Effects of Cognitive Stimulation, Physical Arrangement of the Learning Environment and Instructional Tendency on Student Engagement
Cognitive Stimulation, Physical Arrangement of the Learning Environment and Instructional Tendency
Abstract
This study examines the factors that strengthen student engagement in the teaching process. In this study, the activities carried out by candidate teachers participating in teacher education to increase student engagement in the teaching process have been examined in the context of cognitive stimulation, physical arrangement of the learning environment and instructional tendencies. Candidate teachers enrolled in the Science (3), classroom teaching (4) and social sciences (3) programs of the Faculty of Education, and candidate teachers who enrolled in the pedagogical formation certificate program in the fields of Sociology (3) and Religion (2) participated in the study. The study was designed with a qualitative research approach and data was collected through in-class observations and interviews with teacher candidates. Descriptive analysis was conducted on interview and observation data. Findings were cumulated into three categories: sources of cognitive stimulation, sorts of the physical arrangement of the learning environment, instructional tendencies and teaching roles. Activities used as cognitive stimuli were clustered in enhancing attention, enhancing perception and improving comprehension categories. The findings show that science, social sciences, classroom, sociology and religion teaching candidates can have different approaches to increase student engagement in the teaching process. Regarding the arrangement of the learning environment, teacher candidates mostly used “providing flexibility”, “adjusting the setting” and “rearranging the setting” techniques. To increase student engagement, teacher candidates in different branches performed different instructional tendencies. “Explaining in detail and connecting previous learnings”, “giving clear explanations”, “using expertise”, creating a responsive learning environment” and “being assertive” stood out as the most preferred teaching behaviours. Teacher candidates thought that having the following roles respectively in the teaching process increases student engagement more: Leading the learning process > being a didactic teaching expert > being a motivator > being a facilitator > being a role model > being a reflective professional.
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