Technology as an Actor in Communication between Teachers and Parents: The Case of Electronic Diaries

Bulgarian Comparative Education Society. Blvd Shipchenski prohod 69 A, 1574 Sofia, Bulgaria. e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: http://www.bces-conference.org

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Diaries; Teacher Student Relationship; Computer Mediated Communication; Influence of Technology; Principals; Administrator Attitudes; Teacher Attitudes; Parent Attitudes; Student Attitudes; Parent Participation; Educational Change; Learning Processes; Teaching Methods; Parent School Relationship; Foreign Countries; Secondary School Students; Pandemics; COVID-19

The paper focuses on the influence of technology on communication between teachers and parents through electronic diaries. Theoretically, the paper is based on action-network theory and its understanding that non-human and human actors build a network of relationships. By using a qualitative research approach, including interviews with principals, teachers, and creators of the e-diaries, as well as focus groups with parents and students in several Bulgarian schools, opinions of the different stakeholders are explored in depth. The results show that communication is lacking or is really rare through electronic diaries or it can be one-sided, without the parents' possibility to reply to teachers. It is argued that the level of participation of parents in the educational process is low. Most parents and teachers do not really see the need to be more involved or to communicate through the diaries. If educational reforms and especially measures to increase parents' level of involvement are to be undertaken, they should take into consideration parents' understanding of the educational process and their views on how they could be more actively involved and how they could contribute to the overall change in the educational system and a more effective teaching and learning process. [For the complete Volume 20 proceedings, see ED622631.]

As Provided

2022

ED622678