Spanish Family Code Nights: Engaging Parents in CS for All

• In Event: Power in the Plurality of Pedagogies and Partnerships in "Computer Science for All"

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
Computer Science (CS) Education is less available at schools in lower income communities. National data shows that at schools that serve low income families, one third of parents do not use computers at all and internet connectivity at home is mobile or inconsistent (Rideout & Katz, 2016). However, national data (Google/Gallup, 2015) and our local data suggest that parents in low SES households and teachers at schools with more low income students are most likely to say that they value and want to have formal CS education in school. Decades of research show the importance of families in children’s interest and engagement in school. This study builds on efforts by researchers and school-based partners to promote social equity by transforming ecologies (Gutiérrez & Jurow, 2016).

FRAMEWORK/PERSPECTIVE
Family Code Night is a one-hour event has been used in thousands of schools across the US to spark interest and introduce elementary school families to basic programming concepts and increase their motivation to learn more. Until now, these events have reached primarily higher income and English-dominant families. The goals of this study were to: 1) adapt the existing Family Code Night resources so that the events could more effectively reach and serve Spanish-speaking families from lower socioeconomic communities, 2) test and refine these adaptations by implementing the event at three elementary schools, and 3) collect data to understand what motivated parents to attend and how they benefited.

METHODS & DATA
The design and implementation of Spanish Family Code Nights was done in collaboration with teachers, school staff members (Community Liaisons, Library Media Teachers), administrators, and parents. The events took place at three elementary schools; the recruitment and implementation strategies were tested and refined each time. A total of 80 children and their families participated. Surveys were collected from parents when they arrived, and interviews were done with seven parents after the event.

RESULTS
Parents attended the event both for their children and for themselves. Over half (56%) came to prepare their child with tech skills for their future, and 47% came to learn for themselves. The most successful way to reach parents was through a flyer in their child’s school folder, but email and text were also effective. Lessons learned included having a facilitator that is comfortable with coding, in addition to being bilingual and familiar with the student and parent population, and weaving in cultural references (e.g., explaining the similarities between coding and making tamales).

SIGNIFICANCE
Parent involvement plays a critical role in students’ learning and engagement both in and outside of school, yet the CS for All movement has done little to understand how to effectively engage parents, particularly those who have no formal CS training. The event has begun to catalyze a movement among parents, teachers, staff and administrators at all three schools to bring more events, and more computer science education to the schools. The results have implications for engaging more Spanish-speaking families in working toward CS for All.

Authors

• Jill Denner, Education, Training, and Research Associates

• John Pearce, Family Code Night