Identifying Barriers and Solutions to Increase Parent-Practitioner Communication in Early Childhood Care and Educational Services: The Development of an Online Communication Application

Oke, Ayooluwa; Butler, Judith E.; O’Neill, Cian

doi:10.1007/s10643-020-01068-y

Cited by 12 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…Experiences of ECEC engagement during the pandemic may have been quite different for families experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage or from different language or cultural backgrounds. While technology use was highlighted as an effective strategy for communicating with families and supporting the home learning environment, this approach may create further barriers for families without digital access or capacity (Barnett et al, 2021 ; Murray et al, 2021 ). Further research exploring effective approaches for educators to build relationships with families who lack either the access or capacity to engage in digital forms of engagement is much needed, given the rise in the use of digital platforms in ECEC settings.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, risk mitigation measures during the COVID-19 pandemic meant that ECEC services faced numerous communication challenges, such as reduced opportunities for face-to-face contact with children and families. While the pandemic resulted in the increased use of digital forms of communication -which research suggests can be beneficial in terms of making the work of educators and children's learning more visible to families (Oke et al, 2021) -there are limitations to the use of online learning for very young learners (Hu et al, 2021), as well as the issue of the digital divide, whereby certain groups are at risk of being excluded from this form of interaction (Barnett et al, 2021;Shaik, 2022). Further, in an Australian qualitative study with educators during the pandemic, educators reported that digital technology was important for keeping services and families connected during the pandemic, but this was contingent on families having access and capacity to be online (Murray et al, 2021).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Parents’ Perspectives of Family Engagement with Early Childhood Education and Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Levickis

Murray

Lee-Pang

et al. 2022

Early Childhood Educ J

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The COVID-19 pandemic has created significant challenges for Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) services and families, impacting family access to services and their communication and engagement with educators. This study aimed to examine parents’ perspectives of family engagement with ECEC services during the pandemic. Primary caregivers in Victoria at the time of recruitment (September–November 2020) were invited to participate. Of the 66 participants who completed an online survey, 25 also took part in semi-structured video call or phone interviews; qualitative findings from these interviews are reported in this paper. Four key themes were conceptualised using a reflexive thematic approach: (1) disruptions to ECEC access and attendance impacting on family routines and relationships, and child development; (2) barriers to family engagement; (3) ECEC educators’ support of families and children during the pandemic; and (4) increased parental appreciation of the ECEC profession. Findings revealed that disruptions to ECEC access and routines during the pandemic adversely impacted family engagement, and child learning and social-emotional wellbeing for some families. These were aggravated by other stressors, including increased parental responsibilities in the home, financial and health concerns, and changed work conditions. Findings also demonstrated successful methods used by educators to maintain communication and connections with families. Importantly, parents expressed increasing appreciation of the profession and an increased awareness of the value of family involvement in children’s learning. Learnings regarding strategies for effective and alternative ways of engaging families are discussed.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Parents’ Perspectives of Family Engagement with Early Childhood Education and Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Levickis

Murray

Lee-Pang

et al. 2022

Early Childhood Educ J

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“…Educators might reach out to families to learn about and mitigate any barriers (e.g. language, technology) that are preventing when and how families participate (Oke et al, 2021). Educators can invite families, as curricular informants, to share their home lives, values, and cultural practices that bring purpose as well as structure to their daily lives.…”

Section: Interactive Virtual Programing Digital Tools and Responsivenessmentioning

confidence: 99%

Guidelines for virtual early childhood and family learning: An equity, diversity, inclusion, and decolonization-informed systematic review of the literature

Heydon,

Akiwenzie,

Cooper

et al. 2023

Journal of Early Childhood Research

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This article presents an equity-informed systematic review of research pertinent to the offering of virtual early childhood education programming to young children and their families. Findings are presented as guidelines which may shape the delivery of future programming within virtual contexts. These findings are organized within three major areas that were identified through the methodology: Building Connections and Fostering Online Relationships; Interactive Virtual Programming, Digital Tools, and Responsiveness; and Digital Technologies, Considerations for Access, Use, Professional Learning, and Safety. Findings highlight that developing inclusive, meaningful, and collaborative programs within virtual spaces is necessary for maximizing the learning opportunities and engagement of all children and families. Developing such services requires the careful negotiation and consideration of a range of worldviews, knowledges, priorities, and interests within unique families and contexts. Practice implications are drawn from the research, opportunities for pedagogical change are identified, and future research needs are provided.

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“…Thus, any success of ECCE teaching and learning has one of its variables as parental involvement. This is because parental involvement positively impacts children's holistic development and, therefore, quality ECEC education (Oke et al, 2020). Therefore, parents, guardians, or siblings need to assist these young children with their schoolwork to ensure they are well developed and understand that education is important.…”

Section: Insufficient Parental Involvement In Children's Educationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“Don’t Delay Learning”: Igniting Promotion of Pedagogical Transformation Strategies in Early Childhood Care Education

Thulebona

Nhase

Dube

2021

IJLTER

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The global pandemic COVID-19 has forced traditional teaching pedagogies to meet the new educational demands such as remote learning. The safety measures and regulations of COVID-19, such as social distancing, have challenged all facets of education to transform their pedagogical strategies to mitigate the spread of the pandemic, but the rate has been slow to catch up the lost learning time in Early Childhood Care Education (ECCE). This study, underpinned in critical emancipatory research, responded to two questions: what are the challenges of ECCE in the context of COVID-19 and how ECCE could adapt ways of promoting transformative pedagogical strategies. This article underpins the notion that ECCE practitioners should be equipped with novel technology methodologies that replace traditional face-to-face teaching and learning. However, it is reasonable to believe that face-to-face teaching and learning will not be totally replaced by any other new methodology or fads; it will remain important for some years to come, especially in the lower level classes. A hybrid approach of using both the in-person and distance learning strategies for flexibility and manageability by both learners and practitioners seems promising at the moment. In short, this paper explores the challenges to explore promotion of pedagogical transformation strategies in ECCE, and offers some correctives because this will be an ongoing issue for years to come. There are no easy solutions to be packaged in fancy terminology. We argue that the early promotion of transformative pedagogical strategies will assist the children and make the practitioners’ work more flexible and understandable.

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Identifying Barriers and Solutions to Increase Parent-Practitioner Communication in Early Childhood Care and Educational Services: The Development of an Online Communication Application

Cited by 12 publications

References 33 publications

Parents’ Perspectives of Family Engagement with Early Childhood Education and Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Parents’ Perspectives of Family Engagement with Early Childhood Education and Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Guidelines for virtual early childhood and family learning: An equity, diversity, inclusion, and decolonization-informed systematic review of the literature

“Don’t Delay Learning”: Igniting Promotion of Pedagogical Transformation Strategies in Early Childhood Care Education

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