parent

involvement is in a child’s life, “existing research has shown that effective communication


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between teachers and parents requires open contacts between schools and families. Parents and

teacher collaboration, active communication and involvement are positively related to students’

success in school; students tend to perform better, attend school more regularly, and have better

behavior and more positive attitudes toward school” (Flynn, 2002, p. 3).

Another study that enhances the quality of the literature was, from Kasprowicz (2002), it

has research to support that parents find it difficult to get information from their

uncommunicative children about what happened during school. Therefore, with increasing

Internet access, parents are beginning to rely more on these online sites for daily updates about

their child’s grades, attendance, and homework. This study really shows that parents are ready

for online tools that help them get into the classroom, help them know what is going on, and

allow them to be reminded about their commitments they have made.

Although interviews and studying different communication tools is helpful in the

research, it seemed as though the studies would have been stronger with concrete data. This was

the strongest research because it had strong qualitative data. The conclusions that were drawn

were strong, trusted, and proven to be true, but more quantitative data would have made them

even stronger.

Gap in Literature

Although reliable, there was an apparent gap in the literature. Thinking about my study

and wanting to know more about a new effective and efficient way to get volunteers in the

classroom and keep them there was not apparent or “answered” in these articles. Many of the

studies mention other management tools such as calendars, email, websites, but none of them

discussed a way like SignUp Genius that pretty much does all of those things using one tool. I

have heard of schools using calendars, email, websites and paper based ways of getting parents


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into the classroom, but that just does not seem to be the most effective way. Papers are lost,

people forget, calendars can become cluttered and emails can be overlooked. The literature

verified the positive perspective how important it is to have parents in the classroom and

involved, and even how technology can play a role.

Methods

Below you will find the methods for carrying out this action research project. It includes,

site selection and sampling, data collection methods, data analysis procedures, the predicted and

actual schedule, and checks for rigor.

Site Selection and Sampling

In order to carry out this study, I worked with my 4th grade classroom parents, as well as

my staff. I worked with this group because I have access to it and there are a large number of

parents that can easily participate through normal classroom procedures. I have twenty-six students.

In some families both parents participated and others had just one parent participate. With twenty-

six students and different families, I had sixty-two parents. At the beginning of the year, I was able

to confirm that all parents had Internet access, as it is a requirement to attend this school. I knew

from this that I would be able to implement SignUp Genius.

Data Collection Methods

The design of this study was an action inquiry and field experiment. The following methods

were utilized to collect and analyze data for the research questions:

Research Question Data Collection Method

To what extent does SignUp Genius impact parent participation?

Excel Tracker (Appendix B) Parent Survey (Appendix C)

Teacher Survey (Appendix C)


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How will the use of SignUp Genius impact the number of parents who

volunteer in the classroom?


To what extent will the use of Sign Up Genius impact parent participation

with parent-teacher conferences?



How will the use of SignUp Genius impact the parent/teacher

perceptions of participation in the classroom?

Teacher Survey (Appendix C) Parent Survey (Appendix C)

To what extent does the use of SignUp Genius impact a teachers time

spent on soliciting parent participation?


Table A- Data Collection Methods

I implemented a SignUp Genius to set up my back to school meet and greets, reading groups,

math groups, and monthly bulletin board. After these first few Sign ups, in early October, we had

parent conferences. I used SignUp Genius to set up my conferences. Also, the rest of my staff also

used this tool because it has become a school wide requirement.

In order to analyze whether SignUp Genius was effective or not, I tracked different sign ups

that I created to see if parents 1) signed up and 2) were consistent and followed through with the

responsibility. I used the different sign ups using SignUp Genius and created my own excel tracker

sheets (Appendix B), along with delivering a parent and teacher survey (Appendix C) to collect

qualitative and quantitative data.

Data Analysis Procedures

With the excel trackers, I compared the parents that signed up for a group/activity and

tracked to see if parents remembered to come. Also, I compared the parents that signed up for a

conference and tracked to see if parents remembered to come at their allotted time. When the


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surveys were completed, I was able to look at which method parents and teacher preferred more

when it came to communication. I analyzed the open-ended questions by reading what they

thought and comparing it to my other data. There were many positive comments that fit together

with the quantitative data. I also, categorized answers so I could better see which ones were fit

with my other data (Appendix B).

Also, in order to have qualitative data, the Google Form survey (Appendix B) also helped me

analyze my research questions. I analyzed these open-ended questions while looking at my excel

tracker and other survey results. It helped me use word for word statements from parents or teachers

to prove or disprove data.

Schedule

In an effort to stay on track with my research with such a limited time frame, I created a schedule

at the beginning of my action research. Table B compares my planned schedule to the actual schedule

my research followed:

Milestone Planned Time Frame Actual/Adjusted

Create Consent (Appendix C)

August 20 August 20

Send out Consent August 20 August 20 Set up sign ups for reading, math, and bulletin board volunteers

August 27 August 27

Send out sign ups by email and post on my website

August 30 September 5

Track sign ups for reading, math and bulletin

September 24-November 20 September 24-November 20

Set up SignUp Genius site for Fall Conferences

September 15 September 10

Send out sign ups by email and post on my website

September 15-18 September 15-18

Track sign ups for conferences

September 15-October 11 September 15- October 8

Set up SignUp Genius site for Medieval Feast

October 7 October 8


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volunteers and supplies Send out sign ups by email and post on my website

October 15 October 10

Track sign ups for feast October 10-Octover 23 October 10-Octover 23 Send out Post-Questionnaire

November 17 October 20

Collect and analyze data from questionnaire

November 17-20 October 20

Write data analysis November 17-December 1 October 23 Revise proposal for

research action report

November 17-December 1 October 12- November 20

Write final research action

report

November 17-December 1 October 12- November 20

Table B- Schedule

Checks For Rigor

With action research, it was my goal to create generalized knowledge that has similar

goals conducted in other studies about parents in the classroom. I made sure to leave names of

parents, students and teachers out of my research to maintain confidentiality. I planned to also use

qualitative and quantitative data to help prove this online tool is an effective tool. Parents also filled

out a consent form to be a part of this research (Appendix A). Also, as it states in Action Research:

Third Edition, “ people have the right to refuse to participate, they may withdraw at any time, data

related to them will be returned to them, any information will be stored safely so that it cannot be

view by others, and none of the information that identifies them will be made public or revealed to

others with out explicit and written consent” (Stringer, 2007, p. 55). I followed all of these ethical

procedures in order to maintain confidentiality.

According to Stringer (2007), “rigor in action research is maintained through credibility,

transferability, dependability, and confirmability” (pp. 57-59). I obtained credibility by tracking my

parent volunteers each time they came into the classroom. Not only did I check the SignUp Genius,


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but also I made sure parents were following through. Since action research uses more qualitative

data than traditional research, “rigor in action research is based on checks to ensure that the

outcomes of research are trustworthy - that they do not merely reflect the particular perspectives,

biases, or worldview of the researcher” (Stringer, 2007, p. 57). My data collection methods included

both qualitative and quantitative data to ensure a thorough picture of the problem.

I obtained transferability by sharing my experiences with my colleagues throughout my

research process. I attained dependability by reporting all findings honestly. “Researchers increase

their effectiveness when they immerse themselves in the richness of group life,” (Stringer, 2007, p

60). I reached confirmability with the inclusion of charts and tables that portray the responses from

which I draw conclusions. I immersed myself in my group of participants and research to gain more

in my results.

Findings

By following the schedule, I was able to come up with my findings. Here are my findings as they

relate to the research questions:

Parent Participation

Parents responded well to SignUp Genius. I had success with parents signing up and parents

attending their allotted times.

Graph 1- Monthly/Weekly Parent Volunteers

0 5 10 15 Yes, they came!

No Show, but emailed

No Show, No Contact


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Looking at my above graph, one can see that I had amazing success with not only getting the

volunteers I needed, but actually having them follow through. 14 out of the 16 parents came without

any problems for reading groups, 11 out of 14 parents came for math groups, and my bulletin board

was always completed when needed. When a parent did not show, they did send me an email letting

me know in advance. These were the groups I struggled with the most last year because I would have

a lot of no shows and I would be scrambling at the last minute. I did not have any moments where a

parent just did not come and not let me know. One parents said, “ Signing up for volunteering has

never been so easy!” Below you can see an example sign up page that parents see when they go to the

website I provide. They can always refer back to this and reminders can be set up through email.

Chart 1- Reading Groups Sign Up Example Page

Number of Parents

It was great to see that SignUp Genius worked for more than one type of volunteer

opportunity in my classroom. The graph below shows the medieval feast event we had in

November. The graph shows the supplies I needed and the amount that I received. With this

event, I needed parents and supplies. All parents came, but I did have a few missing supplies. I

was left to scramble for table clothes and cups. Luckily, having all my volunteers come and be

reliable, we were able to solve the tablecloth and cup problem quickly. One parent stated, “ I

work and I am not able to always come to school events, but it is great to know that I can still


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help out.” In the past, an event like this would have taken forever to coordinate or would have

been put on either just the teacher or just a few parents.

Graph 2- Medieval Feast Items Received

Parent Teacher Conferences

Using a sign up for conferences was another type of parent teacher communication pieces that I

wanted to take on. Below is a chart that shows the sign up I created for my fall conferences. When

parents click on the dark gold sign up button, they take that time slot. It then send an email to me, as

well as reminder the parents 2 days before the event. I can go in and make changes if needed, and

parents can go in and adjust their time if it needs to be changed. When conference day comes, I can

easily print out this sheet and have my list all ready to go.

Chart 2- Fall Conference SignUp Genius Page

In the past I have sent endless pieces of paper back and forth to parents. One parent said, “One

click and I am done, no more papers!” I agree. In the past I would have piles of papers to sift through,

papers being lost by students, and parents not remembering what they signed up for because so many

0 20 40

Table

Center

Pie

Grape

Cups

Napkin

Forks

Spoons

Ice

Medieval Feast Items

Received


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papers were sent home, or never made it home. Needless to say, it was a large task to complete. My

solution to this is using SignUp Genius.

Excel Tracker 3- Fall Parent Teacher

Looking at the tracker for fall conferences, it is easy to see that using SignUp Genius not

only saved me a lot of excess paper work, but I was able to make contact with almost all my

parents, or have contact with a few that had personal issues arise. All parents signed up, 23 out of

26 parents showed up to conferences, and 2 of the parents that did not come, did send my an

email before and we made new arrangements. I only had one parent that contacted me after

conferences about a personal issue. We were able to reschedule. I have to say that in my four

years of teaching, I have never had a more efficient and effective ways to set up my parent

teacher conferences than using SignUp Genius.

Parent/Teacher Perceptions

My quantitative data from parent surveys demonstrates that SignUp Genius is a great online tool

to use for classroom volunteering. I know that it is something that I will continue to use, and using

my qualitative data from my surveys, others agree with me. Looking at each question, 87% prefer to


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learn about volunteer opportunities using SignUp Genius, 91% of parents also think that SignUp

Genius has been the most successful method in obtaining parent volunteers. When it comes to

actually signing up for events in the classroom, 100% of parents agree that SignUp Genius is the best

tool to use to sign up and to help remind their of their times and dates they need to attend.

Graph 3- Parent Survey

After the parents were better exposed to SignUp Genius they agree that this is a great tool. I was

able to look at questions 5-7 on my survey and pull quotes from happy parents. I used a table

(Appendix B) to analyze these open-ended answers. Parents agreed it was the best way for them to

get into the classroom and be organized about volunteering and parent teacher communication. Some

more quotes that I pulled from my questions were, “ My son would never bring home his Thursday

folder when he was suppose to, so it was a great way to learn about volunteering and conferences on

time.” Another parent said, “ Two clicks and I am done! I even get an email reminder!” My favorite

quote, and I could not agree more was, “Why didn’t we use this tool sooner!” Parents found SignUp

Genius to be the best tool for them to use to get into their child’s classroom and learn about events.

My quantitative data from teacher surveys also establishes that SignUp Genius is a great online

tool to use for classroom volunteering. 90% of teachers that participated prefer use SignUp Genius to

request volunteer opportunities, and 95% of teachers also think that they had to most success getting

parents in the classroom by using SignUp Genius. Also, 100% of teachers at Brian Fish Academy

0 20 40 60 80

Question A

Question B

Question C

Question D

Email

Phone Calls

Thursday Folders

SignUp Genius

Other


24

who participated in the survey agree that SignUp Genius is the best way to set up their parent/teacher

conferences, and had the most success with parents attending their allotted conference.

Graph 4- Teacher Survey

Also, by pulling quotes from questions 5-8 on my survey, I can strongly support the above data

that teachers prefer SignUp Genius. One teacher said, “Less paper, I like it!” Another teacher said, “

It keeps track of who is coming for me. I can even print out a list that is easy to read and use.” One

other teacher said, “ Scheduling conferences is a breeze, I never thought this was possible!” Teachers

at BFA agree, that SignUp Genius is the tool to use.

Comparison of research to the literature review

There were similarities and differences between my research and the literature review. I found

very similar themes, such as the importance of parent involvement and how technology can play a

role. Many articles and research discussed how important parents are in a child’s education, and it is

even more important to be in communication with their teachers. Although these noted themes were

similar, there was a lack of information and research about how to best acquire parents in the

classroom. The research was missing the ‘how’ to make parents become a stronger part of their

child’s education and involved in classroom and school events. When parents and teachers

communicate, the student wins! For example, “existing research has shown that effective

0

5

10

15

20

25

Question A

Question B

Question C Question D

Email

Phone Calls

Thursday Folders

SignUp Genius

Other


25

communication between teachers and parents requires open contacts between schools and families”

(Juniu, S., Shin, J., 2000). This is great research and educators around the world agree, but how can

this effectively be done? That is where my action research came into play. SignUp Genius is a great

online tool for more efficient and effective volunteering in the classroom. It will allow parents to

easily learn about volunteering and school events, sign up easily and quickly, as well as keep the

teacher and parent organized with dates and times.

Limitations

There were some limitations throughout my research. One limitation to my research was the

amount of time I had to collect data. In an ideal setting, I would have been able to implement the sign

ups for longer and tracks parents’ consistency. I would have had more data to compare and other sign

ups to pick apart to see if they were used effectively. We also have spring conferences, so I could

have compared fall to spring success rates.

Also, another limitation was the fact that not all teachers participated in the given surveys

making my pool of data smaller. It would have been more effective to have more opinions prove an

idea more or less from the teacher’s perspective.

Granted, there were limitations, but I believe my research is still important because I now

know what works best when it comes to juggling parents and students. SignUp Genius is what works

for my classroom and for many classrooms at Brian Fish Academy.

Implications for Practice

Based on the research findings, I will continue to use SignUp Genius in my classroom. SignUp

Genius seems to be working for parents and teachers. My building will be using this tool for all

events school wide, and I encourage other teachers to use this tool in their classroom. From my

findings, it is better than previous methods used, folders, papers, email and phone. It is evident that


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more research is needed to draw more conclusions on specific situations it will work best for, but

overall, SignUp Genius is a great tool to use when helping parents get involved in different classroom

and school events.

Conclusion

I have gained information regarding what is best for teachers, parents, and in the end,

students. When the classroom is run efficiently and there are more adults working with students

consistently, students benefit. Overall, I have expanded my ways to help improve student

performance, by making my classroom more efficient, which, ultimately, is what we strive to do each

and every day.


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References

Anderson, L., Hicock, M., & McClellan, K. (2000). Improving Parental Involvement through School Sponsored Events. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service). Retrieved September 1, 2012 from http://eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs database.

Bauch, J. P. (2000, April). Electronic parent involvement? New developments with phones, e-mail, and the

Internet to link schools and homes. The paper prepared for the 10th Annual International Roundtable on School, Family and Community Partnerships . New Orleans, Louisiana. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service). Retrieved September 1, 2012 from http://eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs database.

Conderman, G., Johnston-Rodriguez, S., Hartman, P., & Kemp, D. (2010). What teachers should say and

how they should say it. Kappa Delta Pi Record, 46(4), 175-181. Retrieved October 10, 2012 from http://eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs database.

Conderman, G., Morin, J., & Stephens, J. (2005). Special education student teaching practices. Preventing

School Failure, 49(3), 5-10. Retrieved October 10, 2012 from http://eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs database. Epstein, J. L. (2008). Improving family and community involvement in secondary schools. Education

Digest, 73(6), 9-12. Retrieved from Education Research Complete database. Retrieved October 10, 2012 from http://eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs database.

Flynn, G., & Noland, B. (2008). What Do School Principals Think About Current School-Family

Relationships? NASSP Bulletin, 92(3), 173-90. Retrieved October 10, 2012 from http://eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs database.

Freytag, C. E. (2001, November). Teacher-parent communication: Starting the year off right. Paper

presented at the Biennial Meeting of the Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education. Retrieved September 1, 2012 from http://eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs database.

Kasprowicz, T. (2002). Managing the classroom with technology: On progress reports and online

communications, and how to manage the two different Communication Techniques. Techdirections, 61(10). Retrieved September 1, 2012 from http://eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs database.

Koshy, V. (2010). Action research for improving educational practice (2nd ed.). London: SAGE

Publications.

Hoover-Dempsey, K. V., Walker, J., Jones, K. P., & Reed, R. P. (2002). Teachers involving parents (TIP): Results of an in-service teacher education program for enhancing parental involvement. Teaching and Teacher Education, 18, 843-867. Retrieved October 10, 2012 from http://eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs database

Jeynes, William H. (2005). Parental Involvement and Student Achievement: A Meta-Analysis , Family

Involvement Research Digest (Cambridge, MA: Harvard Family Research Project), http://www.hfrp.org/publicationsresources/ publications-series/ family-involvement-research-digests. Retrieved October 10, 2012 from http://eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs database.


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Juniu, S., Shin, J., Snow, C., Nivens-Wilburg, W.. (2000). Parent-Teacher Computer Mediated

Communication in Public K-12 Schools: Synchronous and Asynchronous Communication for Parent-Teacher Communication. Teachers College, Columbia University. Retrieved September 1, 2012 from http://eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs database.

McNiff, J., & Whitehead, J. (2006). All you need to know about action research. London: SAGE

Publications. Merkley, D., Schmidt, D., Dirksen, C., & Fulher, C. (2006). Enhancing parent-teacher communication

using technology: A reading improvement clinic example. Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 6(1), 11-42. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service). Retrieved September 1, 2012 from http://eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs database.

Thomas, G. (2009). How to do your research project: A guide for students in education and applied

social sciences. London: Sage Publications. Stringer, E. T. (2007). Action Research (3rd Edition ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.


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Appendix A: Consent Form

Brian Fish Academy Study of Parent Volunteering in the Classroom

Research Facilitator: Laura Goldin: 4th grade teacher, Brian Fish Academy

Phone: 720-515-8387

Email: lgoldinbfacademy.org Laura Goldin of Brian Fish Academy wishes to complete an action research study on the best ways to get parent volunteers into the classroom. The information utilized in this project will be collected by surveys, data using SignUp Genius, and an excel tracking sheet. Participants will be asked to participate via email and SignUp Genius. Names will be kept confidential. Information will be used for future improvements to procedures with parent volunteering and communication with teachers. You may contact the researcher at anytime via phone or email. If you wish not to participate or withdraw at anytime, please let the researcher know. I, ____________________________________ have read the information above and any questions I have asked have been answered to my satisfaction. I agree to participate in this research study with the understanding that I may withdraw at any time. I agree that the research generated will be used for further school procedure improvement and I will not otherwise be identified. Signed: _______________________(Participant) Date: ___________ Signed: ________________________ (Facilitator) Date: ___________


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Appendix B: Data Collection Methods

SignUp Genius Screen Shot

Parent Volunteer Tracker

Parent Teacher Conference Tracker


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Appendix C: Parent and Teacher Surveys/ Analyzing Tool

Teacher Survey

1) How do you prefer to request volunteers in your classroom? a) Email b) Phone Call c) Thursday folders d) SignUp Genius e) Other

2) Which method has been the most successful in getting parents to volunteer in your classroom?

a) Email b) Phone Call c) Thursday folders d) SignUp Genius e) Other

3) How do you prefer to set up your parent/teacher conferences?


4) Which method has been the most successful in getting parents to attend parent/teacher conferences?

a) Email b) Phone call c) Thursday Folders d) SignUp Genius e) Other

5) If you used SignUp Genius, to what extent did it impact the amount of frequency of parent volunteers in

my classroom?

6) What impact did SignUp Genius have with parent/teacher conferences?

7) What impact did SignUp Genius have with spending time managing volunteers?

8) What other thoughts do you have regarding parent volunteering would you like to share?


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Parent Survey

1) How do you prefer to learn about volunteer opportunities in your child’s classroom? a) Email b) Phone Call c) Thursday folders d) SignUp Genius e) Other

2) Which method has been the most successful in getting you in the classroom?


3) How do you prefer to sign up for your parent/teacher conferences? a) Email b) Phone Call c) Thursday folders d) SignUp Genius e) Other

4) Which method has been most successful in helping you remember to attend your child’s parent/teacher conference times?

a) Email b) Phone call c) Thursday Folders d) Sign Up Genius e) Other

5) If you used SignUp Genius, to what extent did it impact the likelihood to volunteer in your child’s classroom? 6) What impact did SignUp Genius have with scheduling parent/teacher conferences? 7) What other thoughts would you like to share regarding volunteering in your child’s classroom?


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Analyzing Open-Ended Questions Tool (Parent)

Question Reponses

If you used SignUp Genius, to what extent did it impact the likelihood to volunteer in your child’s classroom?

What impact did SignUp Genius have with scheduling parent/teacher conferences?

What other thoughts would you like to share regarding volunteering in your child’s classroom?

Analyzing Open-Ended Questions Tool (Teacher)

Question Reponses

If you used SignUp Genius, to what extent did it impact the amount of frequency of parent volunteers in my classroom?

What impact did SignUp Genius have with parent/teacher conferences?

What impact did SignUp Genius have with spending time managing volunteers?

What other thoughts do you have regarding parent volunteering would you like to share?

Documents

Laura Goldin INTE 6720 University of Colorado Denver