Classroom Engagement Research Articles

The importance of relevance: Factors influencing upper secondary vocational students’ engagement in L2 English language teaching

ABSTRACT While student engagement is important for meaningful learning experiences in school, vocational students are known to perceive general subjects, such as languages, as irrelevant and unengaging. For this reason, general subjects are often taught in a manner adapted to the students’ vocational education. In Norway, such teaching is known as the vocational orientation approach (VO). This qualitative study investigated how VO relates to student engagement in L2 English lessons. Using data from 13 group interviews with Norwegian vocational students, the study showed how perceived relevance is a main contributing factor. Furthermore, the study also identified social and active work methods, as well as caring teachers, as key contributors towards engagement. The findings support the contention that a VO approach promotes engagement in vocational L2 classrooms, especially when it builds on student perceptions of relevance.

Exploring Secondary School Students' Perspectives on Online Teaching: A Comprehensive Study

The rapid integration of online teaching into the education landscape has brought forth new paradigms and challenges for educators, students, and institutions alike. This comprehensive study delves into the perspectives of secondary school students regarding online teaching methods. Through a mixed-methods approach encompassing surveys, interviews, and content analysis, this research aims to capture a nuanced understanding of students' experiences, preferences, and concerns in the realm of online education. The study examines factors influencing engagement, satisfaction, and learning outcomes in the virtual classroom, shedding light on the effectiveness of different online teaching approaches. By uncovering the multifaceted viewpoints of secondary school students, this research contributes valuable insights that can inform pedagogical strategies and technology integration for optimizing the online learning experience.

The longitudinal associations among student externalizing behaviors, teacher-student relationships, and classroom engagement

Personal characteristics and classroom environment features both play important roles in predicting students' levels of classroom engagement. The present study took a person-environment transaction perspective to investigate how factors at both the personal (i.e., student externalizing behaviors) and relational (i.e., teacher-student relationships) levels jointly predict the development of classroom engagement behaviors in a sample of 784 elementary school students. Using a longitudinal cross-lagged model spanning across Grade 3 to Grade 5, we found a negative reciprocal association between teacher-student relationships and externalizing behaviors, such that a more positive teacher-student relationship predicted fewer externalizing behaviors in the subsequent academic year, and fewer externalizing behaviors predicted a more positive teacher-student relationship 1 year later. In addition, externalizing behaviors directly negatively predicted subsequent classroom engagement, whereas teacher-student relationships indirectly predicted subsequent classroom engagement by way of externalizing behaviors. Overall, students with more externalizing behaviors experienced more conflicts with and received less support from their teachers, which predicted the development of more externalizing behaviors and lower subsequent classroom engagement.

Primary Student and Teacher Game Based Learning Engagement: The Problem and the Challenge

Teacher and student engagement are critical factors that have a significant impact on the learning process. The use of educational games has been shown to make learning more interactive and fun, while also promoting a sense of motivation and engagement among students. This paper aims to investigate the factors that influence student and teacher involvement in game-based learning and how to minimize the potential problem during the classroom intervention. In this preliminary study, we employ a literature review method to find the correlation between teacher and student perspectives in games, and how game-based learning potentially can improve this engagement. Research has found that teacher and student engagement are crucial factors in the learning process and that teachers play a vital role in promoting student engagement. Students who view games as relevant to their learning goals tend to be more engaged and motivated to learn. When teachers view games as a valuable tool for teaching and learning, they are more likely to incorporate them into their instruction and create opportunities for students to use them. This, in turn, leads to increased student engagement, motivation, and learning. Additionally, the use of games in the classroom has the potential to enhance the learning experience for both teachers and students. A key purpose for this review is to provide a framework that teachers might use to construct effective classroom engagement pedagogies.
 Keywords: teacher and student engagement, educational game, game-based learning

Promoting young autistic students’ social functioning and engagement in the classroom: Positive response strategies and close student-teacher relationships

BackgroundClassrooms can create barriers to young autistic students’ social and behavioral success at school. Better quality student-teacher relationships (STRs) have been associated with improved student social and behavioral outcomes. When teachers use more positive response strategies (e.g., praise), they create more opportunities for positive interactions with students, likely developing closer STRs. MethodThe present study uses SEM to investigate a path by which teachers’ use of positive response strategies is associated with closer STRs, which lead to improved social functioning and classroom engagement for N = 145 young autistic students (age 4–7 years). Factors contributing to teachers’ reported frequency of using positive response strategies were also explored using multiple linear regression. ResultsThe model was a close fit to the data (χ2 (18, N = 145) = 18.4, p = .43, TLI = 1.0, CFI = 1.0, RMSEA = .01). Teachers who reported using positive response strategies more frequently had significantly closer STRs, which were associated with lasting improvements in students’ social functioning and engagement in the classroom. Positive response strategies that teachers reported using most frequently were praise, positive comments, and incentives. Teachers’ perceived usefulness of positive response strategies and regular trainings in autism were significantly associated with frequency of positive response strategy use. ConclusionsPositive, supportive classrooms in which teachers utilized more positive response strategies and developed closer STRs were associated with young autistic students’ academic engagement and social functioning. Regular autism trainings and perceived usefulness of positive response strategies emerged as significant factors for teachers’ use of strategies.

Examining the Relationships between Teacher Self-Disclosure and Emotional and Behavioral Engagement of STEM Undergraduate Research Scholars: A Structural Equation

Understanding the factors contributing to the persistence and retention of students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is among the main issues of concern within STEM post-secondary education. The literature suggests that teacher self-disclosure and emotional and behavioral engagement play a significant positive role in the learning process across disciplines. Such factors may lead to improved academic achievements and retention in STEM disciplines. A variety of studies examined the relationship between teacher self-disclosure and emotional and behavioral engagement within the field of humanities, but less within the fields of STEM. This study used structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine the relationship between teacher self-disclosure and emotional and behavioral engagement of 208 undergraduate students enrolled in a two-year Freshman Research Immersion program. The results showed significant relationships between different aspects of teacher self-disclosure and classroom engagement. Additionally, STEM students view that high amounts of teacher self-disclosure can be related to negative aspects of classroom engagement such as emotional engagement anxiety. The study’s significance lies in practical recommendations associated with the strategic use of instances of teacher self-disclosure while teaching STEM classes and ways to support STEM undergraduate students’ levels of classroom engagement.

Exploring student engagement in task-based and communicative language classrooms

This study investigates the engagement of young people in foreign language learning. Specifically, engagement is defined as a metaconstruct consisting of the following components: cognitive, emotional, and social. An attempt was made to quantify these individual engagement components within task-based and communicative-oriented lessons. We employed electrocardiographic and accelerometric measurements to monitor learners’ physiological responses to engagement during regular German classes. The second part of the project was a questionnaire-based study measuring the subjective opinions of learners about their engagement. The results of the research support the adoption of a task-based approach. We observed the highest level of engagement during productive tasks, which can serve as a rationale for teachers to increase the number of productive tasks compared to receptive ones. Moreover, including the peer-learning component in the activities appeared to be of considerable importance due to its role in building intrinsic motivation to learn and in stimulating the growth of social competences.

The Relationship of Sleep Hours on the Academic Performance and Classroom Participation of Senior High School Students

The transition from online classes to blended learning has resulted in a common occurrence of sleep deprivation among Senior High School (SHS) students. This study aims to investigate the potential relationship between students' sleeping hours and their academic performance and classroom participation at NU-Nazareth. The researchers opted for a descriptive-correlational research design, using a multi-stage sampling technique to select participants for the study. The study was conducted at NU-Nazareth School during the academic year 2022-2023. The data collected revealed that, on average, students had only 6 hours of sleep. Surprisingly, the study's findings indicated no significant relationship between sleep hours and academic performance, nor between sleep hours and classroom participation. Therefore, based on the data, it can be concluded that a student's academic performance and classroom engagement are not significantly influenced by their sleep duration. The results suggest that factors other than sleep play a more substantial role in influencing students' academic performance and participation levels. These factors could include motivation, interest in the subject matter, teaching methods, classroom environment, and individual learning styles, which may have a greater impact on how students perform and participate in class. Further exploration of these factors could provide valuable insights into enhancing students' overall learning experiences.

Recognition of student engagement in classroom from affective states

Recognition of student engagement in classroom from affective states

LEARNING ENGLISH WITH TECHNOLOGY (A STUDY IN CROSS CULTURE UNDERSTANDING COURSE)

The Integration of information and Communication Technology (ICT) has been expanding rapidly now day. So does in learning English, especially in Cross Culture Understanding course. This study encompassed on students’ experiences on using google classroom. This research categorized as qualitative descriptive method since the researcher attempted systematically to describe a situation, problem, phenomenon about implementation of Google classroom application. The finding showed easy to acces; allows students to submit assignments electronically, which can be convenient and reduce the need for physical paperwork; Students can interact with their teachers and peers through announcements, comments, and class discussions. This feature helps maintain a sense of community and engagement in the virtual classroom. On the other hand, there are some problems also such as bad internet connection, difficult to submit assignment on time, and sufficient storage to run.

Language and the mind: how language shapes our thinking

Abstract This paper analyzes languages and their connections to thinking and culture using an autoethnographic lens. This autoethnography utilized personal examples and those from the author’s students’ compositions as evidence of the link between languages and cultures. Both named languages and dialects of those languages are contemplated for the basis of how their traits influence perceptions. A neuroscientific rationale is also made between human languages and human cultures. The link between culture and language, including dialects, is made, positioning the act of translanguaging as real time dialogue between cultures. Finally, classroom implications are presented with actual student writing and multimodal performances to showcase how students’ cultures are manifested via classroom engagements, particularly through translanguaging.

What influences computational thinking? A theoretical and empirical study based on the influence of learning engagement on computational thinking in higher education

AbstractAs an important part of core competencies in the 21st century, computational thinking has received a lot of attention from all over the world. In the field of higher education, cultivating the ability of computational thinking has become an important goal of teaching. Previous research has shown that students' learning engagement is related to partial dimensions within computational thinking. However, there was a lack of research on the overall relationship between learning engagement and computational thinking. Therefore, this study aims at constructing an overall relationship model between learning engagement and computational thinking to examine the influence of three dimensions of learning engagement on the five dimensions of computational thinking. The participants were 341 freshmen from central China. The results show that compared with behavioral engagement, both emotional engagement and cognitive engagement had a stronger predictive power for computational thinking. In addition, the learning environment played a significant role in the relationship between learning engagement and computational thinking. On the whole, when compared with traditional multimedia classrooms, the relationship between learning engagement and computational thinking in smart classrooms was closer. A theoretical and empirical study of the relationship between learning engagement and computational thinking presents researchers and education practitioners with a method to improve students' computational thinking by building a learning environment and designing pedagogy.

Evaluating student engagement and experiential learning in global classrooms: A qualitative case study

The global classroom is an emerging technology-based pedagogy used internationally by educational institutions. To evaluate a global classroom, we conducted a qualitative study using written reflections and semi-structured interviews of global classroom participants, based on two theoretical frameworks: Kearsley and Shneiderman’s engagement theory and Kolb’s experiential learning theory. We analyzed student reflections and transcribed interviews, using the software package, NVivo, with two objectives: (1) to evaluate if global classroom is engaging and experiential to students and (2) to elucidate how student engagement is fostered in the global classroom through experiential learning. Results illustrated a complex relationship between student engagement and experiential learning. During the experiential learning cycle, engagement theory (relate-create-donate) principles contributed to student engagement at varying levels and for different purposes. Based on the results of this study, we created a framework that demonstrates the interactivity of engagement theory and experiential learning theory to describe how student engagement featured in experiential learning during this global classroom, with strategies to maximize student engagement in experiential learning.

The Experience of School-Age Assistive Technology Users and Their Families During Emergency Remote Instruction and the Impact on Classroom Engagement

ABSTRACT Student engagement in the classroom is important for academic and future success. Many students with disabilities rely on classroom supports, such as assistive technology (AT), to access the curriculum and demonstrate their understanding. The COVID-19 pandemic forced many school districts to abruptly shift to emergency remote instruction. Numerous factors impacted the individual student experience and their classroom engagement. As engagement is vital for student success and well-being, this study aimed to gain a rich understanding of the student and caregiver experience during emergency remote instruction. Nine dyad pairs of AT student users with disabilities and their caregivers participated in semi-structured interviews. Using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), four superordinate themes were constructed to reflect participant responses. During emergency remote instruction, daily student occupations changed. Students reported feeling socially isolated and confused by the added school demands from the home environment and caregivers, and schoolwork was less meaningful. Students were forced to redefine what it meant to be a student. Future research should continue to use IPA methodology to generate a richer understanding of the student experience and to explore long term impact of emergency remote instruction on occupational participation.

Undergraduate Student Perceptions of Cooperative Discussion Groups as a Classroom Engagement Tool

The purpose of this project was to explore the experiences of students when facilitating class discussions through cooperative discussion groups. In addition, students particularly compared their experiences within this class with their experiences in Whole Class Discussion in previous classes. Students participated in structured cooperative discussion groups and submitted three written answers to reflection prompts provided as an extra credit opportunity. Based on the written answers (n = 11), select participants (n = 4) were purposively chosen for a semi-structured interview. Upon analysis of the data, five themes arose that described what students took away from this teaching method. Among these themes include how student groups facilitated collaboration among peers, deepened understanding of course materials, and allowed students to reflect on not only their own past experiences but those of their classmates as well. The researchers encourage instructors to consider using this teaching method as they approach curricula that either includes the development of individual philosophies or class sessions where it would be valuable for students to listen to their classmates’ experiences.

Augmented Reality Awareness and Latest Applications in Education: A Review

Several advances in technology have touched the educational sector, where improvements and enhancements are always a surge for innovative learning. Augmented Reality (AR) is considered an efficient and promising technology capable of enhancing the educational sector. AR is a visualization technology that allows human interaction by providing users with a perception of reality using virtual information. In other words, AR adds to the existing real-world environment some extra virtual information generated by computer techniques that can enhance the overall experience. This promising technology can be applied in different sectors such as education, healthcare, banks, tourism, etc. Despite the great work available in the literature about this topic, deep insights and extensive research are still needed before the actual implementation in the real world. The aim of this work is to highlight the importance of AR in improving the educational sector and increase awareness of using such an approach. A review is conducted to prove the validity of AR in increasing learning outcomes, students’ motivation, and engagement in classrooms, as well as improving the understanding level. Several papers were analyzed based on different application areas under various interdisciplinary databases. As a result, the papers were collected in a table-based format to provide researchers with better and easier insights on how to improve the use of AR in education before real implementation. This study helped in highlighting potential future work, discussing limitations, advantages, disadvantages, and the latest advances in this technology.

Automated measures of vocal interactions and engagement in inclusive preschool classrooms.

Classroom engagement plays a crucial role in preschoolers' development, yet the correlates of engagement, especially among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and developmental delays (DD), remains unknown. This study examines levels of engagement with classroom social partners and tasks among children in three groups ASD, DD, and typical development (TD). Here, we asked whether children's vocal interactions (vocalizations to and from peers and teachers) were associated with their classroom engagement with social partners (peers and teachers) and with tasks, and whether the association between classroom engagement and vocal interactions differed between children in the ASD group and their peers in the DD and TD groups. Automated measures of vocalizations and location quantified children's vocal interactions with peers and teachers over the course of the school year. Automated location and vocalization data were used to capture both (1) children's vocal output to specific peers and teachers, and (2) the vocal input they received from those peers and teachers. Participants were 72 3-5-year-olds (Mage = 48.6 months, SD = 7.0, 43% girls) and their teachers. Children in the ASD group displayed lower engagement with peers, teachers, and tasks than children in the TD group; they also showed lower engagement with peers than children in the DD group. Overall, children's own vocalizations were positively associated with engagement with social partners. Thus, although children in the ASD group tend to have lower engagement scores than children in the TD group, active participation in vocal interactions appears to support their classroom engagement with teachers and peers.

The role of coping in processes of resilience: The sample case of academic coping during late childhood and early adolescence.

Developmentalists have increasingly concluded that systems approaches to resilience provide a useful higher-order home for the study of the development of coping. Building on previous work on the complementarity of resilience and coping, this paper had two goals: (1) to propose a set of strategies for examining the role of coping in processes of resilience, and (2) to test their utility in the academic domain, using poor relationships with the teacher as a risk factor, and classroom engagement as an outcome. This study examined whether coping serves as a: (1) promotive factor, supporting positive development at any level of risk; (2) pathway through which risk contributes to development; (3) protective factor that mitigates the effects of risk; (4) reciprocal process generating risk; (5) mechanism through which other promotive factors operate; (6) mechanism through which other protective factors operate; and (7) participant with other supports that shows cumulative or compensatory effects. Analyses showed that academic coping at this age was primarily a mediator of risk and support, and a promotive factor that added to engagement for students with multiple combinations of risk and support. Implications are discussed, along with next steps in exploring the role of coping in processes of resilience.

Team-based learning complemented by interactive response system: Application of a strategy on the course of human growth and development for nursing students

ObjectiveLecture-based learning (LBL) strategy cannot stimulate learners' ability to think and learn independently. Recently team-based learning (TBL), a learner-centered strategy, gained popularity in health education. An interactive response system (IRS) assists educators in providing instant feedback on classroom activities. This study was to evaluate the TBL strategy supplemented by IRS (TBL/IRS) on the learning effects of the core course, the human growth and development (HGD), in nursing education. Materials and methodsA quasi-experimental study design with two-group, pretests and posttests was employed with year-one students enrolled in two HGD classes in the nursing department of a university in central Taiwan. Both HGD classes employed the LBL method at the beginning of a semester. TBL/IRS strategy was introduced to the experimental class 6 weeks later. Three scales were used to measure self-directed learning, classroom engagement, and team learning. Individual and group readiness assurance tests (IRATs and GRATs) were administered. Final exams were also compared between the groups. For thematic analysis, learners' experience with TBL/IRS was collected from learner reports and a semi-structured questionnaire designed for the study. ResultsA total of 105 learners-48 in TBL/IRS and 55 in LBL-were recruited. Self-directed learning, classroom engagement and team learning were improved significantly in TBL/IRS whereas only self-directed learning was improved in LBL. In the TBL/IRS group, GRAT scores were significantly higher than IRAT. However, the difference in final exams between the groups was non-significant. Four themes emerged from learners' experiences with TBL/IRS: stimulate self-learning; a diverse and flexible learning method; promote high-level thinking and deepen learning results; and, cultivate teamwork and application. ConclusionsThis study confirmed that TBL/IRS was effective in enhancing learners' abilities to integrate concepts and skills, thereby cultivating competence in problem-solving and teamwork. The TBL/IRS strategy was cost-effective in promoting active learning of HGD in nursing students.

The Effect of Teacher Personality on Student Performance and Engagement

The present research investigates the significant impact of teacher personality on student academic achievement and level of involvement within educational settings. The objective of this study is to investigate the degree to which distinct aspects of teacher personality, including communication style, approachability, excitement, and flexibility, are associated with differences in student learning outcomes and classroom engagement. The study aims to identify significant personality qualities shown by teachers, evaluate their impact on student performance and engagement, and investigate possible approaches to enhance the teacher-student relationship. The study has great importance due to its ability to provide valuable insights for educational policy, better the effectiveness of teacher training programmes, and improve classroom practises by highlighting the crucial influence of teacher personality on student achievement. Utilising a mixed-methods methodology, this research incorporates quantitative analysis of student metrics and surveys with qualitative insights derived from interviews conducted with teachers and students. In summary, this study enhances our understanding of the complex relationship between teacher personality and student academic performance, offering useful insights for the improvement of teaching practises and educational enhancement.