Survey Development and Administration
be a strong advocate for furthering the level of involvement for the parents and teachers in preparing the students for academic success.
Validation Methods:
The survey instrument was subjected to two methods for testing its validity before deployment. The validation methods chosen for the survey were based upon face validity and content validity. Ravid, (Ravid, 1994) states that, "content validity is measured by comparing the test items with the unit, behaviors, or skills which that test is attempting to measure." In the case of the writer's survey, the content validation method seemed appropriate because there was previous data reflecting the amounts of parents in attendance for specific activities from prior years. The writer used this information for creating the three categories reflecting those areas that had the most interest. Face validity was also used for measuring the results of the surveys. Ravid states that, "face validity is not a formal type of validity, yet, refers to the extent to which an instrument appears to measure what it was intended to measure." (Ravid, Ruth, p. 263.)
Development of Survey and Value Implications:
The development of the survey was based primarily on the data that was collected on previous parental involvement events held at the school during the school years of 1997 through the current year, 2000. After researching literature on Parental Involvement, the writer chose to include several new items mixed with the activities from prior years reflecting the greatest attendance and interest. The new items added involved the making of posters, keepsakes, the offering of conflict resolution classes and communication through the school's mail delivery system, entitled, "Wee Deliver". Each of the new items are based upon what the writer found was lacking concerning the expectations of Parent Involvement oriented affiliations. The writing, creativity and communication elements are extremely important in internalizing experiences offered by these events in a positive way. Parents and school staff must recruit other parents by talking face-to-face with them, even by visiting their homes (D'Angelo & Adler, 1991) http://eric-web.tc.columbia.edu/digests/... No other communication is nearly as persuasive. In order for a Parental Involvement Program to succeed, its organizers must enlist all parents, as both teachers and learners.
The writer viewed the information to be used as qualitative research. According to Gall, Chapter 1, "Qualitative research is multi-method in its focus, involving interpretive, naturalistic approach to subject matter. Qualitative research studies things in their natural settings, attempting to make sense of, or interpret
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