Parents' Acceptance of Educational Technology: Lessons From Around the World

Psychological and Pedagogical Support for Parents of Children with Special Educational Needs

This study primarily aimed to develop a program that aids parents of children with Special Educational Needs (SEN), placing emphasis on the challenges encountered in communication and understanding. The Eidemiller and Justizkis's (2008) Family Relationship Analysis (FRA) served as the core method of the research. As inclusive education progresses, new challenges incessantly emerge necessitating immediate effective solutions. This research spotlights the triad of teachers, psychologists, and parents. A cornerstone of this research is the emphasis on nurturing a unique bond between school psychologists or teachers and parents. This bond should be anchored in mutual trust, motivation, and a conducive psychological environment. The overarching goal is to boost parental motivation, alleviate concerns linked to the child's condition, reinforce family relationships, and cultivate a positive enabling environment for the child. The study culminated in the rollout of a tailored program connecting parents with educational professionals. This program encompassed lectures and exercises delving into understanding challenges, coupled with innovative methods like fairy tale activities and initiatives to foster tolerance. Feedback indicated a notable positive impact on parents. The research underscores the necessity of fostering parental confidence and assuaging fears regarding their child's condition. In this context, the influence of peers and friends on the development of inclusive education should be considered in future studies.

Exploring the perception of parents on children's screentime: a systematic review and meta-synthesis of qualitative studies

BACKGROUND

Screentime (ST) has been increasingly pervasive in young children. Evidence suggests positive and negative effects of ST on children's development. Parents play a crucial role in influencing their children's ST. There is limited research consolidating the parental perceptions related to children's ST. This review consolidates the evidence on the perception of parents on their children's ST.

METHODS

Six electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Scopus, and ProQuest) were searched from their inception to September 2022. Critical appraisal was conducted using the Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP) checklist. Data synthesis was performed using Sandelowski and Barroso's approach.

RESULTS

Twenty studies were included in this review, encapsulating the experiences of 1,311 parents. Three main themes with corresponding subthemes were identified: (1) Varied reasons behind ST; (2) Attitudes toward ST; and (3) Strategies and approaches to managing ST.

CONCLUSION

The findings highlighted the varied reasons parents promote ST. Parents reported their concerns and confusion about ST and shared some strategies and approaches for better ST. Future research is needed to develop and evaluate educational programs to ensure that parents understand the risks and benefits of ST and in turn, ensure the appropriate adoption of ST for their children.

IMPACT

In the digital era, parents' attitudes towards screentime (ST) for their children are mixed. This review presents the dilemma parents face and their struggles with using optimal screen time for their children. This review provides up-to-date evidence on the parents' confusion and concerns about ST as well as strategies and approaches used by the parents for better ST. There is an urgent need for evidence-based educational programs to enhance parental knowledge about ST so that they can ensure appropriate ST among children.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

PROSPERO Registration No. CRD42022356083.

Predictors of Portuguese teachers’ use of Information and Communication Technologies in literacy classes

In the last years, the teaching and learning of literacy has changed due to the development of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). The use of ICT in the classroom depends largely on teachers, who are the key players in its integration. However, several factors influence teachers’ decisions to use ICT in their classroom, both internal (e.g., self-efficacy) and external (e.g., school support). Indeed, despite the potential benefits of using ICT, not all teachers use them in their teaching practice. In the present study, we examined which are the main factors influencing teachers’ effective use of ICT in literacy classrooms. A total of 125 teachers lecturing Portuguese Language in grades 5–12 participated in this study (M = 50.00 years, SD = 7.88; 89% women). Teachers filled in an online survey, comprising sociodemographic questions (viz., age, gender, education, years of teaching experience, teaching level, school type, and geographical area) and four questionnaires related to ICT and teaching. Results showed that effective use of ICT was predicted by both internal (ICT’ self-efficacy and constructivist conception of teaching) and external (lack of access and support, and gatekeepers) factors. These findings may help in the identification of key targets to facilitate the effective use of ICT in literacy classrooms.

Factors Influencing Students’ Continuous Intentions for Using Micro-Lectures in the Post-COVID-19 Period: A Modification of the UTAUT-2 Approach

Micro-lectures, i.e., short learning videos on a specific aspect of a topic, have become one of the most effective technology-based learning media approaches and were widely used during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in the post-pandemic era starting from early 2022, as K-12 students have been allowed to resume going to school, it is necessary to evaluate students’ intentions to continuously use micro-lectures for learning mathematics. Therefore, this study aims to explore attitudes and continuous intentions of students towards the utilization of micro-lectures. To investigate students’ intentions of using micro-lectures, we utilized the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT-2). Data were collected from 321 junior high school students (14–17 years old) in Bandung, Indonesia, who used online classes and micro-lectures to learn mathematics during the pandemic. A structural equation model was also used to analyze the independent (performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating condition, hedonic motivation, and habit) and dependent (attitude and continuous intention) variables. Furthermore, online questionnaires were used to obtain data on students’ attitudes and continuous intention to utilize micro-lectures in the post-COVID-19 era. The results suggested that effort expectancy (EE) and hedonic motivation (HM) had a significant effect on attitudes, whose correlation with habit also influenced the continuous intention during this post-pandemic period. Despite these results, the habit variable was found to be the factor most influencing continuous intention. These results provide information to teachers, schools, and the government to continuously increase the use of micro-lectures based on improving student learning performances in the post-pandemic era.