Navigating parental engagement in WhatsApp groups: A study of parent-teacher experiences

Shira Traeger-Soudry; Hananel Rosenberg; Chen Sabag-Ben Porat; Hila Lowenstein-Barkai

doi:10.1016/j.tate.2025.105074

Navigating parental engagement in WhatsApp groups: A study of parent-teacher experiences

The Moscowitz School of Communication

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

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.

Original language	English
Article number	105074
Journal	Teaching and Teacher Education
Volume	162
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2025.105074
State	Published - Aug 2025

Keywords

Computer-mediated communication
Digital communication
Parental engagement
Teacher-parents interaction
WhatsApp groups

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10.1016/j.tate.2025.105074

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title = "Navigating parental engagement in WhatsApp groups: A study of parent-teacher experiences",

abstract = "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.",

keywords = "Computer-mediated communication, Digital communication, Parental engagement, Teacher-parents interaction, WhatsApp groups",

author = "Shira Traeger-Soudry and Hananel Rosenberg and \{Sabag-Ben Porat\}, Chen and Hila Lowenstein-Barkai",

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AU - Lowenstein-Barkai, Hila

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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

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KW - Teacher-parents interaction

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Navigating parental engagement in WhatsApp groups: A study of parent-teacher experiences

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