Family engagement in education in Uttar Pradesh, India: factors associated with the involvement of families in their children’s education.

University of Minnesota Ph.D. dissertation. September 2011. Major: Educational Policy and Administration. Advisors: Dr. Deanne Magnusson, Dr. David Chapman. 1 computer file (PDF); xxi, 283 pages.The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which families within the Shravasti district of Uttar Pradesh, India are engaged in their children's education, as well as to examine the child, family, school, and community factors that are potentially associated with families' involvement in their children's education. Additionally, through mediation analysis (Preacher and Hayes, 2008), the educational aspirations that are held for the child were examined in relation to way these aspirations potentially mediate the relationship between factors within the child, family, school, and community contexts and family engagement in education. Seven forms of family engagement were examined in this study, including financial investment in children's schooling, educational aspirations for the child's level of educational attainment, whether or not family helps the child in his or her study, whether or not the family accompanies the child to school, and whether or not the child's caretaker visits the school for the purpose of attending a meeting as a member, when presence is needed for reasons such as paying fees or enrollment, and/or at the teacher's request for discussion about the child's study or behavior. Multiple linear and binary logistic regression analyses were used to determine the association between child, family, school, and community factors and different forms of family engagement. Out of the various contextual factors examined, the findings revealed that the dummy variables for the household's village of residence and the child's age were among the most consistent indicators family engagement in education. Furthermore, based on the findings from the mediation models in which educational attainment aspirations served as the mediator variable, one or more significant indirect effects were found with each of the dependent variables of financial investment in education, family help with study, and family accompaniment to school. Overall, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of the nature of family engagement in education in the Shravasti district of Uttar Pradesh, India, providing knowledge of the factors that are related to various forms of family engagement in education in the Shravasti district. Moreover, through this study, practical strategies are offered for Indian educators in order to facilitate more collaborative relationships with the parents and families of Indian students