Classroom Research Articles

Leveraging Social Media in The College Classroom

This paper explores the integration of social media platforms into higher education to enhance student engagement, foster collaboration, and promote meaningful learning experiences. Drawing upon a comprehensive review of existing literature, empirical evidence, and practical insights, the study investigates the implementation of various social media projects within educational contexts. The research examines the effectiveness of diverse social media initiatives, including infographics, memes, blog posts, TikTok-style public service announcements, and podcast scripts, in facilitating student learning and participation. Moreover, the paper identifies key challenges encountered during the integration process, such as technical hurdles, alignment with course objectives, and ethical considerations, and proposes strategies for addressing theses challenges. Additionally, the study explores promising future directions for refining the use of social media in education, including integrating emerging technologies, evolving pedagogical approaches, and prioritizing ethical considerations. Through a reflective analysis of successes, shortcomings, and lessons learned, this paper provides valuable insights for educators, instructional designers, and educational policymakers seeking to leverage social media effectively in higher education. Ultimately, the research contributes to a deeper understanding of the role of social media in promoting student engagement, facilitating learning, and shaping the future of education in a digital age. Keywords: social media, higher education, student engagement, educational technology, pedagogical approaches, digital literacy, social media integration

Understanding instructors’ tablet adoption for note-taking in interpreting: insights from the GETAMEL model

With the rise in popularity of tablets, professional interpreters were among the early adopters who integrated them into their workflow. Tablets have also become an indispensable tool for students, including those studying interpreting, who utilize them in the classroom for various purposes, such as note-taking. However, despite this growing trend, the traditional practice of pen-and-paper note-taking remains prevalent. Additionally, current interpreting textbooks primarily focus on teaching pen-and-paper note-taking skills. As interpreting instructors, it is crucial for us to familiarize ourselves with the use of tablets for note-taking in consecutive interpreting (CI). This will enable us to adapt our teaching methods accordingly and cater to the needs of the “iPad Kids” generation. The purpose of this study is to use quantitative method to examine the factors that contribute to the adoption of tablets for note-taking by instructors in the classroom environment. A questionnaire was developed based on the General Extended Technology Acceptance Model for E-learning (GETAMEL) framework. The questionnaire was distributed to teachers at prominent foreign language universities, foreign language faculties in select comprehensive universities and translation training institutions across Chinese Mainland and Macao Special Administrative Region of China. To provide comprehensive insights into the variables under study, descriptive statistics were generated using both SPSS 25.0 and Excel. These tools facilitated the production of detailed data summaries, offering valuable insights into the research variables. The obtained results provide insights into various aspects, including instructors’ knowledge levels and usage of tablet interpreting in university classrooms, their attitudes toward integrating tablet interpreting into teaching, and the key factors that influence their decisions to adopt tablet interpreting in their classroom practices. The findings suggest the existence of additional external factors that could be incorporated into the existing model. The paper concludes with recommendations on how to promote the integration of technology into teaching practices for interpreting instructors.

Construction and Application of a Blended Online and Offline University English Course

This paper explores the design, implementation, and evaluation of the Integrated English 3 blended course, which integrates online learning through massive open online courses (MOOCs) and face-to-face classroom instruction. Guided by the production-oriented approach, the course aims to improve students’ language proficiency and intercultural communication skills. It employs a variety of teaching methods, including online self-study, task-based learning, and collaborative group work, to foster student engagement and promote language output. The study highlights key elements of course construction, such as the use of MOOCs, the design of smart classrooms, and the development of a comprehensive assessment system that combines formative and summative evaluations. The results suggest that the blended teaching model enhances students’ language skills while promoting critical thinking and cultural awareness. The course also emphasizes the importance of developing digital literacy among both students and teachers to effectively utilize online resources.

OpenAI’s Sora in medical education: artificial videos in the classroom of the future

OpenAI’s Sora in medical education: artificial videos in the classroom of the future

A Study on the Factors Influencing the Formation of Representational Marginal People in University Classrooms

Representational marginal people are a unique group among the marginal people in the classroom. They show characteristics that are completely different from most students in the classroom. Although they hardly participate in classroom activities, do not actively interact with classmates, and fail to get the attention of teachers, these students often have very strong autonomous learning ability. This study focuses on this special group. Based on the grounded theory method and through in-depth analysis of the data, the study found that the formation of representational marginal people is affected by multiple factors. These factors include the course teaching methods in the classroom, students' learning attitudes and methods, individual emotions and personal values, and social interactions with classmates. These factors interact with each other and jointly shape the unique learning experience of representational marginal people and their marginalized status in the classroom.

The Impact of Dependent Behavior on the Design of Classroom Evacuation Exits for Intellectually Disabled Students

The increasing demand for special education in architectural design highlights the urgent need to ensure the safe evacuation of students with intellectual disabilities. However, current research on classroom evacuation for these students remains limited, particularly concerning critical factors, such as the number, location, and distance of exits. This study investigated the impact of dependent behavior on classroom exit design for students with intellectual disabilities by developing a Cellular Automaton (CA) model based on their behavioral characteristics. Simulated evacuation scenarios, considering and disregarding dependent behaviors, were analyzed to assess their effects on the number and positioning of exits, and a predictive model was implemented to establish the relationship between exit spacing and evacuation time. The results indicated that the dependent behavior significantly reduced evacuation efficiency and substantially affected classroom exit design. Considering the dependent behavior, this study demonstrated that setting two exits reduced the average evacuation time for students with intellectual disabilities by 12.99%, with further reductions achieved by placing the exits at the rear rather than at the sides or front of the classroom. The research also revealed that under the influence of dependent behavior, the average evacuation time initially decreased and then increased as the distance between exits increased. As one of the few studies addressing evacuation issues for students and the first to incorporate dependent behavior into the evacuation model, this study provides valuable recommendations for classroom designs that balance evacuation safety and daily usability. It offers essential data to inform architectural designs for classrooms serving students with intellectual disabilities and serves as a reference for future educational building design standards and regulations.

Spatial pedagogy: exploring semiotic functions of one teacher’s movement in an Active Learning Classroom

Abstract A teacher’s use of classroom space via embodied movement enacts a specific spatial pedagogy and has a significant impact on the nature of teaching and learning that can take place. The ubiquity and large expenditure in renovating university learning environments have not been accompanied by well-informed research due to a tendency to background embodied movement in pedagogic investigations. This paper explores the semiotic potentials and pedagogic functions of one teacher’s embodied movement in an Active Learning Classroom in a tertiary setting. It maps out the interrelationship of embodied movement and space as an entanglement of materiality and practice, which complements existing research that relates movement to space only in terms of layout and composition. By conducting a nuanced multimodal analysis of one teacher’s co-patterns of movement and speech in a tertiary lesson, this paper finds that co-patterns of embodied movement and speech in the classroom can segment phases of pedagogic discourse into five secondary phases and that these phases congruently enact different types of space to modulate the teacher-student relationship and enact different pedagogic roles. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implication of embodied movement on classroom design and pedagogic practice.

Impact of biophilic design on college student perception of mental health and environmental benefits: A dose-response study

We examined a dose-response relationship of plants placed in a university classroom with college students’ self-reported cognitive performance, mental and psychosomatic health, environmental quality perceptions, and objectively measured indoor air quality (IAQ) parameters. This quasi-experimental design study involved two university classrooms, a Comparison Classroom (CC) and a Biophilic Classroom (BC). In the BC, but not in the CC, 50 plants were placed in Week 4 (W4), an additional 51 in W10, and all plants removed in W14. Surveys were administered at 4 time points (T1: W3 [baseline]; T2: W7; T3: W13, and T4: W16) to assess students’ perceptions and health outcomes, including perceived stress, cognitive performance, nature connectedness, indoor environmental quality, air freshness, odor intensity, productivity, and sleepiness, with scores ranging from 0–40 (stress), 1–7 (sleepiness), or 1–5 (other variables). IAQ was monitored continuously using TSI AirAssure™ Monitors. At Baseline, 257 students completed the survey in the CC and 80 in the BC. Plants in the BC significantly improved students' perceived indoor environmental quality (T2: 4.04 vs. 3.51, p<.001; T3: 4.00 vs. 3.52, p<.001), air freshness (T2: 4.07 vs. 3.41, p<.001; T3: 3.91 vs. 3.48, p<.01), and productivity (T2: 3.33 vs. 2.91, p<.01; T3: 3.33 vs. 2.90, p<.01). However, adding more plants did not further improve these perceptions. No significant differences were found in students’ cognitive performance, perceived stress, sleepiness, nature connectedness, or IAQ parameters between CC and BC. Plants in the classroom improved students’ perceived classroom environment and productivity but did not affect the objectively measured IAQ parameters.

Understanding student participation in a Mozambican university: the student perspective

ABSTRACT Student participation in university classrooms plays a pivotal role in student learning and success in higher education. We conducted a qualitative study to comprehend how students navigate complex classroom environments. Our aim is to understand how students perceive class participation and interactions with teachers and how they interpret teaching practices vis-à-vis their participation. Data from 23 undergraduate students at one university in Mozambique were collected and analysed. The findings indicate nuanced views and experiences regarding student participation and interactions with faculty. Deterrents to classroom participation and interactions were identified. Contextual and cultural factors were paramount in revealing the types and qualities of interactions and classroom participation reported in this study. Furthermore, innovative teaching practices and faculty’s caring attitude and behaviour were linked to more active participation and positive feelings about learning.

Occupational therapy in the Snoezelen® Room: Teachers’ and therapists’ knowledge and perceptions of the changes in children's behaviour and performance

Introduction: The Snoezelen® room, a multisensory environment (MSE), is often used in conjunction with sensory integrative techniques. Therefore, it may be of support in school-based occupational therapy intervention. Research has documented positive changes in children’s performance in the MSE. However, research to suggest that changes could be carried over to external environments is limited. This study aimed to investigate the knowledge and perception of teachers and therapists regarding changes in children's behaviour and performance after therapy in the Snoezelen® room. Methodology: A descriptive quantitative cross-sectional survey design by purposive sampling was used. Teachers and therapists working with children who received occupational therapy intervention in the Snoezelen® room participated. Results: Descriptive and inferential statistics were utilized to determine strong positive, significant correlations found between the total impact of the Snoezelen® room and the children’s level of arousal, as well as their behaviour and scholastic performance, as conveyed by 30 participants. After therapy in the Snoezelen® room, improvement in level of arousal was ranked as the biggest change, which appeared to improve for hours upon return to the classroom. Conclusion: Children’s arousal levels changed positively due to sensory input, which carried over to the external environment. Due to this, most teachers and therapists perceived that the Snoezelen® room positively changed behaviour and scholastic performance, through improved level of arousal. Implications for practice: The use of Snoezelen® rooms in schools, combined with sensory integration therapy (SIT), enhances children's self-regulation, which in turn positively impacts behaviour and academic performance. Strong, positive correlations were found between children's level of arousal and improvements in their behaviour and scholastic performance. Thus, Occupational therapy interventions in the Snoezelen® room significantly contribute to children’s ability to self-regulate, a key factor in achieving positive classroom behaviour and learning outcomes. Teachers and therapists perceive Snoezelen® rooms as beneficial, with 96.7% supporting their presence on school campuses to improve child behaviour through better self-regulation. Consistent with extensive research surrounding self-regulation of children, acquiring self-regulation skills in the early years lays the foundation for positive classroom behaviour and academic performance later.

Teachers' Perceptions of Integrating ChatGPT in Nepalese Classrooms

This article explores teachers' perceptions of integrating ChatGPT in Nepalese classrooms. Using a qualitative research design, the study examines the viewpoints and experiences of teacher participants to gain an understanding of context, meanings, and subjective perspectives using ChatGPT. In-depth interviews were conducted with five teacher educators and five school teachers, capturing insights from both university and school classroom environments. Purposive sampling ensured the deliberate selection of participants from the Faculty of Education, Tribhuvan University and schools in the Kirtipur municipality. The data analysis involves transcription, translation, coding, decoding, and the creation of themes, sub-themes, and categories, enabling an exploration of the study's issues. The study found that teachers perceive ChatGPT as a useful tool for deepening classroom instruction, particularly in providing personalized learning experiences. However, concerns were raised regarding the potential over-reliance on the technology, emphasizing the need for proper training and guidelines to ensure its effective integration in Nepalese educational settings. This study contributes valuable insights for educators and teachers interested in integrating ChatGPT into educational settings, with the ultimate goal of informing the development of strategies for the effective use of this technology in Nepalese classrooms.

Psychometric Properties of Social Climate in the Classroom Scale for University Students in Chile.

Classroom social climate is a significant phenomenon within educational contexts; however, it has predominantly been studied among high school students, with limited evidence available at the university level and, consequently, in the psychometric properties of measurement instruments. This study aimed to analyze the psychometric properties of the University Classroom Social Climate Scale (ECSA-U) among Chilean students from the La Araucanía region. 422 students participated, responding to the adapted version of the ECSA-U and the Motivation subscale of the Motivation and Learning Strategies Questionnaire. Exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM), reliability analyses, and correlation analyses were conducted to provide valid evidence for the Chilean University Classroom Social Climate Scale (ECSA-UCL). The scale demonstrated a three-factor structure with good fit indicators, excellent reliability indices, and significant positive associations between the ECSA-UCL and the Motivation Subscale. The ECSA-UCL has proven valid and reliable for measuring the perception of Classroom Social Climate among Chilean university students, making it suitable for use as a measurement tool in studies or interventions that include this variable.

A narrative inquiry of an undergraduate student in TEFL in developing her identity as an engaged reader

PurposeThis retrospective narrative inquiry explored an undergraduate student’s lived experience in negotiating her identity as an engaged reader of English as a foreign language.Design/methodology/approachNarrative inquiry was employed to gain a deeper and better understanding of the participant’s engagement in reading courses. Olif (pseudonym, female) was recruited due to her significant learning achievements and willingness to share her experiences. To collect the data, we conducted several online interviews with her. To triangulate our findings, we also asked her to share her learning artifacts from the reading courses.FindingsThe thematic analysis revealed two major findings. First, her reading engagement is driven by both personal and academic motivation. Furthermore, her involvement in collaborative reading tasks fosters a deeper comprehension of texts and enhances creativity.Research limitations/implicationsThe study has two major limitations. First, it interviewed only one student and was conducted over a relatively short period. Second, it examined the participant’s experience across three different reading courses, which potentially lacks deeper insights into how each course uniquely contributes to learning engagement.Originality/valueThe study concludes that promoting personalized and collaborative reading tasks enables undergraduate students to develop their identity as engaged readers. Despite focusing on a single participant, this study offers a unique perspective on how the participant’s voice can potentially impact teachers’ pedagogical design in reading classrooms.

Evaluating parental experiences in teaching children with learning disabilities in resource rooms of public schools in Amman

BackgroundThe education of children with learning disabilities in public schools’ resource rooms remains a vital area of concern, particularly in Amman, where diverse educational needs and varying levels of resource allocation pose significant challenges. Despite the establishment of resource rooms, there is a notable lack of comprehensive data on parental satisfaction with these services. Previous research has indicated that the effectiveness of such educational settings largely depends on the quality of instruction, the adequacy of educational resources, and the extent of parental involvement and satisfaction. However, there is a significant gap in understanding how these factors specifically impact parents’ perceptions in the context of Amman’s public schools.AimThis study aimed to address this gap by evaluating the perspectives of parents of students with learning disabilities in resource rooms within Amman’s public schools, focusing on their satisfaction with educational services, including instruction quality, resource adequacy, and facility accessibility.MethodsA cross-sectional study design was utilized, involving a structured questionnaire administered to 200 parents of children attending resource rooms in 33 public schools across Amman. The questionnaire included Likert-scale questions and demographic queries to assess parents’ perspectives on the educational services provided. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 27 to compute descriptive statistics, correlation coefficients, and hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) to account for clustering effects.ResultsThe majority of respondents were female (60%, n = 120), and the largest age group was 31–40 years (45%, n = 90). Most parents held a Bachelor’s degree (50%, n = 100) and were employed (75%, n = 150). The predominant age group of the children was 11–15 years (50%, n = 100), with dyslexia being the most common type of learning disability (40%, n = 80). Parents rated the quality of instruction at a mean of 3.5 (SD = 1.2), adequacy of educational materials at 3.3 (SD = 1.1), and overall satisfaction with the program at 3.6 (SD = 1.0). Accessibility of facilities was rated lower at 2.8 (SD = 1.3). This interpretation is based on the lower mean score, which indicates a less favorable perception of accessibility, and the relatively high standard deviation, which reflects variability in parental experiences. HLM analysis revealed significant positive relationships between quality of instruction (β = 0.75, SE = 0.05, t = 15.00, p &amp;lt; 0.01), adequacy of educational materials (β = 0.70, SE = 0.04, t = 17.50, p &amp;lt; 0.01), and accessibility of facilities (β = 0.65, SE = 0.06, t = 10.83, p &amp;lt; 0.01) with overall parental satisfaction.ConclusionThe study underscores the importance of high-quality instruction, sufficient educational materials, and improved facility accessibility in enhancing parental satisfaction with resource room programs in Amman. This conclusion is supported by the findings from both the hierarchical regression analysis and the descriptive statistics, demonstrating that these factors are crucial for the effective support of children with learning disabilities.

Enhancing Trust and Embracing Vulnerability in the College Classroom: A Reflection on Ungrading and Co-Creation in Teaching and Learning

In this reflective essay, we explore how we and our students experienced trust and opened ourselves up to being vulnerable in two iterations of a course that was built on the pedagogies of ungrading and co-creation in teaching and learning (CCTL). As approaches that fall under the broader umbrella of critical pedagogy, ungrading usually involves an alternative to conventional alphanumeric grading systems, while co-creation in teaching and learning consists of a varied scale of student-and-instructor partnerships in the classroom. The course contexts explored here take ungrading to mean student self-assessment and self-assignment of grades, and our implementation of co-creation focused on significant elements of the course such as expectations, content, assignments, and assessments. We suggest that our combination of these pedagogies exposed the significance of vulnerability to nurturing trust in the college classroom. After an overview of the salient points in the literature on these pedagogies and a discussion of trust and vulnerability, we recollect our own experiences of them in a co-taught second-year honors course. Drawing from our reflections and those expressed in student writing, we observe that we brought a significant level of trust in each other and our students to the course. Further, we note that the processes of sharing authority embedded in both pedagogies significantly deepened that trust while also underscoring, in retrospect, the remarkable degree of vulnerability made accessible to students and instructors alike. Instructors who wish to implement these approaches should be keenly aware of the additional opportunities that trust and vulnerability, as made possible via these pedagogies, offer for building relationships in the classroom and working toward increased inclusivity and equity in the course community.

Teaching Reform and Practice Based on Four Dimensions and One Penetration for Sensing and Detection Technology

Sensing and Detection Technology is a core course in engineering specialties. Traditional sensor teaching methods have obvious deficiencies in cultivating students’ ability. To better foster students’ comprehensive qualities, this study explored a 4D1P (Four Dimensions and One Penetration) teaching mode. We independently developed an industrial sensor teaching platform with intellectual property rights, integrating classroom and sensor experiments to address the disconnection between traditional sensor teaching and practical application. This mode combined the teaching platform with SPOC (small private online courses) and Rain Classroom teaching software, enriching classroom teaching and stimulating students’ interest. By applying industry-academia-research integration to sensor teaching, students’ horizons were broadened and their creative thinking enriched. The mode set up discussion-based learning in the classroom, making the class atmosphere lively. Throughout the teaching process, data-driven learning and teaching evaluation were consistently applied, allowing teachers to promptly understand students’ learning situations. Data shows that under the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, students’ grades improved and they were satisfied with this teaching mode. This mode solves most current problems in university classroom teaching and significantly enhances students’ practical abilities. It also has certain significance for education in other disciplines.

Research on the Path of Cultivating College Students' Values Through Chinese Poetry Culture

Chinese poetry has rich cultural connotations and plays a role in moral cultivation education, struggle spirit education, and patriotism education. However, at present, the cultivation of values among college students through Chinese poetry still faces challenges such as limited dissemination of Chinese poetry in university classrooms, insufficient campus cultural atmosphere, insufficient social practice activities, and weakening in online trends. To cultivate values among college students through Chinese poetry culture, it is necessary to optimize classroom teaching, construct educational carriers, shape "campus culture", enrich social practice, leverage online classrooms, and build a new situation of multi-faceted and interconnected education.

Implementing the Color Wheel System in an Inclusive Middle School Setting

The Color Wheel System (CWS), a class-wide, rule-based behavioral management strategy, is a successful intervention to reduce off-task behaviors for elementary school students. However, this intervention has rarely been investigated in the middle school setting. The current study implemented the CWS within three sixth-grade general education inclusionary classrooms in a middle school in the United States. A multiple-baseline across classrooms design evaluated the effects of the CWS on class-wide inappropriate vocalizations. Partial-interval time-sampling recorded intervals when any student in the class displayed inappropriate vocalizations. Visual analysis of time-series graphs and effect size measures indicated that the CWS created large, immediate, and sustained decreases in inappropriate vocalizations across all classrooms. Implications for using the CWS as a class-wide behavioral management strategy within the middle school setting and directions for future research are discussed.

Teaching Models of Disability with Katherine Dunn’s Geek Love

Katherine Dunn’s Geek Love , a novel about children with engineered disabilities living and performing in a traveling freak show, has proved a useful vehicle in teaching of disability studies in the college classroom in that it utilizes and complicates the negative depictions of disability often available to students, and even works to advance an opposing and more positive view of disability. From the vast field of disability studies, the article focuses on five paradigms or models of disability to ground and focus students’ learning: the morality model, the charity model, the medical model, the supercrip model, and the social group model. All highlight the problematic ways in which society often views disability, as well as how readers might begin to shift these perceptions in more positive ways.

Code Switching in Teaching English as a Foreign Language

This study addresses the issue of English-Arabic-switching in the university classroom and how the use of alternative codes might serve the learning and teaching processes. The first part of this research talks about the definition of code switching which depends on different types of systematic methods, and about code switching and code mixing and how to mix between English and Arabic inside the classroom. The second part of the research talks about what are the disadvantages and benefits of using Arabic in the classroom and how to deal with it.