Measuring Learning Gain of Understanding of Parents' Communication Skill and of Child Development

Abstract

The parent education curriculum Kid Time was taught to parents with children in two Head Start facilities. The objective of Kid Time was to help parents improve communication with their children. Parents completed pretest and post test instruments for the six session program. Data were analyzed to determine whether as a result of the parent education program they changed their communication behavior with their children. Parents were also evaluated on their knowledge of stages of child development. Results of this study should help the sponsoring organization, Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service, evaluate their parent education programs to improve effectiveness.