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How parents were involved in a special school in Hong Kong

Shun Wing Ng (Department of Education Policy and Leadership, Hong Kong Institute of Education, Hong Kong, China)
Tai Hoi Theodore Lee (Department of Education Policy and Leadership, Hong Kong Institute of Education, Hong Kong, China)

International Journal of Educational Management

ISSN: 0951-354X

Article publication date: 11 May 2015

969

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to report on a case study of 93 parents’ attitude toward their involvement at various levels of school education in a special school. It also examines the relations between parents’ education backgrounds and different levels of parental involvement.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopted quantitative research approach. A questionnaire composed of 30 items under six scales was developed with reference to Ng’s (1999) six-level Model of Home-School Cooperation which was adopted to frame the study.

Findings

The study indicates that parents’ inclined to be involved more outside the school including “two-way communication,” “supervision of children at home” and “participation in parent organizations and activities” than that inside the school such as “volunteering,” “providing advice on school policies” and “participating in decision making.”

Research limitations/implications

In spite of its small scale in a case-study special school, the paper does not aim at generalization but illuminates how parental involvement was carried out.

Practical implications

The study carries implications for school management and policy makers when promoting and implementing parental involvement in special schools.

Originality/value

For the school personnel, a total and positive relationship could help enhance efficient and effective management of education. Second, more resources should be provided by the Education Bureau for special schools to educate parents and subsidize their involvement. Third, more training opportunities regarding knowledge and skills of parental involvement should be provided for frontline teachers.

Keywords

Citation

Ng, S.W. and Lee, T.H.T. (2015), "How parents were involved in a special school in Hong Kong", International Journal of Educational Management, Vol. 29 No. 4, pp. 420-430. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEM-07-2014-0095

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2015, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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