Effectiveness of Systematic Procedures for Parents’ Involvement in Interactive Science Homework

Abstract

Home-based Teaching and Learning (PdPR) is an alternative learning approach in many countries, including Malaysia, and is in line with the new normal. It emphasizes parental roles in helping children learn effectively at home. This study aims to examine the effectiveness of parental involvement through a systematic procedure in the implementation of Interactive Science Homework (KRIS). Using a Quasi-Experimental design, this study involved a total of 69 Year Three elementary school children with their parents. Children in the treatment group (n=37) underwent the KRIS intervention with homework systematic completion procedures. Meanwhile, children in the control group (n=32) underwent a KRIS intervention without the systematic procedures. Data were collected through the review of returned assignments from both groups. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted with the children’s parents. The data from the returned assignments and records of the children and parents’ involvement were analyzed using descriptive analyses. The interview transcripts were analyzed thematically. The findings show that assigning KRIS with systematic procedures has a positive effect on the children, where the assignment return rate and parents’ involvement were higher compared with the intervention without systematic procedures. In this light, parents have the opportunity to guide their children in learning more systematically and are able to keep track of their children’s performance in school. The main implication of this study is that the development of guidelines for parental involvement in the science curriculum will encourage the children to learn science together with their parents.