Providing Choice in Middle Grade Classrooms: An Exploratory Study of Enactment Variability and Student Reflection

Employing descriptive and interpretive analyses of classroom videos and focus group data, this study details how the provision of choice was enacted in instruction, and the subsequent messages students perceived. Participants included six teachers (fourth to eighth grade) and 114 students (age X ¯ =...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of early adolescence 2016-05, Vol.36 (4), p.527-550
Main Authors: Williams, Jasmine D., Wallace, Tanner LeBaron, Sung, Hannah C.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent Development
Classrooms
Decision Making
Early Adolescents
Focus Groups
Grade 8
Learner Engagement
Middle School Students
Middle School Teachers
Motivation
Pennsylvania
Personal Autonomy
Preferences
Statistical Analysis
Student Attitudes
Student Motivation
Student Participation
Student Surveys
Teacher Student Relationship
Trust (Psychology)
Video Technology
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Summary:Employing descriptive and interpretive analyses of classroom videos and focus group data, this study details how the provision of choice was enacted in instruction, and the subsequent messages students perceived. Participants included six teachers (fourth to eighth grade) and 114 students (age X ¯ = 11.28 years, 60% African American). Survey data indicated students perceived high levels of choice in the focal classrooms (Time 1 X ¯ = 3.32, SD = 0.91; Time 2 X ¯ = 3.25, SD = 0.94). Results suggest five differentiating dimensions of providing choice: strategy, pace, format, topic, and mobility as well as differences in the structure of how choice was provided—a single event versus a generative sequence of autonomy-supportive adolescent-teacher interactions. Analysis of student focus group transcripts indicated the enactment of choice communicated messages around trust, respect, and worth that influenced student engagement. Overall, results suggest the provision of choice can be a context for meeting young adolescents’ developmental needs and fostering students’ motivational resources.
ISSN:0272-4316
1552-5449
DOI:10.1177/0272431615570057