Virtual and Physical Interactions in School-Based Spaces: Latinx Parent Engagement in a High-Tech Urban Elementary School

Abstract

Schools are increasingly using technology to connect with families. Yet, we still know little about how technology shapes parent engagement—particularly for low-income Latinx families. Garnering insights from the Ecologies of Parental Engagement framework and wide-ranging qualitative data, we explore Latinx engagement at an urban, high-tech elementary school. Findings suggest that technology and language independently and concurrently shaped engagement. Within school-based spaces (e.g., cafeteria, classroom), engagement also manifested differently depending on parents’ resources and the particular space’s rules and norms. In each space, parents overcame barriers to interact and invest—virtually or physically—in their children’s schooling. Implications are discussed.