Communicating to Parents: Navigating the Outside Noise 

Single module registration

Parents are making decisions about schools in an environment shaped by competing narratives, misinformation, social media, and information overload. As schools compete with an ever-growing number of voices for attention and credibility, communicators must better understand how audiences process information, form opinions, and respond to competing messages. This session explores communication and media theories that help explain audience behavior, including concepts such as source credibility, the third-person effect, hostile media effect, and misinformation. Participants will examine how these dynamics influence parent perceptions and identify strategies for helping school communities cut through the noise and make informed decisions.

Speakers:

• Kenon Brown, Ph.D., Director, Institute for Communication and Information Research and Professor, Department of Advertising and Public Relations at the University of Alabama
• Marlenia Thornton, Communications Coordinator | Lincoln Public Schools, Neb.

Part of the Strategic Communications Track of NSPRA Academy. Register for this single module or for the full series.