Modernizing school communication systems: using text messaging to improve student academic performance

Graduation date: 2010The emerging use of portable digital devices by students, parents and teachers, is forcing schools to develop real-time communication systems that integrate technology into the general operations of schools, and contemplate governing policies and procedures to sustain and guide the challenges of these new technologies. This study contributes to this important issue by providing evidence on the impact of mobile messaging - text messaging (SMS), on US high school student assignment completion rates.\ud \ud This study designs a field experiment to test for differences in student assignment completion rates, where SMS is used to communicate directly with students and parents about class assignments. Differences in assignment completion rates are compared and tested in three scenarios 1) when students receive text messages on their cell phone regarding class assignments 2) when parents receive text messages on their cell phone regarding class assignments and 3) when both parents and students receive simultaneous text messages on their cell phones regarding class assignments.\ud \ud Study participants included four teachers, 79 students, and 79 parents within two high schools selected as research sites. The quantitative portion of the study utilized an experimental 4x4 Latin square design to measure the impact of four types of text messaging interventions. Results indicate that SMS to both students and parents resulted in the highest assignment completion rate of 5.16/6, followed by text to parents only 4.75/6, text to students only 4.63/6, and finally, text to students and parents (non-specific assignment) 4.0/6. Empirical results of the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) tests show that there were 1) significant differences in assignment completion rate by text message intervention type, 2) no statistically significant effects of time period of the intervention transmission, and 3) statistically significant teacher effects.\ud \ud Overall, these results indicate: that specific assignment information communicated by SMS from teachers to students and parents has a positive impact on student assignment completion, and that comprehensive communication has a strong impact on student achievement. These findings further suggest the need for a broader discussion on how to best form and implement effective policy regarding technology usage within schools