Variations in Equitable Sociocultural Interactions Based on the Content and Format of Classroom Learning Activities

• In Event: The Measurement of Sociocultural Equity in Preschool through Elementary Environments

Abstract

Introduction
Recent themes in the literature on classroom management focus on teacher-child relationships (Pianta et al., 2006) and social and moral curricula (Nucci et al., 2006). Still, there is a continued need for classroom management research that advances our understanding of racially marginalized learners (RMLs) experiences during various classroom times. The Assessing Classroom Sociocultural Equity Scale (ACSES; Curenton et al., 2020) is a new direct observational measure that explicitly focuses on anti-racism and captures various aspects of quality related to culturally responsive, equitable classroom interactions in Pre-K to Grade 5 classrooms. This study aimed to examine how ACSES dimensions scores vary based upon classroom content domains, classroom formats, and class size in Pre-K to Grade 3 classrooms. We pursued the following research question:
1. To what extent do equitable sociocultural classroom interactions in EC classrooms vary by content domain, classroom formats, and class size?

Hypothesis
We hypothesized that there might be higher levels of Inequitable Discipline during whole group because children are often asked to adhere to specific behavior expectations during whole group, and teachers may use punitive or unfair discipline to enforce these behavior expectations.

Methods
Study Sample
We analyzed 348 classroom videos from an educational evaluation conducted in an urban city in the Midwest. The classroom videos featured 65 teachers. Videos were coded from the following grade-levels: 45 Pre-K (12.9%), 77 kindergarten (22.1%), 78 first grade (22.4%), 71 second grade (20.4%), and 77 third grade (22.1%). Many teachers were White (n = 62, 95.4%), and few teachers were Latine (n = 2, 3.1%) or Black (n = 1, 1.54%).

Measures
Equitable sociocultural classroom interactions were measured using the ACSES. Classroom format and content were indicated for each 15-minute observation video by CLASS raters. Classroom format included whole group, small group, free choice/centers, individual time, and routine/transition. Content domain included literacy and language arts, math, science, art, play, no primary content domain assigned, and other.

Procedures
Video recordings of classroom interactions were collected over three academic years, 2016 - 2019. Four 15-minute observations were collected each day for each classroom. During the observations, classrooms were recorded in a variety of classroom formats and content domains. In the present study, each 15-minute video is treated as a separate unit of analysis. Classroom videos were eligible for inclusion if at least one racially marginalized learner (RML) was present in the video recording.

Analytic Approach
Linear mixed models were conducted. Regression models were conducted for each ACSES dimension score with separate models for content domains and classroom formats.

Results
Results indicated that teachers connected more to children’s home lives during language and literacy lessons than math lessons (Table 3). Additionally, teachers provided children with more Personalized Learning Opportunities during centers and small group formats compared to whole group formats (Table 4). Analyses showed no variation in Inequitable Discipline or RMLs’ Participation and Engagement by content domain, classroom format, or class size.

Authors

• Dalhia Lloyd, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
  Presenting Author

• Molly J Goldberg, University of Nebraska - Lincoln

• Gullnar Syed, SRI International - District of Columbia

• Greg Welch, Buffett Early Childhood Institute

• Stephanie Michelle Curenton, Boston University

• Jacqueline P. Sims, Boston University