Parental involvement and student achievement: critical review of Fan and Chen

¶ … constant in education: it is always changing, evolving and morphing. Today's public schools face massive challenges: low test scores, greater accountability, and less funding. In addition, the schools of 2010 have become de facto parents, providing lessons in life skills, morality and even basic hygiene. An outsider looking in might ask the question, "Where are the parents?." Indeed, Fan and Chen (2001) writing almost a decade ago were curious about the effects parental involvement could have on student achievement. While their findings were not groundbreaking or highly original, their research and conclusions offer some guidance for today's educators and parents.

Parental Involvement

Fan and Chen (2001) begin their article with the supposition that higher parental involvement would likely have a positive impact on student learning and student achievement. Fan and Chen completed a thorough review of the literature and determined that (a) there is a perception that parental involvement improves student achievement (b) there are inconsistencies in the literature as to the empirical evidence of such a supposition, (c) research into parental involvement has been fr4agmented and inconclusive. Fan and Chen found there were a smattering of theoretical frameworks researchers have used in studying parental involvement and student achievement. One lens, posited by Epstein, studied what schools (e.g. teachers) did in an effort to garner higher parental involvement. The other theory, was a comprehensive theoretical framework as to why parents became involved (or did not) and why such involvement had a positive impact on student learning. Finally, Fan and Chen noted that there is no consistent operational use of the term "parental involvement." Thus, the authors attempted to define the term in an effort to guide their research.

Research Methods

Fan and Chen (2001) conducted a meta analysis of previously conducted research about parental involvement and student achievement. While a meta analysis seems appropriate for this article and/or research, it must be noted that there are critics of the practice. Indeed, DeCoster (2004) likens a meta analysis to adding apples and oranges together and hoping for a grape. This author, while understanding the value of a meta analysis, seems puzzled exactly why Fan and Chen chose such a methodology. Why not simply conduct original research, rather than stand on the shoulders of, well, not giants, but of other academics. But the author digresses. Nonetheless, Fan and Chen attempted a noble and grand review of over 2,000 articles and papers spanning a ten-year timeframe. From this, Fan and Chen found 25 articles that met the criteria of their research. Next, Fan and Chen coded the research and derived numerous variables as well as indicators too numerous to note in a critique. Suffice it to say, Fan and Chen spent what seems, an inordinate amount of time working with other's work to derive a working model.

Results

Surprise. Fan and Chen (2001) discovered that a higher parental involvement had a positive correlation on student achievement. Perhaps such results would be unexpected by an academic toiling away in obscurity, but for this author and the man on the street, the results are unsurprising. Specifically, Fan and Chen noted that the focus on core subjects in isolation (e.g. math, reading, science, etc.) rather than a cumulative effect (e.g. GPA) was not the best practice. Fan and Chen suggest that researchers should focus on GPA/Parental Involvement because a GPA is a comprehensive analysis of a student's performance in school and that a GPA is more reliable (e.g. measurable) than an ala cart approach to student evaluation.

Implications for Educators

As stated previously, and understood by even the slowest dullard, parental involvement helps student achievement. What would be beneficial is to understand why parents choose to help their child. The author rejects the notion that a low SES has a negative correlation on parental involvement. There are poor parents who work with their children and help them achieve success. In addition, it would be beneficial to examine the quality of parental involvement vs. The quantity of parental involvement. Indeed, is it really beneficial to have the Volvo driving soccer mom in the school 24/7 for little Asthon's learning and self-esteem? More than likely, no. For today's students, there seems to be a need for helicopter parents to fly away and allow the student to achieve success and failure on their own. It does no good for parents to constantly "save" their child from the adversity that is life.