![[The River Houses]](https://riverhouses.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/arms-icon-100x100.png "The River Houses"){kind=icon}
![[Homeschool Research]](https://riverhouses.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/magnifying-glass-emoji-right-150x150.png)
On the third Tuesday of each month we post a quick roundup of some recent academic publications and news about homeschooling, offered for your interest. These are typically university research papers, and they may have a positive, negative, or neutral outlook on home education. The title links generally point to the full text of each publication, which is often a printable pdf file. In some cases, a paid subscription may be required to read the whole article. The article abstracts or introductions below are quoted in full whenever possible, without editing.
We have four items this month, on homeschooling and community colleges; homeschooling and autism; homeschooling in Lebanon; and black homeschooling organizations:
(1) How They Did It: Homeschooled Students Share Their Top Tips to Succeed in Dual Enrollment and Beyond — M. Crouch (2024)
Abstract: This article examines how personal characteristics contribute to the success of homeschooled students in dual enrollment programs and their transition to higher education, the workforce, or the military. It emphasizes the effectiveness of metacognitive strategies in improving academic achievement and challenges misconceptions about socialization outcomes. The review also acknowledges diverse motivations, methods, and approaches used by homeschooling families. Empirical evidence reveals that homeschooled students excel academically, exceeding national averages in tests and college performance. Interviews with three homeschooled students in dual enrollment programs highlight the significance of parental involvement, self-knowledge, time management, collaboration, seeking support, and personal growth through social interactions. The findings emphasize the unique benefits of homeschooling, including flexibility, self-direction, and skill development. The article concludes by discussing the implications for educational practitioners, urging them to utilize the experiences of homeschooled students to adapt their programs to better support dual credit students as a whole.
(2) Social Skill Development in Teenagers with Autism Who Are Homeschooled in the Rural Southwest: A Phenomenological Study of the Lived Experience of Caregivers — S.J. Bistline (2024)
Abstract: The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to describe the caregiver’s lived experience of social skill development in their teenage or young adult students who have autism. Vygotsky’s social constructivism theory frames the structure of social development within the student’s family, community, and local culture. The central research question guiding this study was, what were the caregivers’ lived experiences of social interactions with their homeschooled teenager or young adult diagnosed with autism? All participants were caregivers of teenage or young adult students diagnosed with autism who received all or part of their schooling through homeschooling, micro-schooling, or habilitation services in their home in the rural Southwest United States. Data was collected in person and via electronic means (e.g., video conferencing) through journal writing, individual interviews, and focus groups. Journals, individual interviews, and focus groups were analyzed to triangulate the data to improve the reliability and validity of the data collected. Themes within the caregiver’s lived experience were compared with themes that emerged across each caregiver’s lived experience to identify effective practices for developing social skills among teenage and young adult students with autism. Themes developed from the data were caregiver resources and challenges, intervention services and planning for the future, and social maturation. By keeping their true natural environment constant during their formative years, teenagers and young adults may have better success at learning functional communication and self-regulation skills, which are foundational to learning social skills. Social skills, in turn, are foundational to successful integration into communities and workplaces and may help alleviate comorbidities of depression and mental illnesses.
(3) Uncovering Homeschooling in Lebanon: A Qualitative-Phenomenological Exploration of Homeschooling Realities from Parental and Educational Sector Stakeholders Perspectives — A. Nazar & R. Nasrallah (2024)
Abstract: Despite the global trend toward the legalization of homeschooling, it remains illegal in Lebanon. This study aims to explore the multifaceted realities of homeschooling in Lebanon and the motives driving its adoption according to homeschooled children’s parents, and the perspectives of educational stakeholders in Lebanon on homeschooling. The study participants included 10 parents homeschooling their children and three public-sector education experts. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and focus groups with parents, and document analysis. For the homeschooling experience and its motives from parental perspectives, seven key themes were identified: (1) Factors to consider in homeschooling, (2) Motives behind homeschooling, (3) Effects of homeschooling, (4) Curriculum selection, (5) Child’s interaction with the homeschooling experience, (6) Homeschooling outcomes, and (7) Parents’ agreement on homeschooling their child. Four themes emerged from the discussions with the stakeholders: (1) The legal status of homeschooling in Lebanon, (2) The lack of studies or reports on homeschooling in Lebanon, (3) The stakeholders’ approach to homeschooling, and (4) The eventual legislation of homeschooling in Lebanon. The findings of this study highlight the urgent need for legal frameworks that accommodate homeschooling, suggesting its potential to diversify and enrich Lebanon’s educational landscape.
(4) Our Mission is Uplift: Afrofuturism and Collective Work for Liberation in Black Homeschooling Organizations — T. Noel, J. Gardner, & A. Sylvester (2024)
Abstract: This study aims to explore how Black homeschooling organizations based in the United States with a public web presence in 2023–2024 characterize their missions and what these mission statements can tell us both about the growing homeschooling movement among Black parents, as well as its potential implications for education as a means of individual and collective uplift and positive social change. Design/methodology/approach: This paper used critical constructivist grounded theory (Levitt, 2021) and emergent coding to analyze the mission statements and organizational descriptions of all 19 U.S.-based Black homeschooling organizations with a public facing web presence identified via Google search in 2023 and 2024. Findings: Utilizing Afrofuturism as our theoretical framework, themes such as Black self-determination, community, support, and resources, and safety and empowerment emerged. Black homeschooling organizations offer families a safe and informative community as they seek agency, autonomy and brighter futures for their children than may be on offer in traditional schools. Originality/value: Our research fills an empirical gap in the literature on Black homeschooling by examining an existing but, so far as this paper could determine, unstudied population of U.S.-based Black homeschooling organizations. Our research also contributes by applying Afrofuturism and fugitive pedagogy as novel theoretical frameworks to better understand the move toward homeschooling by increasing numbers of Black parents.
What interesting homeschool news and academic research have you come across this Hercules Term? 🎓
❡ Explore more: If you’d like to investigate the academic literature on homeschooling more extensively, the best place to start is Google Scholar, the special academic search engine from Google. Just enter a search term or phrase of interest (“homeschool,” “unschooling,” “classical homeschooling,” “deschooling,” etc.), and Google Scholar will return a list of research publications that mention your topic. In addition, for research prior to 2020 in particular, see the comprehensive bibliographic essay by Kunzman & Gaither (2020), “Homeschooling: An Updated Comprehensive Survey of the Research.” 🔎
❡ Stay in the loop: This is one of our regular Homeschool Research & News posts. Add your name to our weekly mailing list to get great homeschool teaching ideas delivered right to your mailbox all through the year. 📫
❡ Homeschool calendars: We have a whole collection of free, printable, educational homeschool calendars and planners available on our main River Houses calendar page. They will help you create a light and easy structure for your homeschool year. Give them a try today! 🗓
❡ Support our work: If you enjoy our educational materials, please support us by starting your regular Amazon shopping from our very own homeschool teaching supplies page. When you click through from our page, any purchase you make earns us a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for helping us to keep going and growing! 🛒
❡ Join us! The aim of the River Houses project is to create a network of friendly local homeschool support groups — local chapters that we call “Houses.” Our first at-large chapter, Headwaters House, is now forming and is open to homeschoolers everywhere. Find out how to become one of our founding members on the Headwaters House membership page. 🏡
