Participation, Parental Engagement and Technology Learning from the PEAL Project and Beyond Paul Cutler Associate - National Children’s Bureau [email_address]

I want to tell you about... The PEAL story - Parents, Early Years and Learning How PEAL has involved parents in their children’s learning and in early years services The role of technology in this Lessons and learning

The PEAL story - Parents, Early Years and Learning

How PEAL has involved parents in their children’s learning and in early years services

The role of technology in this

Lessons and learning

Involvement is about people’s stories “…I never realised how wise she was…” “…it has shown me how to spend more time watching her and listening to her…” “…I noticed Lilly’s love of words…” “… I want to share that I have always been anxious about speaking with parents…”

“…I never realised how wise she was…”

“…it has shown me how to spend more time watching her and listening to her…”

“…I noticed Lilly’s love of words…”

“… I want to share that I have always been anxious about speaking with parents…”

How do we involve parents in their children’s learning? The big question

First principles Parents are experts Parents are so important - value them! Relationships are crucial Valuing diversity has to be real and practical Communication It is a highly skilled role Do it together, not to - participation Technology gives us powerful tools EYFS context

Parents are experts

Parents are so important - value them!

Relationships are crucial

Valuing diversity has to be real and practical

Communication

It is a highly skilled role

Do it together, not to - participation

Technology gives us powerful tools

EYFS context

The PEAL Project - 2006 to 2008 283 individual workshops 113 events 4221 individuals trained Most disadvantaged areas Outreach and consultancy - the outsider perspective Created a network

283 individual workshops

113 events

4221 individuals trained

Most disadvantaged areas

Outreach and consultancy - the outsider perspective

Created a network

Lifecycle of a project Literature review and research Collecting examples and case studies Creating a training workshop Developing materials Testing Roll out year one Roll out year two And onwards...

Literature review and research

Collecting examples and case studies

Creating a training workshop

Developing materials

Testing

Roll out year one

Roll out year two

And onwards...

Reaching out Children’s centres Private and voluntary settings Child minders Local authorities Colleges Partners - NCMA, NDNA, PLA, City & Guilds

Children’s centres

Private and voluntary settings

Child minders

Local authorities

Colleges

Partners - NCMA, NDNA, PLA, City & Guilds

Evidence base Big studies Small studies Grassroots material - practitioner led, parent led Engagement with the literature Critical reflection Adding to the evidence base Accessing it all online

Big studies

Small studies

Grassroots material - practitioner led, parent led

Engagement with the literature

Critical reflection

Adding to the evidence base

Accessing it all online

Key Research Messages # 1 Sylva et al, 2004, EPPE ‘What parents do is more important than who they are’ ‘The home learning environment gives children an advantage in both social and intellectual development’ Home or informal learning ‘stretches a child’s mind’

‘What parents do is more important than who they are’

‘The home learning environment gives children an advantage in both social and intellectual development’

Home or informal learning ‘stretches a child’s mind’

Key Research Messages #2 ‘ In the primary age range, the impact on achievement of different levels of parental involvement is bigger than differences associated with variations in the quality of schools’ Deforges and Abouchaar, 2003

‘ In the primary age range, the impact on achievement of different levels of parental involvement is bigger than differences associated with variations in the quality of schools’

Deforges and Abouchaar, 2003

Key Research Messages #3 Fathers’ interest and involvement has an independent effect on children. It gives additional benefit to mothers’ interest and involvement’ Goldman, 2005

Fathers’ interest and involvement has an independent effect on children. It gives additional benefit to mothers’ interest and involvement’

Goldman, 2005

Key Research Messages #4 What do parents want from partnership? To be listened to Their knowledge of their child valued Confidence enhanced Choices Some control Active partners in problem solving Quinton, 2004

What do parents want from partnership?

To be listened to

Their knowledge of their child valued

Confidence enhanced

Choices

Some control

Active partners in problem solving

Quinton, 2004

What can technology offer to help parents and practitioners achieve this? Key question

PEAL sessions What is it like for parents? What do parents want from practitioners? Respectful relationships Why work with parents? What might stop us? Communication and confidence What needs to be in place?

What is it like for parents?

What do parents want from practitioners?

Respectful relationships

Why work with parents?

What might stop us?

Communication and confidence

What needs to be in place?

Inspirations from Pen Green Innovative uses of technology Involvement and participation from the first step Scale of the involvement Parents as the camera person - passing on control and power Getting absorbed in the observations Linking to schemas and other models

Innovative uses of technology

Involvement and participation from the first step

Scale of the involvement

Parents as the camera person - passing on control and power

Getting absorbed in the observations

Linking to schemas and other models

What stops parental involvement? Time pressures Parents journeys Past experiences - often negative Perceptions Small details = big barriers First impressions and welcomes Access

Time pressures

Parents journeys

Past experiences - often negative

Perceptions

Small details = big barriers

First impressions and welcomes

Access

Technology helps with Communication - 2-way Conversations - keep them going Observations Capturing Recording Storing - memory and reflection Comparing Stories Editing and personalising Insight Celebrating

Communication - 2-way

Conversations - keep them going

Observations

Capturing

Recording

Storing - memory and reflection

Comparing

Stories

Editing and personalising

Insight

Celebrating

Types of technology Mobile phones SMS DVD and video Digital photography Music, mp3 and podcasts Email Websites - Flickr, Facebook Other social media - wikis, forums, blogs Others

Mobile phones

SMS

DVD and video

Digital photography

Music, mp3 and podcasts

Email

Websites - Flickr, Facebook

Other social media - wikis, forums, blogs

Others

Examples Sharing observations Stop, Look and Listen - Margaret Carr Treasureboxes Story sacks Video and DVD Photo books PEAL forum, comment pages Science museum and library trips - local, free Web based dissemination Electronic documents - case studies, reports

Sharing observations

Stop, Look and Listen - Margaret Carr

Treasureboxes

Story sacks

Video and DVD

Photo books

PEAL forum, comment pages

Science museum and library trips - local, free

Web based dissemination

Electronic documents - case studies, reports

Fathers and technology Do men like gadgets? Discuss Personal invitations Multiple forms of contact Picture messages Including dad in feedback / communication Valuing different types of involvement and learning Asking for feedback - beware gender assumptions

Do men like gadgets? Discuss

Personal invitations

Multiple forms of contact

Picture messages

Including dad in feedback / communication

Valuing different types of involvement and learning

Asking for feedback - beware gender assumptions

Technology and diversity Access Language Networks Disability groups Using a range of tools Introduce at people’s own pace Get feedback

Access

Language

Networks

Disability groups

Using a range of tools

Introduce at people’s own pace

Get feedback

Key lessons - getting it right Be prepared to loan and share technology Be prepared to take risks Be prepared to build trust Build staff confidence Build on existing strengths Avoid jargon Learn from other settings - network Focus on the learning and the relationship Make it fun

Be prepared to loan and share technology

Be prepared to take risks

Be prepared to build trust

Build staff confidence

Build on existing strengths

Avoid jargon

Learn from other settings - network

Focus on the learning and the relationship

Make it fun

Barriers If I tell you the truth… Word on the street Will I let you down? Why are we doing this? I didn’t know - getting information Missing the point - technology as a facilitator

If I tell you the truth…

Word on the street

Will I let you down?

Why are we doing this?

I didn’t know - getting information

Missing the point - technology as a facilitator

Future opportunities - who changes? Find the amazing stuff that is out there Institutionalise involvement and participation in settings - forums and beyond Get out in to the real world Focus on the power of parents and children’s learning Develop the networks and information

Find the amazing stuff that is out there

Institutionalise involvement and participation in settings - forums and beyond

Get out in to the real world

Focus on the power of parents and children’s learning

Develop the networks and information

Useful links PEAL www.peal.org.uk PEAL online forum www.peal.org.uk/forum Participation tools www.participationworks.org.uk Byron Review www.dfes.gov.uk/byronreview

PEAL www.peal.org.uk

PEAL online forum www.peal.org.uk/forum

Participation tools www.participationworks.org.uk

Byron Review www.dfes.gov.uk/byronreview

About me Pauldcutler@gmail.com www.stronger-and-more-effective.co.uk Blog at www.publicaction.org.uk Twittering at http://twitter.com/paulcutler

Pauldcutler@gmail.com

www.stronger-and-more-effective.co.uk

Blog at www.publicaction.org.uk

Twittering at http://twitter.com/paulcutler

References Desforges, C. and Abouchaar, A. (2003) The Impact of Parental Involvement, Parental Support and Family Education: A Literature Review , Research Report 433. London: DfES Goldman, R. (2005) Fathers’ Involvement in their Children’s Education . London: NFPI Quinton, D. (2004) Supporting Parents: Messages from Research . London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Sammons, P. and Melhuish, E. (2004) The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) Project: Final Report . London: DfES Wheeler, H. and Connor, J. (2006) Parents, Early Years and Learning: Reader . London: NCB

Desforges, C. and Abouchaar, A. (2003) The Impact of Parental Involvement, Parental Support and Family Education: A Literature Review , Research Report 433. London: DfES

Goldman, R. (2005) Fathers’ Involvement in their Children’s Education . London: NFPI

Quinton, D. (2004) Supporting Parents: Messages from Research . London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers

Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Sammons, P. and Melhuish, E. (2004) The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) Project: Final Report . London: DfES

Wheeler, H. and Connor, J. (2006) Parents, Early Years and Learning: Reader . London: NCB