Latino Families and Cell Phone Usage

Engaging Hispanic students’ parents through mobile technology

VOXXI News Monday, August 6, 2012

[The following is an excerpt from this article]

Research suggests mobile as a solution

Many schools have worked tirelessly to find ways to increase engagement with the Hispanic population, such as offering translators and materials in Spanish. Though these resources help, there still appears to be a gap which suggests more information is needed for Hispanics about American school culture and expectations.
A recent study conducted by the Center suggests mobile may be a good option for strengthening the home-school connection for Hispanics. According to the report, over half of all Latino families now have at least one smartphone in their homes.
Additionally, the National Center for Family Literacy had the following to say about Latino families and cell phone usage:

“Mobile access is exploding with 60 percent of Latino households owning at least one smartphone, compared to 43 percent of non-Latinos (Nielsen, 2012). Moreover, 78 percent of Latinos report using text messaging on a daily basis. Such growth suggests that new media are increasingly effective channels for reaching this population.”

Using mobile technology to bridge the gap

In light of these reports, some communities have formulated plans for utilizing mobile to reach out, engage and educate Latino parents on American school culture and expectations while also providing valuable educational resources.

Mobile technology has become a useful tool for educators to keep in touch with the parents of Hispanic students. (Photo by Shutterstock)

A notable school which has seen highly positive results from using mobile is the Think College Now Elementary School in Oakland, California. At this school nearly 100 percent of students are living at or below the poverty line, and two-thirds are Latino. The school has observed the prevalence of mobile devices in the homes of Latino students and has begun leveraging them as tools for engagement.
To help educate and engage Latino families, the school offers educational videos, in both English and Spanish, from the series Bound, created by Great Schools. These videos are short and animated, featuring valuable information about how parents can support their children’s education, both in and out of the classroom. The videos also teach parents how to handle various issues, such as a child who won’t go to sleep on time on a school night. Additionally, the school is sending out reading tips through text messages to families.
Think College Now Elementary School has seen increased engagement on the part of immigrant parents since providing access to these films and texts, suggesting mobile is a solution schools should consider to bridge the gap and reach those who otherwise may be left behind.
According to the CEO of Great Schools, Bill Jackson “We don’t want to preach to them [parents] about what they should do. Parents are already doing a lot. Instead we offer them a place to get information, inspiration and social support they are seeking to raise children who will succeed in school and emerge ready for the world.”
Though the impact of using mobile to reach Latino families has yet to be quantified, it is safe to say, this form of communication is worth considering to meet the needs of this growing population.
The following resources were used in development of this article:

• Livingston, Gretchen, “Latinos and Digital Technology, 2010,” Pew Hispanic Center, Washington, D.C. (February 9, 2011).

• Sparks, S. (2009). Teacher ambassador urges more ELL parent involvement. EducationDaily, 42 (101).

• Turney, K. & Kao, G. (2009). Barriers to school involvement: Are immigrant parents disadvantaged? The Journal of Educational Research, 102: (4), 257-271.

Read more: http://www.voxxi.com/parents-hispanic-students-mobile-technology/#ixzz22qxUSgm6