Classroom discourse with both student-led questions and feedback: enhancing engagement and attainment of students in a learner-centred Key Stage 3 science classroom

This study focuses on the use of student-led questions and feedback to improve students’ engagement and attainment in Key Stage 3 science. My interest in Assessment for Learning has arisen from working as a science teacher for over 9 years in several secondary schools in London and Kent. My aim has been to support Key Stage 3 science students to improve their engagement and attainment by means other than the use of science practical. The purpose of this study is to find out how students’ awareness of questions and feedback can be used to improve their engagement. This includes examining students’ contribution to the classroom discourse through developing their own questions and giving peer feedback, and assessing how this has improved their attainment. This study also sought teachers’ perceptions on the role of questions and feedback in engaging students in science lessons. This mixed methods study was inspired by a constructivist paradigm approach to learning (Creswell 2011; Savasci and Berlin, 2012). The study used six techniques of enquiry for data collection to support triangulation of my data. The students were involved in problem solving activities which led to developing their own questions using Bloom’s taxonomy question prompts and giving feedback to other students. The interaction was audio recorded to examine the quality of questions and feedback in order to ascertain how this has led to an improvement in their engagement and attainment, in addition to other data collection methods used. This study found that students were capable of developing high level questions and giving constructive feedback that will move other students’ learning forward just like their teachers aim to do. There was an improvement in the high level questions developed which influenced the quality of feedback given to other students. 98% of the students were engaged in the questions and feedback which contributed to over 92% of the students achieving their target levels in the end of unit science test. These outcomes are contributions to knowledge. Other contributions to knowledge include the new model of discourse presented in this thesis, and two factors that constitute engagement in learning. Pupil voice was a dominant factor as students were in charge of the classroom discourse which was encouraged by the questions and feedback. Some recommendations are made for professional practice and further research.

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

edd

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of Greenwich

Year dc:date.issued

2015

Author dc:creator

• Magaji, Adewale

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Goddard, William
• Betteney, Mark

• LB1603 Secondary Education. High schools

Language dc:language

en