Understanding Effective Development: Using a Community–Academic Partnership to Create a Workshop and Interactive Toolkit for Parent Education

Abstract

A paucity of research exists on using action research with parents, particularly within the framework of parent education. The current study explores the development phase of a community-academic partnership (CAP) that designed a workshop and interactive toolkit to educate mothers on how to navigate social networking sites. The CAP (N = 10) was comprised of researchers, a community organization, and a group of mothers interested in the development of the parent education program. Participants completed an online survey wherein they endorsed and ranked the importance of facilitating and hindering factors present in the formation of the collaborative process, as well as provided formal feedback on the CAP. Although both collaborative processes (interpersonal and operational) were referenced as influential facilitating factors during the CAP’s development, operational processes were expressed as facilitators more often. Similar to other action research it appears that hindering factors are commonly not experienced during the development phase. In addition, it appears a quality action research project was conducted based on the successful fulfillment of partnership and participation, action, reflection, and significance. Overall, this study specifically makes a significant contribution to action research as it pertains to the development of parent education.

Whole-of-Rural-Community Approach to Supporting Education and Career Pathway Choice

“…These findings reinforce the importance of community connectedness to research (Blumenthal et al, 2013;Israel et al, 1998), engagement of industry (Machimana et al, 2020;Santarossa & Woodruff, 2020;Woodroffe et 2017), and a bottom-up approach to the selection of interventions. The findings also link to literature around place-based learning which takes advantage of geography to create authentic, meaningful, and engaging personalised learning for students (Gruenewald & Smith, 2008).…”

“…Partnerships with community can provide students with authentic learning opportunities and expose career pathways (Kilpatrick et al, 2002). Partnerships between schools, universities, VET, industry and community organisations can be effective structures for programs which prepare students and their families for further education and work (Machimana et al, 2020;Santarossa & Woodruff, 2020;Woodroffe et al, 2017). Education-community partnerships can lead to a radical shift in attitudes and practice (Machimana et al, 2020), suggesting university outreach should work in partnership with rural communities to inform student aspirations and reveal practical steps that make higher education attainable (Kilpatrick et al, 2019).…”

“…Working parties across all three sites engaged people with a range of the roles suggested in the national career education strategy: government, parents and carers, school leaders and teachers, and employers (Department of Education and Training, 2019). Employers were explicitly included in all communities as representatives of key local industries, rather than employers more generally, consistent with literature about programs that are effective in informing parents, as well as students about careers and employment (Machimana et al, 2020;Santarossa & Woodruff, 2020;Woodroffe et al, 2017). All working parties included community providers of VET and/or adult education.…”