Congratulations to Kerri B. Stroka who on Monday, April 28, 2025, successfully defended her dissertation proposal. The title of Kerri’s dissertation is: "FACEBOOK: INFLUENCE OF PARENT AND K-12 SCHOOL DISTRICT COMMUNICATION DURING THE COVID-19 GLOBAL PANDEMIC."
This interpretive qualitative study examines how mothers utilized Facebook as a platform for educational advocacy during the COVID-19 pandemic and the extent to which their online engagement influenced school district administrators’ decision making processes. Employing Contested Space Theory as a theoretical framework, this research examines how Facebook groups, particularly “Mothers of New York” functioned as digital arenas where traditional power dynamics between parents and educational institutions were negotiated and challenged during unprecedented school closures. Data collection includes semi-structured interviews with K-12 school administrators from the Hudson Valley in New York, content analysis of Facebook posts, and examination of district communications from March – October 2020. The study addresses two primary research questions: (1) How did school district administrators monitor and consider comments on the Mothers of New York Facebook page and (2) How did Facebook moms influence the decision making process of school district administrators during COVID-19? By triangulating multiple data sources through systematic qualitative analysis, this study explores parent-school communication during this crisis period and examines social media’s role in reshaping educational policy discourse. The findings will provide insights into how digital platforms enabled mothers to coordinate messaging, challenge institutional authority, and potentially influence educational decisions during the pandemic.
DISSERTATION COMMITTEE CHAIR:
Dr. Kenneth Mitchell
DISSERTATION COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Dr. Yiping Wan
Dr. Frank Zamperlin
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