Masters Theses

Date of Award

5-2002

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Communication

Major Professor

Paul Ashdown

Committee Members

Jerry Morrow, Aileen Nonis

Abstract

This study was designed to examine the use of the Internet as a communication tool by a kindergarten class in a public primary school. It evaluates the needs for communication between a school and its publics, and especially between teachers and parents, and evaluates the use of electronic communication to meet those needs in a timely and cost-efficient way. The study follows the implementation of electronic communication in a kindergarten classroom and its use by a teacher and parents. It includes a survey of parents to explore their interest in communicating with their children's teachers via computer and Internet. It also applies diffusion theory to the more widespread use of electronic communication by limited resource organizations such as public schools. It examines resources necessary to make a shift to electronic communication between parent and teacher and evaluates the outcome. The study shows that parents have interest and desire in more communication with their children's teacher and would welcome the opportunity to do that electronically. It shows also that most public schools have resources at hand to communicate this way, and that it is economically viable to do so. Extensive interviews with the implementing teacher chronicle her year-long journey, and follow-up interviews with parents document how they felt about the experiment.

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