Social Media as a Primary Means for Parent Involvement in Missouri Rural Schools: Secondary School Principals’ and Superintendents’ Perceptions

With a lack of research regarding the viability of social media use as a tool for learning in K-12 education, administrators are struggling to determine if this technology belongs in school settings (Piotrowski, 2015). Educators who have not reviewed current perceptions regarding technology may not use appropriate technology practices with students (Dietze & Kashin, 2013). Furthermore, since social media and technology use is an expected practice in classrooms, the responsibility of attending to this growing trend is assumed by school administration (Piotrowski, 2015). The purpose of this study was to identify the perceptions of school administrators in regard to social media as a primary means for parent involvement. The sample group selected for this study included 16 individuals from rural Missouri schools consisting of eight public school superintendents and assistant superintendents and eight secondary principals and assistant principals. Participants were asked interview questions to determine their perceptions of social media as a primary means of parental involvement. The interview questions were also posed to identify what social media platforms were currently being used as a means to increase or maintain an appropriate level of parent involvement. Results from this study indicated most administrators perceived social media to be an integral part of public education, communication, and parent-involvement. However, most administrators reported a lack of professional development opportunities for administrators and teachers specific to the use and implementation of social media as a means for parent involvement