Eğitime Aile Katılımı: Sosyo-Ekonomik Özellikler Etkiliyor Mu?

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the opinions of parents whose children study at private schools about involvement in education and to determine the effect of family income and education expenses on participation in education. The study used an exploratory sequential mixed methods design involving both qualitative and quantitative methods. In exploratory sequential design studies, the aim is to quantitatively test the findings explored by the qualitative design. The study data were obtained from the parents of a private middle school with branches in Istanbul and Ankara provinces (qualitative: 13 / quantitative: 217 parents). The data of the study were collected using a parental involvement interview form, which provided qualitative data, and a parental involvement scale, which provided quantitative data. On the qualitative dimension, the study found that private school parents generally thought an uneducated society made life difficult and that the education received in the family would constitute the basis of the education that would be taken in the following years. Parents stated that their involvement in schools and classes would be possible when their desire to see their children’s development was kept alive. Regarding the positives and negatives of the involvement in education at school or home, more parents found it positive. On the quantitative dimension, on the other hand, the total score of parental involvement in education was found to show a difference according to the household income and the amount spent for enriching a child's learning and life outside the school environment. The results of the study provided some practical suggestions for establishing a successful family involvement program.