The Possibilities for (and Necessity of) Student Perceptions of Classroom Quality in Teacher Reflection

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 30
  In Roundtable Session: Mixed Methods Research in Practice

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between student and teacher perceptions of appeal, challenge, choice, meaningfulness, and academic self-efficacy and how including student perceptions informed teachers’ reflections on classroom quality. Quantitative survey results of students and teachers who participated in a summer academic enrichment program were weakly correlated, accounting for only 8.26% of the variance. In guided reflections, inexperienced teachers felt tensions between content and motivation, viewing teaching as delivering content efficiently, not necessarily motivationally. Utilizing the student perspective during teacher reflections shifted focus away from content toward motivational aspects of learning. Teachers valued guided reflection with a supportive peer because it kept them focused, helped them “think through” the data, and provided a sounding board for potential instructional improvement.

Author

• Kristen Seward, Purdue University