Perceptions of Parental Involvement by Teachers and Parents and their Role in Affecting the Academic Performance of Secondary Students: A Convergent Mixed Methods Study

Abstract

Parental participation has been identified as one of the important factors that contribute to the academic performance of the students, especially in the secondary level of education where students have the growing sense of autonomy and academic pressure. This paper discusses the perceptions of teachers and parents towards parental involvement and its effects on the academic achievement of students through a convergent mixed methods approach. Quantitative data was obtained using structured questionnaires to 200 teachers in secondary schools and 300 parents with the help of qualitative understanding obtained with the help of semi-structured interviews with a group of the participants. The results have shown that teachers and parents recognize the significance of parental involvement but the scope and practice of this process are different. Parents and teachers focus on emotional support and guidance and academic monitoring and communication with schools, respectively. Statistical results show that there is a strong positive association between parental engagement and academic performance of students, especially in homework monitoring, parent-teacher contacts, and expectations of students. Qualitative findings also indicate that the level and effectiveness of involvement depend on socio-economic factors, level of parental education, and school policies. It is important but other factors such as time constraints, lack of knowledge and proper school outreach discourage actual participation. The study concludes that school and family partnering plays a key role towards the best performance of students. The suggestions of the policy include the existence of structured parental engagement programs, training of teachers about family communication and institutional structures to encourage the application of inclusive strategies of involvement. The study adds to the recent literature on home-school alliances and has some implications in practice to enhance the outcomes of secondary school education.