Shelby Hand’s Updates

5. Homeschool Facebook Groups Supporting Homeschooling Parents

The purpose of this study was not to prove that homeschooling parents use homeschool Facebook groups nor to prove that they find them supportive. The assumption at the beginning of the study was that they are supportive, otherwise they would not be utilized broadly. Instead, the purpose of this study was to explore:

The ways that homeschool Facebook groups are supportive
How they impact the homeschool environment for homeschoolers
How homeschoolers perceive their role as supporters in these groups.

This chapter summarizes the findings presented in Chapter 4, followed by recommendations for future research and implications that came from the study.

Further Interpretations of the Findings

The 65 participants who completed the survey, as well as what was shared by the 17 participants in interviews and focus groups, are very similar to each other in regard to demographics. They are mostly Caucasian, mostly female, and mostly older than 35. However, the experiences and preferences of the participants revealed more differences than might be expected from such a homogenous group. The homeschoolers shared differences in their:

Motivations to homeschool
Homeschool Facebook group preferences
Use of homeschool Facebook groups
Perceptions of themselves as supporters in the homeschool Facebook groups