Analysis of social educators' and parents' cooperation possibilities: promoting and hindering factors

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Collection:
Mokslo publikacijos / Scientific publications
Document Type:
Straipsnis / Article
Language:
Anglų kalba / English
Title:
Analysis of social educators' and parents' cooperation possibilities: promoting and hindering factors
Authors:
In the Journal:
Social welfare: interdisciplinary approach. 2014, Vol. 4(1), p. 8-17
Subject Category:
LT
Socialinis ugdymas / Social education.
Summary / Abstract:

ENThe necessity of cooperation is underlined that the family should cooperate with other public institutions, in the frst place, of course, the school, which in turn addresses many other educational institutions, voluntary services, cultural institutions for support. Systemic-structural perception of social education factors is particularly important as it distinguishes the functions and interrelations of participants of the educational process, acting in various educational and upbringing institutions, social support institutions, laying foundations for an integral system of actions. This integral system of factors of social education must encompass the system of various educational institutions, distinguish their interrelationships, procedural-historical collaboration of the participants of the educational process, the very learner’s self-education and thus lay foundations for an integral system of factors of education and support (Vaitkevičius, 1995, Bitinas, 2000). Cooperation is a multidimensional process, containing many interacting ecological factors: peculiarities of personalities (learners’, parents’, educators’), social and cultural context of the educational environment. How do parents and educators perceive and evaluate the importance of cooperation between the participants of the educational process, their abilities and efforts? What cooperation successes and hindrances do they envisage? Namely these questions defne the problematic space of the presented study. Research aim: to analyse social educators’ and parents’ cooperation possibilities at school, to disclose the factors promoting and hindering this process. Research subject: social educators’ and parents’ cooperation possibilities at school, factors promoting and hindering them: the dimension of educators’ and parents’ opinion.Research methodology and sample. To disclose educators’ and parents’ opinion qualitative and quantitative research approaches were chosen. The quantitative study was attended by 176 school educators of different age and gender. The study was conducted employing a closed type questionnaire, compiled on the basis of the researches and practical experience of Kontautienė (2010), Merfeldaitė (2009a; 2009b), Vaitkevičius (1995). It was sought to disclose respondents’ efforts and abilities to cooperate. Using Likert type scale, the respondents had to rate statements according to the intensity of the opinion ranging from certainly yes to certainly no. To check empirical data the SPSS 17 version was used, descriptive statistics (unitary, percentage frequency, mean, and standard deviation) and statistical analysis Student t criterion (t ≤ 0,095) were employed. In order to evaluate internal reliability of the questionnaire, Cronbach α indicator was used (internal consistency measure – α coeffcient); it is treated as suffcient when it exceeds 0,75 digital representation. Qualitative data collection method (semi structured interview method) was used to fnd out parents’(N=15) attitude. Interview questions were prepared on the basis of the aforementioned scientists’ researches related to the explored problem, disclosing the essence of cooperation, its signifcance, hindrances and success factors of this process. Qualitative research data were analyzed employing the qualitative content analysis method. Qualitative research data were validated on the basis of education expert’s conclusions. The results of the qualitative study were distributed into diagnostic areas and categories. Analysing qualitative research data, key cooperation areas of participants of the educational process manifested themselves.Statistically reliable data show that teachers think that the cooperation with parents should take place while analyzing children’s self-education and achievements (t ≤ 0,020), solving risk group pupils’ problems (t ≤ 0,028), analyzing inappropriate behavior (t ≤ 0,002), situation of pupils receiving social and material support (t ≤ 0,050), involving pupils in school events and organizing parents’ meetings. Cooperation is equally important seeking good academic achievements, appropriate behavior, drug usage prevention, parents’ and pupils’ involvement in school community life. The analysis of the qualitative study enables to state that parents think that the most important factor promoting cooperation with educators is educators’ personal features, to which parents attribute respect, sincerity, empathy, understanding, care, goodwillingness and positive attitude to learners. Cooperating with the mature personality, successful resolution of social and educational problems can be expected. Data analysis shows that not only subject knowledge and competency are important in the interaction of educational process participants but also the maturity of the personality, positive self evaluation and positive child’s evaluation. The social educator’s work together with other professionals of the child’s welfare (a psychologist, special educator, subject teachers, class tutors) and parents’ involvement in school life (organization of open lessons, after-school activities, meetings) should also be treated as an important factor promoting cooperation. Research data analysis demonstrates that the main factor hindering cooperation, according to parents, is not the teacher’s subject-based and professional competencies but personality features. [...] Keywords: cooperation, social education, social educator. [From the publication]

DOI:
10.15388/SW.2014.28249
ISSN:
2029-7424
Subject:
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https://www.lituanistika.lt/content/110566
Updated:
2024-10-25 14:40:13
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