Faculty of Education - Theses
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ItemThe pedagogy of engagement: classroom management vs. facilitating learning( 2019)This thesis explored the way upper primary teachers think about student engagement and how they operationalise the concept within their classrooms. Student engagement has been frequently linked to academic success, and improving the engagement of students continues to be a priority for policy makers and practitioners alike. Despite an abundance of research, it remains questionable whether researcher conceptions of student engagement adequately represent the way teachers experience the concept. Teachers' perspectives on student engagement and their engagement-related practices were investigated over two studies using an exploratory sequential mixed methods design. In Study One, in-depth interviews were conducted with 16 teachers to explore their beliefs about student engagement in learning. Teachers described six qualitatively different forms of engagement and disengagement, as well as a complex process for facilitating student engagement within lessons. A typology of engagement and a pedagogical framework for engaging students were proposed based on the findings. Study Two sought to test the validity of the typology as a representation of teachers' descriptions of student engagement and its usefulness in coding teachers' engagement-related interactions within observed lessons. Four teachers were interviewed and four lessons observations for each teacher were conducted. In addition, 72 students within those classrooms were surveyed to explore their perceptions of aspects of the learning environment, including their understanding of teacher expectations for student engagement. Qualitative analysis of interview and observation data revealed that teachers varied in their expectations for student engagement within lessons, their views on the role of peers in student engagement, and in the frequency with which they intervened within lessons to facilitate different forms of student engagement. Quantitative analysis of survey data suggest that students in different classrooms perceive different expectations for how they will engage in learning experiences. A model is proposed for thinking about the pedagogy of student engagement, providing an alternative vantage point from which to explore the concept, one that is grounded in the real-life experiences of teachers facing the ongoing challenge of engaging students in classroom learning experiences.
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ItemExploring classrooms that support the growth of top-quartile students( 2015)The issue of under-performance or flat-lining of high potential students has received increasing attention. While differentiation is often seen as the key to supporting these students within mixed ability classrooms, there is evidence it is not widely practised by teachers. This research explores the practices and perceptions of teachers whose classes had achieved growth across all student achievement levels, in order to identify factors that may have contributed to the academic growth of top-quartile students. A case study design was used to collect qualitative data from focus group discussions and fieldwork. A grounded theory approach to analysis focused on understanding the perceptions and practices of these teachers. The conceptual categories that emerged describe an approach to teaching that focuses on the holistic development of individual learners and extends the concept of scaffolding to motivation and self-regulated learning as well as cognitive development.