About that new Dissertation topic....

As some of you may know, my master's thesis examined parent and student perceptions of differentiated instruction at my charter school site, Blue Heron Middle School. My questions in that study were: Why did the parents/students in my school choose alternative education? What, if anything, was different about the school? and What, if any, impacts do those differences have on their learning throughout the year?

With the increase in emphasis on school choice options for families, the reasons parents/students choose different schools, and the outcomes of those choices, continue to be important. I am currently in an internship at a charter school here in Idaho which emphasizes an Expeditionary learning model. This year they expanded and added over 100 new students. This offered an opportunity to explore why these families chose to enroll at this charter school. However, because the school has been in operation for ten years, it is fairly stable in its curriculum and day-to-day organization, which is a huge plus. These families came into a successful school instead of stepping onto a new boat leaving the dock, like with my school!

My new dissertation topic examines parents' perceptions of how their choice has impacted their child's growth. In my thesis, it was interesting to look at parent/guardian's own elementary school experiences, and how that influenced their perceptions of their child's schooling. This is a big piece of this study, as well. Do parent experiences influence the act of making a choice? Do parent experiences color their perceptions of what school should be like, and their satisfaction with their child's school?

For my pilot study, I'll be talking with five parents/guardians. In the dissertation, I'll be talking to about 30 parents/guardians, as well as the students them selves, to compare perceptions. It's great to have a large population to draw from, because the more interviews I do, the better.


I'm doing good on my time line, so far. Have my project approved, and am submitting the Institutional Review Board paperwork tomorrow. That's the university approval process to make sure my research is safe for human subjects!

Am deep in the review of literature for the study. Best part so far has been finding a researcher in Finland who has spent a lot of time looking at the influence of parents' experiences on their perceptions of education. So my literature review is taking on an international flavor!

Onward and upward, one handhold at a time. :)

(I promise pictures of animals and scenery next time. Sorry for the dense text.)