Abstract
Learning through social interaction has been documented widely; however, how introverted people are socially engaged in learning is largely unknown. The aim of this study was, first, to examine the reliability and validity of the social engagement scale among students at Finnish comprehensive schools. Then, we aimed to examine the interaction effect of introversion and social engagement on self-esteem, schoolwork engagement, and school burnout. Based on a sample of 862 ninth grade students in Finland, we found that a two-factor model best fitted the social engagement scale (i.e., social engagement and social disengagement). Further, we found that introverts with high social engagement have higher self-esteem than introverts with low social engagement. Our results implied that introverts should be given extra support when they encounter group work in school.
Highlights
Learning is a social process in which children gain knowledge through social interaction and exchanging ideas with their classmates (Vygotsky, 1978)
As all the items were normally distributed, confirmatory factor analysis was used to determine the structure of the social engagement
Either the second-order model1 or the bifactor model could be identified, which yielded null model estimates. This may be due to the scale having only two factors and the testing of complex models being problematic without additional constraints
Summary
Learning is a social process in which children gain knowledge through social interaction and exchanging ideas with their classmates (Vygotsky, 1978). Students learn from others, create a positive working environment, provide multiple perspectives, and enhance critical thinking and problem-solving skills (Hurst et al, 2013). Previous research showed that students who receive support from their classmates are more active at school (Murberg, 2010). In the context of this study, Finland, the importance of good social skills are increasingly emphasized (Jokinen and Sieppi, 2018). Many Finnish school tasks include teamwork, collective learning, and discussion-based activities. The new Finnish National Core Curriculum (Opetushallitus, 2016) highlights students’ participation in class and conversations, different study environments, new teaching and studying strategies, self-regulation, project-based learning, collaborative learning, and group work
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
