Journal 8

Meet the Parents. Matt Villano, Learning & Leading with Technology, Volume 35, Number 6, March/April 2008

Parent notification technologies are on the rise and are receiving a good "report card" by all who use them. Originally used for emergency notification, these technologies have replaced the old phone trees and dittos sent home to parents. Most of which were never seen or in the wrong language for all parents to understand.

The new parent notification technologies not only inform parents when the next parent-teacher conferences are, but they also let the parents know if their children are actually in school, tardy, what assignments have been turned in, what assignments or exams are coming up, etc. These technologies are enabling parents to become more involved in their children's education, and as a result of their involvement, the children are doing progressively better.

Question 1: Is this a feasible system for all schools?
Answer: This system would be ideal for all schools. It would be great if it could be implemented by our government, so that the schools wouldn't have to cut costs elsewhere. The possibilities are endless, and it is available in many languages, so that all parents can understand it with minimal effort on their part. They would be able to keep track of their child's education and team up with their child's teachers.

Question 2: What are the challenges?
Answer: One of the biggest challenges is access. Not all families have access to the internet or cell phones for that matter. They could utilize public terminals at libraries, but is that too much to expect?