A Qualitative Study of African-American Parents’ Perceptions of Parental Involvement
Abstract
Improved academic performance, among many other factors, has been linked in the
research to parental involvement. Unfortunately, many view African-American parents as
uninvolved because of the activities in which they choose to participate. This study is a
narratological case study that examines the perceptions of African-American parents in
regard to parental involvement. The initial research question was: What are the perceptions
of parents regarding their involvement in schools? The three sub-questions that were used to
help answer this were: (1) How do parents define involvement? (2) What are their
experiences with parental involvement? and (3) How do teachers involve parents with their
child’s school?
Parental perceptions of parental involvement were analyzed using qualitative
measures. The participants of this study were all African-American – four females and one
male. This research study involved the study of parents’ perceptions by collecting data
sources in the form of face-to-face interviews, written narratives, and a brief focus group.
The findings of the research study imply that the definition of parental involvement
lacks consideration of various ethnicities. Non-African-American parents might perceive
African-American parents as uninvolved or disassociated with the learning of their children,
while in reality, the tool by which parents are measured is inadequate. This suggests that
school systems should invest time in providing professional development in better
understanding how one’s lived experiences can shape one’s own truths and work to
understand the perspective of parents of color .
Table of Contents
Introduction -- Literature review -- Methodology -- Research findings -- Summary, recommendations, and conclusions -- Appendix A. Narrative Prompts -- Appendix B. Interview Protocol -- Appendix C. Transcripts -- Appendix D. IRB Approval -- Appendix E. Consent for Participation
Degree
Ed.D.