Poster #47 - Staying Engaged in Middle School: Adolescents’ Perceptions of School and Schoolwork

• In Event: Poster Session 17

Abstract

Adolescents’ academic engagement (i.e., their active, enthusiastic, constructive participation in learning activities in the classroom) declines as they move through school, with abrupt drops transitioning from elementary to middle school. Declines in engagement and subsequent disparities in achievement and retention are even more pronounced in lower SES neighborhoods (Jensen, 2013; Wigfield et al., 2015), and further complicated by the pervasive effects of poverty and increased difficulties resulting from COVID-19 (Dorn et al., 2020; Garcia & Weiss, 2019; Lessard & Schacter, 2020). This study aimed to address these issues by expanding our current understanding of the strengths and changes adolescents can use to overcome challenges to their engagement and learning. Specifically, this study draws upon adolescents’ voices and perceptions to identify: What characteristics of school and schoolwork are engaging, and why? What aspects of school and schoolwork would they alter to improve their engagement and learning, and why?
Ten adolescents (four 6th graders, six 8th graders; 70% female, 30% male; 50% Black/African American, 50% White) in a lower SES, ethnically diverse middle school in the southeast United States were surveyed across the 2021-2022 school year in both fall and spring. Thematic, qualitative analyses were used to examine a subset of open-ended responses (Table 1) focused on adolescents’ named challenges, changes, and strengths for academic engagement and learning. Eight independent coders conducted the thematic analyses (Braun & Clarke, 2006; Nowell et al., 2017) and discussed any differences in coding.
Themes for favorite things about school included the interconnection between “friends/peers,” “sports,” and “learning.” Many students noted that one of their favorite things about school was the opportunity to see, interact, and hang out with their friends, in the classroom or on the field. In spring, many students also noted “teachers” as one of their favorite things about school, possibly because they had more time to form a relationship with their teachers compared to fall. Students focused mostly on “school policies” for “dress code,” “use of technology,” and “lunch time rules” as aspects of school they would like to change. More generally, most changes for lunch centered around allowing different grades to sit together, perhaps to allow greater interactions between friends/peers.
Regarding schoolwork, students’ responses highlighted “collaboration” and “hands-on activities” for themes of what makes learning and schoolwork fun, enjoyable, and interesting. In tandem with their favorite things about school, students seemed to enjoy class assignments that allowed them to work with friends/peers to build their knowledge in interactive, hands-on projects. Finally, when asked what they would change about schoolwork, students voiced improvements centered around “due dates,” “homework,” and “student autonomy.” More specifically, students desired a lack of homework or more flexibility in terms of when homework was due. Several students stated that they would like more tailored assignments.
Drawing on adolescents’ voices and perceptions regarding their academic experiences can further progress developmental and educational science and help detect potential levers for future intervention efforts. The current study will also discuss how these student responses can help inform school improvement plans.

Authors

• Nicolette Paige Rickert, Georgia Southern University
  Presenting Author

• Emily K. Wallace, Georgia Southern University

• Jana Arslan, Georgia Southern University

• Beatrice M Bean, Georgia Southern University

• Kalie B Chambless, Georgia Southern University

• Leah C. Davis, Georgia Southern University

• Amaya D. Gilmer, Georgia Southern University

• Zoie L. Hughes, Georgia Southern University

• Ariah R. Lewis, Georgia Southern University