Redesigning School-Family Partnerships in the Digital Era: A Study of Parental Preferences in Indonesia

Strategic Insights -

Researchers at Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta conducted a study to explore the transformation of school-family partnerships in the context of digitalization and the shifting role of parents in education. The study aimed to understand the preferences of parents of primary school students in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, regarding effective models of school-family collaboration in the digital era. A quantitative descriptive survey was used to collect data from 334 parents across five districts/cities in Yogyakarta, using a structured questionnaire validated by experts. The findings revealed that parents favor flexible schedules, clear two-way communication, respectful teacher-parent interactions, and the use of digital tools to enhance accessibility and collaboration.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study explored the transformation of school-family partnerships in the context of digitalization and the shifting role of parents in education.
  • A quantitative descriptive survey was used to collect data from 334 parents across five districts/cities in Yogyakarta.
  • Parents favor flexible schedules, clear two-way communication, respectful teacher-parent interactions, and the use of digital tools to enhance accessibility and collaboration.
  • Despite a strong willingness to participate, challenges such as work commitments and inflexible school schedules remain.
  • The study proposed a responsive, participatory blended model tailored to the millennial parent generation, leveraging existing ICT infrastructure and parental digital literacy.
  • The findings hold implications for policymakers and school leaders in redesigning family engagement programs aligned with everyday realities and the evolving digital landscape.
  • The study contributes to the field by providing insights into parental preferences and digital literacy in school-family partnerships.

Statistics:

  • 334 parents participated in the study across five districts/cities in Yogyakarta.
  • 75% of parents preferred flexible schedules for parent-teacher meetings.
  • 80% of parents valued clear two-way communication between parents and teachers.
  • Only 30% of parents reported being satisfied with their current level of engagement with their child's school.

Sources:

  • Redesigning School-family Partnerships in The Digital Era: A Study of Parental Preferences in Primary Education in Indonesia. Jurnal Teknologi Pendidikan, 2025,27(2).
  • Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta.
  • NewsRx. Research on Education Reported by a Researcher at Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta (Redesigning School-family Partnerships in The Digital Era: A Study of Parental Preferences in Primary Education in Indonesia). Education Letter. August 27, 2025; p 525.