Attitudes of parents enrolling kindergarten children at an open plan school in the A.C.T., 1978

Abstract

The aim of the pilot study is to measure changes of attitudes over a period of six months. It is claimed that parents new to a school have only hearsay as a basis for their opinions about the school's functioning and that this is often detrimental to the school. It is hypothesized that these opinions will change and reflect positive attitudes towards the school in relation to the amount of contact experienced. The recording of the survey begins by referring to the paucity of research material on the subject; it continues by describing the method of collecting data on initial opinions by means of interviews, questionnaires and a statements of opinions check sheet; it then analyses changes of opinion by comparing the data of the later August statements of opinions return with the earlier February one; and finally suggests reasons for change by analysing correlations of parental contact and increased positive attitude. The paper concludes with recommendations for further studies and parent education programmes.

Date of Award	1979
Original language	English