Ryder, K. 2017. The awkward silence in the classroom: students views on class participation. International Conference on the Teaching of Psychology. Vancouver, BC, Canada 27 Jul - 29 Nov 2017
| Title | The awkward silence in the classroom: students views on class participation |
|---|---|
| Authors | Ryder, K. |
| Type | Conference poster |
| Abstract | Participation is an important social feature of learning that benefits students understanding of their subject, their skills development (Howard, 2004) and the connection to their institution (Masika & Jones, 2016). However, while participation in learning activities and the learning community is highly valued by the institution, the extent to which a student is able to participate is mitigated by several factors. The current study used an Appreciative Inquiry approach to identify factors that facilitated classroom participation, within the department of psychology at the University of Westminster in London, UK. 14 first and second-year psychology students took part in focus groups and individual interviews. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. In addition to highlighting ways that students preferred to participate, several barriers were also identified, such as students’ level of confidence and the potential risk to their reputations. The study concludes that while participation is a benefit for students familiar and comfortable with the performative nature of learning, it may pose a distraction for students who lack confidence. |
| Keywords | learning, Participation,Confidence, Appreciative Inquiry |
| Year | 2017 |
| Conference | International Conference on the Teaching of Psychology |
| Publication dates | |
| Completed | 2017 |