Student classroom engagement in Icelandic upper secondary schools

Abstract

This article outlines a study on how Icelandic upper secondary school students engage in classroom work (academic engagement) through classroom participation (Greenwood, Horton, and Utley, 2002; Schmidt, Rosenberg, and Beymer, 2018). The objective is threefold: Firstly, to analyze how student participation manifests itself in the classroom. Secondly, to investigate whether classes with a high level of student participation should be categorized as teacher-directed or student-focused. Thirdly, to take note of teachers’ activities in classes with a high level of student participation. The researchers analyzed 130 in-field class descriptions in nine upper secondary schools, drawn from the project Upper Secondary School Practices, collected during the years 2013–2014. Each class session was analyzed either as having a high level of student participation or failing to reach a required standard of student participation; the requirement being that 75% of students participate in teacher-directed work 75% of class time. Eighty-three class sessions were found to reach this standard.

Student academic engagement in these classes was analyzed through a variety of activities, here termed engagement indicators. These were 11 indicators listed here in frequency order (number of sessions in parentheses): working on assignments (69), directing questions to the teacher (65), showing signs of paying attention such as listening and following what is going on (46), discussing classroom tasks (44), working together on assignments (39), answering the teacher’s questions on the subject 38), asking the teacher for assistance (35), writing and taking notes (21), showing interest in various ways (19), searching for and using materials (15), and reading aloud or silently (9). At least two indicators appeared in a class, and a maximum of nine appeared in a single session. On average five indicators appeared in a class session.

We also looked at the use of teacher-directed and student-focused teaching methods, which turned out to be almost an equal number in our sample of 83 classes, with only 11 that could not be labelled either teacher-directed or student-focused. In the sample, student class engagement remained more or less equal regardless of whether teacher-directed or student-focused methods were used. The exceptions were indicators of paying attention, more often found in classes where teacher-directed methods were used, and indicators of searching for and using materials and working together on assignments, more often found in classes where student-focused methods were used.

Furthermore, the results indicate that the teacher’s activities positively influence student engagement. Thus, the attributes of a positive demeanor, an atmosphere of warmth, clear instructions from the teacher, and the teacher’s motivating manner were identified in 90% of classes with a high level of student engagement. There was a significant positive correlation between a teacher’s positive demeanor and an atmosphere of warmth on the one hand and clear instructions on the other.

The study has its strengths and limitations. Although carefully selected, one-hundred-and-thirty class sessions is not a high ratio of all upper secondary school classes. A group of 15 researchers gathered the material. To ensure more accuracy they frequently met to discuss how they would perform the observations, and in 44% of the cases two researchers observed the session. It would have been interesting to compare class sessions with a high level of participation and those with lower levels. However, much fewer sessions did not reach our standard of 75% of students participating in teacher- -directed work 75% of class time, and in some cases descriptions were not accurate enough to determine whether the level of participation reached our standards.

These findings can have implications for teacher education, both in university classrooms and in practicums where students can be trained to use methods likely to engage students in classroom work. Furthermore, they can be trained in some helpful tasks such as how to learn the names of their students and give clear instructions. Overall, the study also reminds us that teachers need to be mindful of their attitudes to students and the teaching methods they select in order to ensure students’ academic engagement.