Parental Roles and Actions in an Early Childhood Facebook and Home-Based Family STEM Program

• In Event: AERA Poster Session Friday 9:45am
  In Poster Session: STEM Education and Computational Learning Innovations

Abstract

This mixed-methods study explores parental participation in the context of a STEM family program through the lens of the Ecologies of Parental Engagement model. This initiative prompts early childhood STEM learning through home-based activities, supported by social media (i.e., closed Facebook groups) to foster community and family interactions. We examined parents' perceptions regarding their roles and actions in both social media and home spaces. A latent profile analysis revealed four distinct groups of parents with different degrees of engagement in each space. Engagement patterns demonstrated how context, social expectations, and personal capital shaped parents' roles and actions. Results underscore the value of recognizing passive participation as meaningful engagement and leveraging social media as a space for informal learning.

Authors

• Valentina Bongiovanni, University of North Florida

• Meghan M. Parkinson, University of North Florida

• Daniel Dinsmore, University of North Florida