Perceptions Of Classroom Research Articles

A post-COVID syndrome curriculum for continuing medical education (CME): in-person versus livestream.

Nearly 30% of patients with COVID-19 infection develop post-COVID Syndrome. Knowledge of post-COVID Syndrome is evolving, creating the need for adaptable curricula. Flipped classrooms (FC) are flexible and dynamic with demonstrated utility in continuing medical education (CME), yet there has been no research on application of FCs, or comparisons between livestream and in-person learning, in post-COVID CME. We implemented a novel post-COVID curriculum using FCs for in-person and livestream participants at four Mayo Clinic CME conferences. Outcomes were validated measures of knowledge; perceptions of FCs and CME teacher effectiveness; and learner engagement. Pre-conferences surveys were a post-COVID knowledge test and the Flipped Classroom Perception Inventory (FCPI). Post-conference surveys were a post-COVID knowledge test, the FCPI, the CME Teaching Effectiveness Instrument (CMETE), and the Learner Engagement Inventory (LEI). Pre-post knowledge and FCPI scores were analyzed using linear mixed models. CMETE and LEI were compared for in-person versus livestream participants using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test. Overall, 59 participants completed the pre-test, and 72 participants completed the post-test, surveys. Participants were predominantly female (58%), were in nonacademic group practices (65%), and lacked prior experience with flipped classrooms (83%). Following the presentations, participants showed significant improvements in post-COVID knowledge (47% correct precourse to 54% correct postcourse, p-value = 0.004), and a trend toward improved FCPI scores. Teaching effectiveness, learner engagement, and pre-post change in COVID knowledge did not differ significantly between participants of in-person versus livestream sessions. This post-COVID FC curriculum was feasible and associated with improved knowledge scores among a diverse population of physician learners in CME, without any apparent compromise in learner engagement, or in perceptions of teaching effectiveness and FCs, among livestream versus in-person participants.

THE USE OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES FOR LEARNING FOREIGN LANGUAGES IN NON-LINGUISTIC HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

The aim of the work is to determine the effectiveness of the use of digital technologies for learning foreign languages in non-linguistic higher education institutions (HEIs). The aim was achieved through the use of general theoretical methods of comparison, observation, as well as calculations of the statistical significance, efficiency ratio, Phillips’ correlation coefficient. The results showed that YouTube, Simpler, and Memrise are the easiest to use, as they do not require additional training for learning the functionality. Blackboard, Learn English, and Bussu applications have the greatest efficiency in classroom perception of the necessary information, as they are aimed at the complex interaction of understanding the theory and the performance of multi-directional tasks. According to students, Rosetta Stone, Learn English, and Memrise applications are the most favourable for self-study. Based on the Kirkpatrick Model, it was established that the majority of students achieved a high level of knowledge (72%). Although students believe that they have reached a medium level of knowledge to a greater extent, as they do not know all the necessary rules. It was found that during language learning students were primarily able to develop working memory (19%), cognitive flexibility (18%). They also gained independence in obtaining new knowledge (17%). The practical significance of the article is in the combination of various digital technologies for learning a foreign language by students of non-linguistic HEIs. The prospects for further research may be determining the effectiveness of learning of students of non-linguistic and linguistic educational institutions with the use of YouTube, Blackboard, Rosetta Stone, Learn English, Simpler, Memrise, Bussu.

Identifying Chinese students’ perceptions of smart classrooms and their relationships with design features

ABSTRACT Taking classes in a smart classroom is a novel experience for most college students in China, and comprehensive research on how Chinese students perceive smart classroom environments is limited. This study explored students’ perceptions of smart classroom environments in plain language through a survey involving 358 students. The semantic difference and Kansei Engineering methods were employed to investigate students’ perceptions of learning and physical environments and their relationships with the design features of smart classrooms. Statistical analysis revealed six factors of subjective assessments with a total interpretation rate of 66.29% and five design features of smart classrooms with a total interpretation rate of 59.40%. No significant differences were found across all the factors based on gender, but there were significant differences in students’ technology self-efficacy according to each factor of subjective evaluation and design feature. All factors of the subjective assessments and design features exhibited significant correlations. Furthermore, regression models revealed a significant relationship between affective perception and other dimensions of subjective assessments and an important connection between the active learning environment and all design features. Thus, this study provides an empirical foundation for understanding students’ perceptions of smart classrooms and offers a user-based perspective for designing smart classrooms.

The Effect of School Infrastructure Quality and Economic Factors on Academic Achievement of High School Students in East Java

This research investigates the impact of school infrastructure quality and economic factors on the academic achievement of high school students in Central Java through a survey-based quantitative analysis. A diverse sample of 200 participants, including students, teachers, and parents/guardians, provided insights into demographic characteristics, perceptions of school infrastructure, economic conditions, and academic performance. Structural Equation Modeling-Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS) was employed to analyze the data. Results indicate positive perceptions of classrooms and laboratories, moderate economic conditions, and varied academic achievements within the sample. The measurement model confirmed the validity and reliability of constructs, while the structural model revealed significant positive relationships between school infrastructure quality, economic factors, and academic achievement. The findings have implications for educational policies, emphasizing the importance of targeted interventions to enhance the overall educational experience in East Java.

An Augmented Classroom Teaching System based on AR and Facial Recognition

The goal of this study is to investigate the perception of the application of facial recognition and augmented reality in the classroom. HoloLens 2, an AR device, and Microsoft Azure cognitive services were utilized to enhance teachers' classroom perception by displaying learning analytics information on the AR device in real time. A focus group interview was conducted to collect initial feedback from teachers and students regarding the benefits, challenges, and design concerns related to the proposed system. A refined interface was designed based on the feedback from the participants.

Undergraduate Students’ Perceptions of Virtual Teaching

Abstract Following the first Covid-19 cases in Greece, the Ministry of Education decided to close all educational institutions on 10 March 2020. On 12 March, the Chancellor of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, where the author currently teaches, urged the academic community to create virtual classrooms and begin distance learning. The purpose of this contribution is to investigate undergraduate students’ perceptions of virtual classrooms and distance learning. To this end, a qualitative research was conducted, including 50, third year undergraduate students of the Department of French Language and Literature. Students’ perceptions, were investigated through a mini-interview. Responses were recorded, transcribed and categorised according to specific criteria. Students compared in-person and distance lessons, referred to the pros and cons of both types of teaching to support their arguments focusing on the content of the lecture or seminar, the type of activities as well as the lecturers’ ability to use technology. Finally, in this paper a section of lessons learned from the teacher’s point of view are included.

Non-English Majored Learners' Perception, Expectation and Difficulties Towards ELT Classroom

English proficiency has been difficult to achieve by non-English majored learners, yet it is important that they be good at it in order to compete in their work field. This study investigated learners’ perception towards English, and their expectation, perception, and difficulties in ELT classroom. This research was descriptive qualitative research which involved one lecturer and 16 first semester students of a non-English majored tertiary education. The data were obtained through questionnaire and interview. The results pointed out that the learners had positive perception towards English and their ELT classroom. It was expected that English subject be learned in more than one semester and English be used as the dominant medium of instructions. Due to lack of vocabulary and pronunciation, speaking was chosen as the major difficulty by the learners.
 Keywords: Difficulty, ELT Classroom Perception, Expectation.

Belonging in science classrooms: Investigating its relation to students' contributions and influence in knowledge building

AbstractMeaningful participation in science and engineering practices requires that students make their thinking visible to others and build on one another's ideas. But sharing ideas with others in small groups and classrooms carries social risk, particularly for students from nondominant groups and communities. In this paper, we explore how students' perceptions of classrooms shape their contributions to classroom knowledge building in science across a wide range of classrooms. We examine the claim that when students feel a sense of belonging in class, they contribute more and perceive their ideas to be more influential in knowledge building. Data comes from classroom exit tickets (n = 10,194) administered in 146 classrooms as part of a 10‐state field test of a new middle‐school science curriculum, OpenSciEd, which were analyzed using mixed effects models. We found that students' sense of belonging predicted the degree to which they contributed ideas out loud in class (Odds ratio = 1.57) as well as the degree to which they perceived their contributions as influencing others (Odds ratio = 1.53). These relationships were particularly strong for students who reported a lower a sense of belonging. We also found significant differences by both race and gender in whether students said they contributed and believed their ideas influenced those of others. These findings suggest that a learner's sense of belonging in class and willingness to contribute may be mutually reinforcing, highlighting the need to promote content‐specific strategies to foster belonging in ways that support collaborative knowledge building.

Teachers’ Capability, Students’ Motivation and Parents’ Support in Online Learning

This study examines how primary teachers developed online education and how parents helped their kids learn from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. To investigate the experiences and subjective perceptions of online classrooms, we used semi-structured online interviews with teachers, parents, and students. The data gathered through the observation of online classes crystalized the interview data. The results of this study showed that teachers struggled to handle online learning due to their insufficient information and communication technology (ICT) knowledge and skills, unstable internet, and a lack of administrative support. Students' engagement in interactivities rose as a result of teachers' ongoing efforts to improve their online pedagogies. Because of the teachers' efforts to administer online classes during the pandemic, students were able to continue their learning at home. To ensure that everyone receives an equal education, online learning is a viable alternative to traditional classroom settings.

Student teachers’ perceptions of flipped classroom in EFL teacher education

This paper aims to provide evidence on student teachers’ perceptions of Flipped Classroom (FC) to help teacher educators (TEs) to make informed decisions about implementing FC and support student teachers to reflect on the value of FC in their teaching practice. FC, a pedagogical model requiring digital competence of students and teachers, has been a popular teaching approach for nearly two decades in K-12 and higher education. After the outbreak of Covid-19, more teachers have started to implement FC. In post-Covid-19, with the possibility of reusing video lectures made during the pandemic and the familiarity of digital skills to create digital lectures, a question for teachers is whether to continue with this approach. This paper follows an explanatory sequential mixed methods research approach. Insights from student teachers (STs) in the field of English as a foreign language (EFL) in Norway are the primary data, and surveys and focus group interviews are the main instruments to collect the data. FC’s advantages and challenges perceived by STs are reported, and the possibility of STs becoming future flippers is explored. Findings from this paper indicate that STs would like to have more courses flipped in their studies, yet STs seem hesitant about flipping their courses in their teaching practice. STs also provide some practical suggestions on implementing the FC approach.

STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS ON USING GOOGLE CLASSROOM FOR TEACHING OF BUSINESS EDUCATION COURSES IN UNIVERSITIES IN EDO STATE

The study examined students’ perceptions on using Google classroom for teaching of Business Education courses in universities in Edo State. The descriptive research design using the survey was adopted in the study. The population of the study covered all the four thousand two hundred and one (4201) Business Education students of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma and University of Benin, Benin City. A sample of 420 students representing 10 percent of the students from both institutions was drawn using the simple random sampling technique. A researcher developed questionnaire titled: Google Classroom Perception Questionnaire (GCPQ) was used to collect data. The test-retest reliability coefficient yielded an r-value of 0.79 and 0.82 on usefulness and benefits of Google classroom respectively. Research question 1 and 2 were analysed using mean (𝑋̅) and standard deviation (S.D). The result showed that students have positive perceptions on the usefulness of various features of Google classroom including the singular screen view for student assignments, class arrangement, transfer of class ownership, new class integration and also the commenting features for teaching education courses in universities in Edo State. Also, they had favourable disposition on the benefits of Google classroom with reference to time and file saving benefits, flexibility, user-friendly interface, teachers’ evaluation and feedback for teaching Business Education courses in universities in Edo State. It was thereby recommended that universities management should take advantage of students’ favourable disposition toward Google Classroom by encouraging Business education teacher to introduce the use of the application for assignment and group projects.

Elementary school children’s perceptions of geometry classroom as a psychosocial learning environment: an analysis of participant-produced drawings

A growing literature points to the importance of classroom social climate as one of the determinants of students’ academic performance and motivation, engagement, participation, and attitude towards school and teaching. However, little attention is given to social climate in the context of the mathematics classroom as a learning environment, with studies providing only insights into its specific aspects. The present study addressed these problems by investigating classroom social climate in the context of geometry lessons in Grades 3–6 with the goal of providing comprehensive insight into students’ perceptions of their geometry classroom climate by identifying its psychosocial aspects. In total, 114 primary-grade students participated in the qualitative cross-sectional study. To capture students’ perceptions of their geometry classroom, participant-produced drawings were used as a research method. These were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. The results reflected a teacher-centered image of a geometry learning environment which was driven by frontal work with a broad spectrum of participatory activities, but with very little student–student communication. Additionally, the lesson goals were transparent which were supported by using different teaching tools and materials. Lastly, the lessons were organized in an orderly manner. The findings offer potential opportunities for educators to plan and implement effective pedagogical strategies at the university that would reflect the teaching practices conducive to geometry learning. Likewise, the research method can be used in classroom learning environments as a tool to promote a dialogue between students and their teachers.

Behind the Silence of the Professional Classroom in Universities: Formation of Cognition-Practice Separation among University Students-A Grounded Theory Study in China.

Classroom silence is a negative form of classroom performance that is particularly prominent in the Chinese learner population. Existing research has mainly explored the silence phenomenon among Chinese university students in two types of learning contexts: overseas university classrooms and foreign language classrooms at local universities, without focusing on the Chinese undergraduates' reticence in courses mediated by native language at domestic universities. However, the last type is the most common habitat for Chinese university students' learning in higher education. Therefore, a sample of Chinese undergraduates majoring in education (n = 394) was recruited to determine the mechanisms of silence formation in professional classrooms. This study was based on grounded theory and in-depth interviews, and the recorded material was processed using NVivo 12. After a series of steps including open coding, axial coding, selective coding, and theoretical saturation testing, the core feature of the phenomenon of silence in professional classrooms of Chinese university students majoring in education was found to be the separation of students' cognition and speaking practice. Then, a theoretical model of the formation and development of the phenomenon of classroom silence in professional classrooms of these undergraduates was constructed. The study showed that these university students had professional perceptions of classroom silence and displayed strong opposition to it, but they continued to maintain silent classroom behavior under the combined influence of individual characteristics, classroom experience, and learning adjustment. Following this, implications for existing research and suggestions for future practice are discussed.

Exploring University Students’ Perceptions of Metaverse-Based Classroom in Foreign Language Pedagogy Course

With the metaverse emerging as the next leap in the evolution of the Internet in the post-pandemic era, a wealth of opportunities are expected to emerge in the educational sector. As a pioneer study, this research project is aimed at exploring pedagogical values of the metaverse-based classroom in a university setting. The three research questions for this study are: 1) What are the levels of students’ overall satisfaction in metaverse-based classrooms? 2) What is the user experience of the metaverse platform? and 3) What are the strengths/weaknesses of the metaverse-based classroom as perceived by the students? Twenty university students took a foreign language pedagogy course on Gather.town in spring of 2022 for 11 weeks. Student questionnaire and focus-group interviews were conducted and data analysis revealed two major findings as follows: Firstly, both students’ overall satisfaction of the metaverse-based classroom and user experience of the metaverse platform were positive, excepting only instability problems caused by poor internet connections. Secondly, more perceived strengths than weaknesses were found of the newly adopted program: ‘a realistic classroom setting’ and ‘easy communication in multiple ways’ were mentioned as strengths while the main weakness was ‘newness.’ Pedagogical implications are discussed for teachers interested in adopting the metaverse platform for their future classrooms.

Classroom perception in higher education: The impact of spatial factors on student satisfaction in lecture versus active learning classrooms.

Driven and influenced by learning theory and information technology, the form of the classroom environment in higher education is constantly changing. While traditional lecture classrooms focus on efficient learning modes and economical space layouts, active learning classrooms focus more on active learning psychology and adaptive space perception. Although existing studies have explored the development of educational and technological domains in the classroom, a comparative study of these two classroom environments and students’ learning perceptions has not been conducted. Hence, using a questionnaire, this study collected subjective perception reports from 316 students in traditional lecture classrooms versus active learning classrooms. By analyzing Likert scales of student satisfaction in two classroom environments, the study found the following: learning support dimensions in both classroom environments required improvements; space and furniture perception, physical and decorative environment are critical factors in improving students’ perceptions in the lecture classroom; space perception is the critical factor in enhancing students’ perception in the active learning classroom. These findings can serve as good references and useful insights for future classroom design and optimization to build enriched and inclusive learning environments to help students gain a more positive perception of learning.

Classroom practices and peer social status in junior high school

This study investigates the association between classroom practices and individual social status outcomes in junior high. A nested design using 678 grade 7 and 8 students in 38 classrooms showed that classroom practices are associated with peer social status. Classrooms rated high on instruction were associated with a decreased probability of students with rejected status. In contrast, classrooms rated high on atmosphere and student engagement were associated with an increased probability of students with rejected and popular status. Student perceptions of classrooms revealed that social comparison was associated with an increased probability of students with both rejected and popular status, while competition was associated with an increased probability of students with popular status. Results inform intervention programs that target the peer ecology of the classroom by raising teachers’ awareness of the intersection between pedagogical practices and student social status among peers.

A Research on the Environmental Identities and Environmental Risk Perceptions of Classroom and Science Teachers According to Different Variables

Environmental identity in human environmental behaviour expresses the extent to which the person relates to the environment while defining himself or herself. The relationship between human and the environment is mutual, and human's understanding of environment is essential to the environment. Perception of environmental risk is subjective because it is about personal view of environmental risk. The purpose of this study is to evaluate classroom teachers' and science teachers' perceptions of environmental risks based on several variables. For this purpose, a total of 309 classroom and science teachers participated in the study. The instruments used for data collection were the Environmental Identity Scale and the Environmental Risk Perception Scale. Both descriptive and inferential analyses were conducted on the data obtained. The analyses conducted revealed that environmental identity and environmental risk perception were high among teachers, there were no differences between subjects, and there was a positive relationship between environmental identity and environmental risk perception.

Students' perception on flipped classroom in contrast to live demonstration for teaching orthodontic wire-bending skills: A focus group study.

This study aimed to explore students' perceptions of flipped classroom (FC) compared to live demonstration (LD) in transferring skills of fabricating orthodontic wire components for orthodontic removable appliances. Forty third-year undergraduate dental students were randomly assigned to two groups: FC (n=20) and LD (n=20). Students in group FC attended FC, while students in group LD attended LD. Both groups underwent a series of standardized teaching sessions to acquire skills in fabricating six types of orthodontic wire components. Eight students (four high achievers and four low achievers) from each group were randomly selected to attend separate focus group discussion (FGD) sessions. Students' perceptions on the strengths, weaknesses, and suggestions for improvement on each teaching method were explored. Audio and video recordings of FGD were transcribed and thematically analyzed using NVivo version 12 software. Promoting personalized learning, improvement in teaching efficacy, inaccuracy of three-dimensional demonstration from online video, and lack of standardization among instructors and video demonstration were among the themes identified. Similarly, lack of standardization among instructors was one of the themes identified for LD, in addition to other themes such as enabling immediate clarification and vantage point affected by seating arrangement and class size. In conclusion, FC outperformed LD in fostering personalized learning and improving the efficacy of physical class time. LD was more advantageous than FC in allowing immediate question and answer. However, seating arrangement and class size affected LD in contrast to FC.

Improvement in parasympathetic regulation is associated with engagement in classroom activity in primary school children experiencing poor classroom climate.

Self-regulation promotes engagement within the classroom. At a physiological level, a good indicator of the ability of the system to self-regulate is cardiac vagal tone (CVT). The present study aims to assess children's change over time (1year) in their parasympathetic regulation (by way of CVT) in response to a social and cognitive stressor. Moreover, it addresses whether, if present, this change over time in regulation influences students' engagement in classroom activities while also accounting for classroom climate. Forty-nine second graders were assessed at two time points: November 2018 (T1) and 1year later in 2019 (T2). Children's CVT was registered at rest and while performing a stressful task during which they were asked to cognitively perform while being socially evaluated. Children were also interviewed on how much they feel engaged in classroom activities and their perceptions of classroom climate. A repeated measures analysis of variance including 2Time Points ×2 Phases of CVT Registration (baseline and during the stressful task) revealed a significant decrease in cardiac vagal activity from baseline to the task at T1, indicating that initially most children were not able to self-regulate and gave way to a stress response when facing the stressful task. The pattern changed at T2 when an active regulation took place signalled by an increase in CVT from baseline to the stressful task. Data analysis also revealed that among children who perceived a poorer classroom climate, the display of greater parasympathetic regulation over time was linked with higher active engagement in classroom activities. Growth in physiological regulation in response to a challenging task is associated with better engagement in classroom activities. Interventions and educational practice promoting the development of self-regulation strategies are recommended.

Integrating inquiry-based learning and computer supported collaborative learning into flipped classroom: effects on academic writing performance and perceptions of students of railway engineering

The objective of this study was twofold: (a) to determine the extent to which three types of instruction could improve writing performance of railway engineering students and (b) to explore students’ perceptions of flipped classroom, Edmodo, and Google Docs for improving their academic writing performance. The participants were 61 undergraduate students of railway engineering at Iran University of Science and Technology (IUST), who were divided into integrated flipped, conventional flipped, and traditional non-flipped groups. For the integrated flipped group, the inquiry-based learning was conducted in terms of five phases of orientation, conceptualization, investigation, data interpretation, and conclusion. They also used Edmodo and Google Docs as the two collaborative platforms for promoting writing skills. The conventional group only watched the instructional videos before the class, while for the traditional group neither the instructional videos nor the technological tools were used for improving their writing skills. The results of ANOVA revealed significant differences among the three groups in that learners in the integrated flipped group significantly outperformed those in the other groups, particularly in terms of the components of grammar and fluency. In addition, this approach made the learners more engaged, motivated, satisfied, and less anxious. The results also showed learners’ positive attitudes toward the pedagogical values of Edmodo and Google Docs.