An Operational Definition of Class Participation

Abstract

This article operationally defines effective student Optimum management and effectiveness depends on students being actively engaged, supportive of each other, and civil in their exchanges. Examples of student behaviors to avoid are also discussed. Desired student classroom behavior is argued to be enhanced by good instructor modeling and positive reward for appropriate behavior. Many courses require active Part of the total course grade in such courses typically includes participation evaluation. First, let me supply a rationale for including participation in the grading scheme. Research shows learning is an active process, not a passive one. Students learn best when they take an active part in the learning process. Students are more likely to appreciate how learning in one arena is useful in other settings if they personally relate their activities in these plural experiences rather than by trying to see commonality through passive learning; this is called transference. Students are better able to generalize from active activity than from what they listen to, watch, or read. Students have been shown to retain what they do better than retain what they vicariously learn. Students are therefore in need of active classroom involvement. Since increased student classroom activity is argues for, it should be an integral part of the evaluation process. Such grades serve both as motivation and as reward for quality student classroom involvement. Too frequently, students are unsure about what is expected of them under the rubric: class participation. Consequently, students try to anticipate what teachers mean and the results of such inferences are too frequently nightmarish. Teachers are not always definitive in their own minds as to what they expect of their students in relation to Such lack of clarity stems in part from a need for more methodical thought about what is desirable and undesirable student classroom behavior. Inadequate teacher preparation, classroom experience, and/or conscious thought about classroom behavior needs, desires, and clear articulation contribute to inadequate consideration of these matters. For useful classroom participation to be fostered, validly measured, and clearly understood by both teacher and student, it must be operationally defined. This is the purpose of this essay: to make it clear what quality classroom participation means. Class participation is composed of three evaluative dimensions: quantity, dependability, and quality. Quantitatively, it is not desired that students try to ask or answer every question, give all the examples, provide inordinate support to classmates, nor be a discussion monopolizer. It is desirable that all students be given the opportunity to participate by asking questions, offering examples when called for, and supply evidence of personal awareness of concepts germane to discussion. It is asked that student contributions have a utilitarian motive. While quality participation requires some interaction frequency, there are numerous well-known classroom behaviors that detract from effective classroom management and student learning. Students should be directly and clearly made aware of the behaviors we, as teachers, desire and those behaviors we wish not to occur in the classroom. Some of this awareness can come from group discussions between students and the teacher early on in the school year. Individual follow-up discussions should occur during student/teacher office visits. Another way to make desired classroom deportment expectations clear is to solicit inter-class agreement on such expectations. When class-to-class demands are similar and have been created with student input, students react more favorably than when classroom expectations vary widely and are totally teacher produced. Some of the most common detracting classroom behaviors: (1) Long winded contributions. …

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