Two major components of the Urban Dreams project are parent and community involvement and access to technology.  The parent and community involvement component consisted of ongoing parent technology trainings at each of the local high schools and linkages to community partners.

Component 3: Parent and Community Involvement

Component 3: Parent and Community Involvement

Technology Training for Parents

For the second consecutive year, Urban Dreams provided basic computer training for parents in the spring of 2000 and the 2000-2001 school year (Objective 3.1).  The Marcus Foster Institute provided the trainings through a subcontract with the school district.  The trainings were designed to provide parents with basic computer concepts and skills through hands-on use of computers. 

The technology trainings were mandatory for parents prior to their receiving computers for home usage.  Over 240 parents participated in the trainings during the 2000-2001 academic year.  The training focused on basic computer concepts and skill development through a hands-on approach.  Table 9 provides an overview of the participation rates by high school.

Table 9:   Parent Participation in Basic Computer Training By High School During 2000 – 2001 Academic Year  

The project undertook two different evaluation activities related to these trainings.  The first was a summative evaluation of the perceived quality by the parents of the trainings.  Participating parents were asked to rank, from 1 (lowest) to 4 (highest), the quality of the trainings using six indicators.  The following table contains a descriptive analysis of each of the questions in Section 1.

Table 10:  Quality of Training Results By Indicator

The mean scores on the four-point scale ranged between 3.61 and 3.76 indicating that the majority of participants thought that the trainings were of high quality. On average over 75% of the participants gave each quality indicator the highest rating.  A more complete description of the summative evaluation results for these parent technology trainings is attached. 

In addition to the summative evaluation, trainers developed and administered workshop evaluation assessments during the first and last sessions in order to measure gains in specific competencies related to computer use.   As Table 11 demonstrates, approximately the same number of parents took both the pre- and post-workshop evaluation assessments.  The majority of the respondents were female.

Table 11.    Population and Gender of Parents Taking Pre-Post Assessments  

An analysis of individual respondents revealed that 199 parents had taken both the pre and post assessments.  The following table provides an overview of recoded questions results for both the pre and post workshop evaluation assessments.  Missing values were excluded case by case.

Table 11.    Descriptive Results of Pre and Post Workshop Evaluation Assessments (N=199)

Figure 10 provides a graphic overview of the results.

Figure 10.   Graphic Results Display of Pre and Post Workshop Evaluation Assessments 

(N=187 to 199)

Using a nonparametric test of significance for matched pairs demonstrates that there were statistically significant (p<.01) gains for every competency.  This is further evidence that the trainings were effective in preparing parents for the computers they subsequently received.  A more complete description of the pre- and post-evaluation results for these parent technology trainings is attached.

Parent and Community Involvement – Community Partnerships

A strength of the project has been the quality and quantity of linkages the staff has developed with educational partners in the community.  These partners provide in-kind resources and their efforts are leading to the long-term sustainability of the project’s efforts.  These partners provide valuable assistance related to professional development, technology and curriculum support.  Brief descriptions of some of the larger partners not included above under Cohort 1: 2000-2001 monthly professional development activities are included here:

A joint project of The Contemporary World History Project & The World Affairs Council.  The Contemporary World History Project (CWHP) operates at two levels – a multiyear knowledge and skill development program for participating teachers plus a computer assisted, intergenerational negotiation simulation for students.  The project’s overall purpose is the development of high school teachers’ knowledge and instructional skills relating to world history.  Participating teachers are supported with curriculum resource materials, an e-mail communication network, and regular coaching in the application of the project content and instructional practice in their own classrooms.  Work with this project began during the 2000 Summer Institute.

The Oakland Technology Exchange (OTX) recycles computer technology for the Oakland Public Schools. Even more importantly, it provides high school students with incentives to stay in school and learn skills necessary to succeed in the 21st century. OTX recycles computers for use by Tech students at home and on their way to college. Students and staff learn about and recycle computers that are 'obsolete' by current business standards and earn credits (“Tech Bucks”) that are redeemable for take-home computers. Computers that are recycled in the program are used in school labs and classrooms.

In 1973 Oakland Schools' Superintendent Marcus Foster founded an organization to raise discretionary funds to nurture creative initiatives in the public schools. The Marcus A. Foster Educational Institute is uniting educators, parents, business and civic leaders in the effort to reform public education. The Institute is working for and with a multicultural community to address the broad range of educational needs through various programs and supporting endeavors.

© Copyright 2001 Center for Evaluation and Research, LL