Factors Contributing To Parental Involvement

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02 Nov 2017

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4.0 Introduction

This chapter is about interpreting and analysis of quantitative data. 250 Questionnaires were distributed and 234 were collected resulting in a response rate of 91%. The results are followed by a discussion to interpret the finding. This part will provide the basis for the formulation of recommendations for this study.

4.1 Section A- Demographics profile

Table 1 illustrates data about the demographic profile of the respondents, which consists of marital status, gender, relationship with the child and educational qualification. For the marital status of the respondents, the majority of them were married which were 91.5% and only 4.7%. This shows the majority of children came from stable families. It has been observed that the questionnaire has been filled by 45.7% male and 54.3% female. This show female as parents were more willing to partake in the survey as compared to male responses.

Considering the respondent relationship with the child, the higher answer stands for relationship as a mother 53.0% and father 43.6%. Therefore, generally the participants were related to the child as either mother or father. The highest academic qualifications achieved by the parents were 45.7% secondary level and 24.8% university graduates. The minimum response pertaining to education was 3.0% primary education. This indicates, more than 50% of the parents were well educated.

Figure 1 offers an overview about the employment of the respondent and his/her spouse as well. Two pie charts were drawn in order to make a comparison of how many of them are fully employed and unemployed. 77.78% participants along with their spouse 68.38% were working on a full time basis, 11.54% parents and 10.26% spouses working part-time and only 10.68% participants with 14.96 % spouses were unemployed. Hence, it can be seen most of them were employed full time or part time.

The above figure 2 shows the total monthly income of the parents. A bar chart was used in order to illustrate this. Most of the participants (40.17%) earned more than Rs 10,000 monthly and only 9.40% was between Rs 3000-Rs5999. It can be deduced that most parents were able to contribute financially to the education of their child.

4.2 Section B- Factors contributing to parental involvement

Table 2 presents factors contributing to parental involvement, which lead to a variety of outcomes for parents and students. Statements 1 and 2 are linked to parenting dimension and the responses demonstrate that parents firmly disagree that school arrange programs for parents to become involved in the education of their child with a mean of 3.81 and 3.76. Nearly all the mean values of communication aspect suggest, most parents disagree with the communication level from school to home and home to school. Statement 4 (3.71), 5 (3.77), 7 (3.25), 8 (3.30) support this fact. However, the mean score for statement 3 (1.81) shows parents strongly agree that their participation in meeting and activities in school is important for them and they are aware of school regulation and programs with a mean of 2.29. Overall, it can be seen respondents' communication level via school and school via the parents is low.

Statement 9 with mean 3.27 of dimension learning at home explains that the responsible party of most students reported disagreeing contacting the teacher with regard to their child's homework. Conversely, many authority figures retort of assisting their child with homework every day with a mean of 2.53, which reveal they agree to of doing this. Therefore, this show parents help their child doing homework despite not meeting their child's teacher to discuss the homework issue.

The mean score 3.76 pertaining decision making bring to light, many participants disagree that parents are welcomed in school. Given that they perceive themselves unwelcome in school, this may be the reasons why they do not contact the school and the teacher regularly. Concerning volunteering, a good number of parents disagree with a mean of 3.76 of assisting in classrooms, talks and involve in school activities of their child. In spite of not being volunteered they agree with a mean of 2.84 of taking their child to libraries, museums or educational trips regularly which form part of statement 13 which is about collaborating with the community. Therefore, parents are more concerned with taking their child to the educational trip rather than volunteering themselves in the classroom.

Hence, from the above table it can also be deduced, respondents realize that the communication dimension makes them become more involved in their child’s academic success with the highest total mean 2.90 and 3.79 being considered as the lowest score for parenting dimension which imply parents do not see schools helping them for the educational success of their child.

4.3 Section C - Effects of parental involvement on academic achievement of their children

Table 3 displays the effect of parental involvement on the academic performance of the child which shows large amounts of statements having lowest mean score, which implies most parents agree to these statements. The mean score of statement 2 (1.95), 3 (1.93), 4 (1.98) indicates that parents agree that they expect their child to pursue tertiary education, parental involvement is crucial for the educational achievement and improvement of their child performance. Hence, this confirms these parents have high educational expectation and perceive parental involvement as being essential for their child academic success.

It can be noted from statement 5 (1.61), 6 (2.21), 7 (2.43), 8 (2.48), 9 (2.63) that parents agree that their child's grades are important to them. In addition, it was found most of the respondent’s child got an A or B grades in English, Science, and Mathematics and had an outstanding academic performance last year. Thus, it can be expressed that the parental educational expectation may have contributed to the success of these children.

Similarly, statements 10 (2.63), 11 (2.88), 12 (2.03) have the lowest mean. Parents agree about setting educational goals for their child, talking about their own education and life experiences. Furthermore, parents also agree of having dinner or attending religious functions with their child. Hence, parents believe the above is important as these contribute to the child success directly or indirectly.

On the other hand, statement 1 (3.54) and 13 (3.13) has highest mean. These points out to the reality that parent strongly disagree that their child absent regularly from school and parental involvement creates frustration between them and their child. This represents that increased parental involvement lead to decreased absenteeism in school and do not produce any trouble between the responsible party and child.

4.4 Section D - Barriers related to parental involvement

Table 4 is related to the barriers that affect the level of parental involvement. ‘Child lives

with both biological parents’ denotes 59.8% of child lives with their biological parents. However, 9% parents claim this is not the case and strongly disagree with this statement. The mean score is 1.70, suggests most parent’s lives with their biological child and therefore, this do not act as a barrier of parental involvement for them

Statement 2 supports the above by indicating that the maximum respondents strongly disagree (45.3%) that their family structure affects their child academic performance whilst 21.4% strongly agree with this. Therefore, the mean value 3.68 put forward that the participants have a stable family structure whereby this do not influence their level of involvement in their child academic performance.

For statement 3, the majority of participants 23.1% strongly agree as having the necessary skills to teach their child. Yet, 19.2% strongly disagree about this. The mean value 2.97 shows parents see themselves as having the necessary skills to educate their child. However, despite having the required skills, parents see their educational experience influencing their child academic outcome, which act as a barrier for their involvement.

Statement 4 supports this fact with a mean of 1.57, which provides an explanation that most parents (76.9%) strongly agree that their educational background is capable of affecting their child’s education. In addition, participants also disagree (40.2%) to statement 5 of knowing how to improve their child’s grade. Only 21.4% strongly agree with this information. Hence, the mean 3.10 show parents are unaware of how to make their child performance better. In fact, this can be detrimental to the child education and impede the level of parental involvement.

Statement 6 and 7 strongly prove income can encourage parents to participate in their child studies and contribute to the child's educational success as well. Mean 2.62 of statement 6 shows parents agree about being able to afford for private tuition and supplementary books. This show their child is able to get additional notes, which may help in increasing their knowledge. The last statement with a mean of 2.57 presents majority of the parent’s child have access to internet which indicate these child can surf online to learn more.

Figure 2 shows the main factor parent hold responsible for the success of their child. According to the respondents, factors mainly responsible for the child success are; the family background (19.23%), motivation from parents (18.38%), income (17.52%), internet (14.53%) and personal attention on part of parent (11.97%).

The frequency table demonstrates the strategies that participant’s think they can use to increase their level of participation in their child education. 50.4% of the participants believed that there should be an increased involvement at the home level itself. In addition, 26.9% respond that parental involvement in school can lead them to become more engaged in their children education. 22.6% believe relationship with teacher can improve their level of participation in their child studies.

4.5 Hypothesis testing and analysis

This section is about testing and analysing hypotheses.

H1 There is a relationship between income level of parents and knowing how to improve grades of their child.

H2 There is a relationship between educational qualification of the parents and good relation with their child's teacher.

4.5.1 Hypothesis analysis (H1)

Table 6, explains and supports hypothesis 1.

H1 There is a relationship between income level of parents and knowing how to improve grades of their child.

Count 67 represents respondents whose household monthly income is greater than Rs 10,000 agree of knowing how to improve their child’s grade. Percentage within household income also called row percentage and can be calculated through the division of count by row total and then multiplying the result by 100. Thus, giving rise to 67/94*100= 71.28%. This can be interpreted as 71.28% of those earning more than Rs 10,000 accept that their income level affects their knowledge of how to improve their child's grades.

The percentage within improve grade also called column percentage is calculated by taking count, which is then divided by the column total to finally be multiplied by 100. This is demonstrated as 67/100*100= 67%. This data can be expressed as 67% of the respondents agree with the statement that their income level affects their knowledge of how to improve their child's grades.

From the above generated cross tabs, the hypothesis are as follows:

HO – There is no association between income level of the parents and knowing how to improve grades of their child.

H1 – There is an association between income level of the parents and knowing how to improve grades of their child.

From table 7: the chi-square = 60.643, P = 0.000. Since p is less than 5%, we reject HO and deduce that at 5% significance level, there is a relationship between income level of the parents and knowing how to improve grades of the child. The measures of strength of association can be shown in the symmetric measures table 8. Cramer’s V = 0.509 out of a possible maximum value of 1. This represents a strong relationship between the two variables.

4.5.2 Hypothesis analysis (H2)

Table 9, explains and supports hypothesis 2.

H2 There is a relationship between educational qualification of the parents and good relation with their child's teacher.

Count 82 represents respondents who have attained secondary or tertiary level of education and who agree on having a good relationship with their child's teacher. The row percentage is 82/165 *100 = 50% which means parents having secondary or tertiary education have good relationship with their child’s teacher. Column percentage is 82/82*100 = 100 % which is about relation with teacher suggests that all of the secondary and tertiary parents agree with the statement that their educational level affect their relationship with their child’s teacher.

From the above generated cross tabs, the hypothesis are as follows:

HO – There is no relationship between educational qualification of the parents and good relation with their child's teacher.

H1 – There is a relationship between educational qualification of the parents and good relation with their child’s teacher.

From table 10: the chi-square = 52.79, P = 0.000. Since p is less than 5%, we reject HO and deduce that at 5% significance level, there is a relationship between educational qualification of the parents and good relation with their child teacher. The measures of strength of association can be shown in the symmetric measures table 11. Cramer’s V = 0.475 out of a possible maximum value of 1. This represents a strong relationship between the two variables.

4.6 Discussion

The main purpose of this discussion is to analyse the effects of parental involvement on the academic achievement of secondary students. Four objectives were set to achieve this aim. This part, present whether the study’s objectives have been met and research questions have been answered by studying the data received from the survey and analysed through descriptive statistics.

The first objective was to identify the different factors contributing to parental involvement. As noted in the literature review, Epstein (1992) established that each single factor of his model play a role in parental involvement and child academic performance. However, this study revealed the opposite which show that from the parent's perspective, they attribute more importance to the communication dimension and parenting aspects being seen as less significant. As a matter of fact, data explains that parents recognise the communication factor as being more important in their child’s academic success.

Therefore, in the Mauritian context, one cannot apply the Epstein model (1992) fully because secondary schools do not work in close collaboration with parents to help in improving their child academic performance. In addition, the findings also indicate parents do not volunteer in their child’s classroom and are not involved in decision-making. As a result, data obtained enable to comprehend which dimension contributes more to parental involvement and child academic achievement and hence, it is agreed that the objective one has been met.

With regard to the second objective which was to look at the benefits of parental involvement on the educational performance of secondary school students, it has been observed from the findings that parental involvement has a positive influence on the child’s academic performance. With reference to the literature review, this study is also similar to Richardson (2009) research, which emphasises that parental involvement is highly influential in a child academic accomplishment. Furthermore, the majority of the parents reported to have higher expectation regarding their child education that is alike to Johnston (1998) study.

In addition, most of the respondent’s child got an A or B grade in English, Science, and Mathematics and had an outstanding academic performance last year. Therefore, this study illustrates that students tend to perform better in English, Science, and Mathematics when they have positive parental expectations in the same way that Velez and Jones (1997) research showed and this is applicable to the Mauritian milieu. The findings also expose that the parents agreed about setting educational goals for their child, talking about their own education and life experiences, having dinner or attending religious functions with their child. All these correspond to the literature review of the study and it can also be said the high level of parental involvement lead to decreased absenteeism amongst students. However, it has also been pointed out that parents do not perceive parental involvement as creating frustration between parents and child, which completely oppose Levin et al. study (1997). Therefore, based on the literature review, it can be established that the second objective was met and it has been seen that parental involvement is advantageous for the child in Mauritius.

While, the third objective was to find out the barriers that influences the level and aspects of parental involvement amongst secondary school students. Based on the results, most respondents were living with their biological child and did not identify the family structure as affecting their child academic performance. Hence, this support Flay (2002) finding which implied parents tend to be more dynamically involve when they lives with their biological child and this may also impede their level of involvement when not living with their biological child.

Furthermore, the authority figures noticed their educational qualifications influencing their child academic performance that is the higher the educational level, the higher degree of assistance and motivation was provided to child. Therefore, this back Depleanty (2007) study, which confirms that parent education, is responsible for their level of involvement. In addition, parents also assigned high response of not knowing how to make their child performance better. The hypothesis testing confirmed that there is a strong relationship between income level of parents and knowing how to improve grades of their child maintaining Friedman 1990 study. Therefore, the data ascertain that socio economic status and lack of skill of parents being the major factors that limit their involvement in their child achievement and thus this show that the objective was met.

Finally, the last objective was to identify strategies to make parents become more involved in educational accomplishment of their child. Through the findings, it was observed that most respondents admit that involvement should be home based, in school and with teacher. Therefore, it can be seen that these strategies are mentioned in the literature review and parents want to adopt them to increase their level on participation. Hence, these approaches can be used in the local setting to boost up both parental involvement and child academic achievement at secondary level.



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