TY - JOUR
T1 - Navigating parental engagement in WhatsApp groups
T2 - A study of parent-teacher experiences
AU - Traeger-Soudry, Shira
AU - Rosenberg, Hananel
AU - Sabag-Ben Porat, Chen
AU - Lowenstein-Barkai, Hila
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 The Authors
PY - 2025/8
Y1 - 2025/8
N2 - This study examines how WhatsApp-groups shape parental engagement in education, focusing on elementary school teachers-parents groups. Using theories of parental engagement and digital affordances, we explore how these groups transform traditional educational partnerships. Through in-depth interviews with teachers and parents, the study highlights how WhatsApp's public nature, constant availability, and conversational format both enable and constrain meaningful parental engagement. Findings reveal how digital platforms reshape the involvement-to-engagement continuum, emphasizing the balance between enhanced communication opportunities and maintaining appropriate professional boundaries. This research enhances theoretical understanding of parental engagement in digital spaces and offers practical insights for managing technology-mediated educational partnerships.
AB - This study examines how WhatsApp-groups shape parental engagement in education, focusing on elementary school teachers-parents groups. Using theories of parental engagement and digital affordances, we explore how these groups transform traditional educational partnerships. Through in-depth interviews with teachers and parents, the study highlights how WhatsApp's public nature, constant availability, and conversational format both enable and constrain meaningful parental engagement. Findings reveal how digital platforms reshape the involvement-to-engagement continuum, emphasizing the balance between enhanced communication opportunities and maintaining appropriate professional boundaries. This research enhances theoretical understanding of parental engagement in digital spaces and offers practical insights for managing technology-mediated educational partnerships.
KW - Computer-mediated communication
KW - Digital communication
KW - Parental engagement
KW - Teacher-parents interaction
KW - WhatsApp groups
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105004805824
U2 - 10.1016/j.tate.2025.105074
DO - 10.1016/j.tate.2025.105074
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AN - SCOPUS:105004805824
SN - 0742-051X
VL - 162
JO - Teaching and Teacher Education
JF - Teaching and Teacher Education
M1 - 105074
ER -