Recommendations for Homeschooling Studies
It is time to expand homeschooling studies beyond the typical examinations of academic
achievement, student socialization, and parental motivation to homeschool. The findings from
this study introduced new avenues of inquiry that may be worth pursuing including
investigations into the emotionally-charged interactions between parents and students and the
lack of writing instruction among some homeschooling families. Based on these discoveries, I
would recommend two future studies: First, I believe a mixed method study of the emotionally charged
interactions typical in the homeschool setting is warranted. A broad survey could be
given to 500+ participants asking about emotional interactions during academic instruction
between parents and students (e.g., crying). This survey could be followed up with a multiple
case study examining these interactions. Some questions to be addressed could include the
following:
Explain if interactions is typical in the homeschool setting? How do parents handle these
interactions? How do students handle these interactions? Are academic subjects dropped due to tensions between parents and students?
Another valuable homeschooling study could revolve around why some parents do not
teach writing. For instance, the study could begin with a brief survey sent to 500+
homeschooling families asking how many homeschooling parents teach writing, how they teach
it, and with what frequency it is taught, followed up by a multiple case study of families who do
199 not teach writing. Some questions to be addressed could include the following: What reasons
factor into an avoidance of teaching writing? What is the writing self-efficacy of those students
who have not been formally taught writing?