Maximizing the effectiveness of parental text messaging

Maximizing the effectiveness of parental text messaging
Xue Wang, Johns Hopkins University
Parental text messaging interventions hold promise for encouraging at-home reading, school attendance, and other educational behaviors. A recent study by Asher and colleagues investigated the effects of three behavioral levers to support summer reading: providing updated personalized information; goal-setting to reinforce immediate action; and framing different reading views to promote specific parental beliefs.
 
All participants in the study had access to an educational reading app. During a 9-week texting intervention, 4,993 families received text messages twice weekly, with one message sent earlier in the week and the other closer to the weekend. Examples of personalized information include the specific books that the student had access to and whether or not the student had logged into the educational app. For the goal-setting factor, some families were invited to set a reading goal and make a plan for reaching it. Messages were sent periodically to check in on their progress toward that goal. The reading views factor had three groups who received differently-framed messages on reading views: instrumental-only-view (reading for building specific skills for future success), entertainment-only-view (reading as an enjoyable and fun activity), and a balanced combination of entertainment- and instrumental-framed messages.
 
The findings suggest that variation in the content and tone of messages can lead to important differences in effects. More personalized messages outperformed generic messages on reading outcomes (ES = +0.03). No significant effects were found on student test scores for changing goal-setting or view-of-reading components. Regarding the interaction effects, personalization with both reading views was more effective than personalization with instrumental-only or entertainment-only views alone. 

Views: 53

▶ Reply to This

JOIN SL 2.0

SUBSCRIBE TO

SCHOOL LEADERSHIP 2.0

Feedspot named School Leadership 2.0 one of the "Top 25 Educational Leadership Blogs"

"School Leadership 2.0 is the premier virtual learning community for school leaders from around the globe."

---------------------------

 Our community is a subscription-based paid service ($19.95/year or only $1.99 per month for a trial membership)  that will provide school leaders with outstanding resources. Learn more about membership to this service by clicking one of our links below.

 

Click HERE to subscribe as an individual.

 

Click HERE to learn about group membership (i.e., association, leadership teams)

__________________

CREATE AN EMPLOYER PROFILE AND GET JOB ALERTS AT 

SCHOOLLEADERSHIPJOBS.COM

New Partnership

image0.jpeg

Mentors.net - a Professional Development Resource

Mentors.net was founded in 1995 as a professional development resource for school administrators leading new teacher induction programs. It soon evolved into a destination where both new and student teachers could reflect on their teaching experiences. Now, nearly thirty years later, Mentors.net has taken on a new direction—serving as a platform for beginning teachers, preservice educators, and

other professionals to share their insights and experiences from the early years of teaching, with a focus on integrating artificial intelligence. We invite you to contribute by sharing your experiences in the form of a journal article, story, reflection, or timely tips, especially on how you incorporate AI into your teaching

practice. Submissions may range from a 500-word personal reflection to a 2,000-word article with formal citations.

© 2026   Created by William Brennan and Michael Keany   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service