Increasing parent engagement in student learning using an Intelligent Tutoring System with Automated Messages

• Main Author: Broderick, Zachary R
• Other Authors: Craig E. Wills, Department Head
• Format: Others
• Published: Digital WPI 2011
• Subjects: parental notification; ASSISTments; Intelligent Tutoring System
• Online Access: https://digitalcommons.wpi.edu/etd-theses/170; https://digitalcommons.wpi.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1169&context=etd-theses

This study explores the ability of an Intelligent Tutoring System (ITS) to increase parental engagement in student learning. A parental notification feature was developed for the web-based ASSISTments ITS that allows parents to log into their own accounts and access detailed data about their students' performance. Parents from a local middle school were then invited to create accounts and answer a survey assessing how engaged they felt they were in their students' education. A randomized controlled experiment was run during which weekly automated messages were sent home to parents regarding their students' assignments and how they were performing. After having them take a post-survey, it was found that access to this data caused parents to become more involved in their students' education. Additionally, this led to increased student performance in the form of higher homework completion rates. Qualitative feedback from parents was very positive.