Research has emphasised the important role of father involvement in educational achievement; however, little is known about how educational support is understood within marginalised contexts such as f

The gap

Consensus across the literature

Supporting evidence — 3 representative gaps

• A New Framework for Understanding Parental Involvement: Setting the Stage for Academic Success (2016) · doi

  We argue that the mixed results observed in previous studies indicate that parental involvement does not operate through the typical channels posited by researchers, educators, and policymakers and that traditional measures of parental involvement fail to capture the fundamental ways in which parents help their children academically.

  Keywords: parental involvement argue mixed observed previous indicate operate typical channels posited researchers educators policymakers traditional
• Disrupting Patriarchal Perceptions of Single-Mother Families: An Analysis of Adolescent Narratives (2021) · doi

  Research has emphasised the important role of father involvement in educational achievement; however, little is known about how educational support is understood within marginalised contexts such as female-headed households, especially where fathers are absent or largely uninvolved in the lives of children.

  Keywords: educational emphasised important role father involvement achievement little known support understood within marginalised contexts female
• Parental Perspectives on Mixed-Age Education in Early Childhood (2026) · doi

  Based on the findings of this study, future research on mixed-age education could further investigate the multifaceted dimensions of this educational model in a more comprehensive manner. First, longitudinal studies examining the long-term effects of mixed-age education on children's social, emotional, and cognitive development would provide valuable insights into the sustained impact of this model. Additionally, research that assesses parents' knowledge and understanding of mixed-age education, alongside identifying areas where further information is needed, could enhance family involvement and facilitate more effective support throughout the educational process. One of the primary limitations of this study is that the participating parent group consisted predominantly of mothers (n = 8), with fathers being underrepresented (n = 2). This gender imbalance, which is frequently observed in parent participation in school-based research, may result in the findings reflecting predominantly maternal perspectives rather than a shared viewpoint of all parents. As noted in the literature, Cornish (2006) reported that 82% of the parents participating in the study were mothers and emphasized that the term parent should, in such contexts, be conceptualized as referring largely to mothers. Similarly, studies conducted by Parrott and Cohen (2021) and Henn and Jackson (1997) employed parental perceptions as a primary data source; however, demographic imbalances of this nature were acknowledged as limitations due to This study is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NonDerivative (CC BY NC ND) 65  Van Yüzüncü Yıl Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 2026; 23(1), s. 52-72. Van Yüzüncü Yıl University Journal of Education, 2026; 23(1), p. 52-72. DOI: 10.33711/yyuefd.1782457 their potential impact on the generalizability of the findings. In this regard, future research is recommended to employ more gender-balanced samples and to examine fathers’ attitudes toward mixed-age education separately in relation to academic and social variables. Moreover, studies exploring teachers' experiences and perspectives regarding the implementation of mixed-age education would contribute valuable insights into the practical challenges and successes encountered in real-world settings, thereby guiding the refinement of pedagogical practices. Comparative research examining how the mixed-age education model is perceived and applied across various cultural and social contexts could offer critical insights into the influence of socio-cultural factors on its implementation and effectiveness. Furthermore, analyzing parent-child interactions in the context of mixed-age education may yield important data regarding the roles of families in supporting children's learning, as well as shedding light on children’s perceptions of education. Research focused on developing alternative curricula and educational programs specifically designed for mixed-age settings could enhance the overall effectiveness of this model. Finally, studies investigating social integration and group dynamics within mixed-age classrooms could illuminate the ways in which age differences impact peer interactions and collective learning experiences. These research directions would contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the diverse facets of mixed-age education and inform the development of more effective and contextually relevant educational practices. Ethics Committee Approval Information: This research was conducted with the approval of the Ethics Committee of Izmir Demokrasi University (Protocol No: 2024/51; Decision No: 2024/04- 10), granted for the purpose of data collection. Author Conflict of Interest Information: The authors declare that no financial support was received from any public, commercial, or non-profit organization in connection with this research. Author Contribution: The authors declare that they have contributed equally to the article.

  Keywords: mixed education educational model social parent children insights impact parents information mothers based future further