Computer Information Systems in Education/Chapter 3/Section 2 -- Parent Information Systems

Parent Information Systems
Parent information systems are gaining prominence as tools for maintaining contact in many schools (Villano, 2008). Such systems provide an opportunity for schools to use technology to increase parental involvement and participation in the school.



The I-Parent System
The information system that has been deployed at xxx school is called I-Parent. As with similar tools, I-Parent is a means to increase communication with parents and teachers in order to support students' academic performance. I- Parent allows parents to view their child's grades anytime and from anywhere through the use of a desktop computer and an internet connection.

User Policies
1. Do not share their password with others

2. Do not attempt  to destroy or damage any data information

3. Do not allow your child(ren) to use your password

4. Do not try to access anyone page

5. If security problem arrive, the parent will notify the school instantly

To start an I-Parent, parent will have to sign a copy of the regulations. Once the regulation paper is the parent’s I-Parent account will be active. After, parents submit their signed regulation paper to the school, they will receive their access. Instructions and login information will be mailed to you within two or three days. If you have children in multiply schools you only need to fill out on regulation paper. With the I-Parent account parents will be able to access their child (ran) assignments given, attendance records, grades, etc.

For security purposes if you have two unsuccessful attempts to login to your I-Parent account it will be disabled. Until you contact your child (en) guidance counsels about your problems. After that is done the counsel will reactive your account and you will have to create another password.

Equipment Needed
1. Computer (Desktop, cell phone, etc.)

2. Internet service (Internet Explorer)

The Crews I-Parent
Objectives:

1. Parents will learn what I-Parent is all about.

2. Parent will learn how to use the Internet to communicate with their child (ren) teacher

3. The parents will learn how to use the Internet

Vocabulary
I-Parent

Internet

Email

Equipment Needed:

1. Computer (Desktop, cell phone, etc.)

2. Internet service (Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox)

Planning
This process involves the parents, teachers, and school board members. Ideally, the process occurs in cycles with an evaluation of the school's strategic plan to ensure that Crews I-Parent system is being used to help the school achieve its strategic objectives. The school board will have to approve theory dreams before any money is budgeted out for the development of the Crews I-Parent system.



The parents and staff members of Hallmark Heights School had a meeting concerning another way to communicate other than by phone. After the meeting, the teachers at the school came up with a questionnaire form for the parents, school administrators, and the school board members to complete. The questionnaire forms asked the parents questions like do you have access to the Internet, do they have email accounts, how often can they get to a computer to access the Internet, etc. For administrators and the school board members, the questions were can meeting be held once a month to help parents set up this program, can the school have fundraisers or scholarships to help purchases computers for parents who can not afford them, etc. After all the questionnaire forms were fill out and review, the teachers at Hallmark Heights decided to set up a program called Crews I-Parent system. The Crews I-Parent system was adopted into the Hallmark Heights School with an outstanding vote of 5-0 by the school board members.

Crews I-Parent system will be a way for parents to communicate with their child’s teacher at any time. This system is not replacing telephone conversation between parents and teachers if simply helps the teachers make sure that parents know exactly what is going on with their child(ren) at all times. This system will consist of assignments given to the students on a daily basis, test scores, progress report (a paper report will go home weekly as well), attendance daily, class schedule, and discipline reports.



Analysis
This is where all parents have an opportunity to understand the Crews I-Parent to their fullest ability. All minds do not think alike or at the same rate of speed. Therefore, Crews I –Parent is set up for the fast pace users as well as the slow pace users. Parents are able to assess the system at anytime of the day or night. As well as, the parents are able to log into the system from any computer any where in the world. Since computers and people do not always work together; Crews I- Parent system has different links for the parents to follow to ensure they reach their destination with no problems.

Design
The Crews I-Parent system was design in a professional way. The system is design where if a parent has more than one child in the school, they can use the same username, password and teacher code for all their children. Also, it has a tutorial page to guide parents who are still having problem using the system. This page has a solid background with graphics that go alone with the words to help guide the parents through the process. The system was mainly designed for parents and teachers; however the school administrators and school board members have access to the main page only. This is where they can put information on the page that they would like for the parents to know about. The main page is the school’s main website page which consists of a picture of the school, the school address and phone number, and the school motto. Also, the names the school administrators, school board members, and the teachers with the grade that they teach are on the main page as well. The background scene is filled with the school’s colors and school’s graphics. On the left hand side of the main page, there are several links that the parents click on to get to the proper destination.

Once they click on one of the links, there is a security pages that they have to complete in order to get to their proper destination. The security page is set up with the school code, parent’s username, password, and child’s teacher’s code (this is to make sure no students are trying to log into the system as their parents or log into someone else’s page). This security page only allows one failed attempt and then it will kick out the parents’ information. If this happen to a parents the parents will have to go to their child (ren) teacher to get another teacher’s code to resubmit their password over. The security page is set up with the school’s graphics only. Once the parents are passed the security pages, they just click on their child’s name. Once they click on their child’s name they are free to see and access all of their child (ren) information from attendance to child (ren) class schedule and beyond.

Implementation
Crews I-Parent was created in fall 2006 and went for it trail and error process in two classrooms in January 2007. After six months of success Hallmark Heights decided to implement Crews I-Parent into all their classrooms. Since the system was implemented in the entire school the communication level has improved 100% for parents and teachers. Since the system was implemented into the entire classroom the students have tremendously improved in their attendance, behavior, and grades.

Conceptual Map


http://cmapspublic3.ihmc.us:80/servlet/SBReadResourceServlet?rid=1240193929323_698879343_1074&partName=htmltext

Assessment:

Name:                                                           Date:

Short answer. 1. What is I-Parent? 2. What will Crews I-Parent consist of? 3. What questions were asked on the questionnaire from for the parents, administrators and school board members? 4. When was Crews I –Parent created? 5. Where website was the timeline made  from?