The Effect of Classroom Discussion on Student Confidence

Megan Stern

Hawaii Pacific University

Dr. Eugene Guillian

ED 6695- Capstone Research

August 7, 2023

Abstract

Confidence in the classroom can be a determining factor of student success. As a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic, students have received less opportunities to engage in academic conversations with their peers, which is a 21st century skill that must be practiced. This study sheds light on the benefits a classroom discussion practice can have on student confidence in the classroom. Academic literacy skills used in these discussions were analyzed to determine the effect they have on overall confidence in and out of the classroom. Data collected from this study, conducted on a fourth grade class, was analyzed to determine if effective classroom discussions have a significant effect on student confidence. This research concluded that routine classroom discussions can have benefits on student confidence, especially if those discussions are conducted in a circle seating arrangement. This information could also be helpful in working to close social literacy gaps due to the COVID-19 pandemic by getting students used to talking to each other academically.

Key Words: classroom discussion, student confidence, participation

Introduction

        A classroom full of eyes are all staring at you when the teacher calls on you to share your answer. You are terrified because you don’t know the answer. You respond incorrectly, and your confidence plummets; you are embarrassed. Because you are now completely humiliated, “extra processing capacity is required for toning down the emotions and for tuning back into the task” (Boekaerts, 1993). In this case, learning has halted for you. Classroom discussions practiced regularly can help to mitigate the potential for situations like the one described above. This study examined the relationship between the use of effective classroom discussions and student confidence. Communication is a necessary skill to master because it will surface in many ways daily. In the classroom, communication skills can be fostered and refined through teacher-facilitated, student-led engagement with peers. Learning is seen as an “experience of moving toward and possessing understanding” (Schwab, 1954), which is the intent of the teacher. However, by making learning possible via discussion, the social literacy barriers that arise can be potentially mitigated. The motivation for this study was based on the observation that communication skills and confidence have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. This study analyzed the effectiveness of classroom discussions in a fourth grade classroom with 27 students. Discussions were implemented to determine if practicing social literacy skills had a positive impact on overall student confidence.

Background

        Educators are held to rigorous expectations to ensure that learning is taking place, measured by the results of standardized tests. This can suffice for the purpose of recall and memorization of specific content, but there is not a standardized test to assess communication skills or overall sense of self. Due to COVID-19 and distance learning, the art of classroom discussion has changed drastically. In a technologically advanced world, this does not mean that discussion on a digital platform is not possible. However, it is the responsibility of the teacher to provide the necessary instruction to make it accessible for students to engage in that platform. The same goes for in-person classroom discussions. It is the role of the teacher to: create an environment conducive for collaboration, provide skills for how to share ideas, and skills for how to respond to others’ ideas in a professional manner. Discussion techniques that are practiced in the classroom can provide a foundation for communicating with others beyond the classroom. Confidently communicating is a skill that is necessary for success in daily life.

Significance of the Study

        This study was based on observations of a serious social deficit that exists in the classroom. This could be partly due to the pandemic, or possibly the increased use of technology as a replacement for real conversations. Regardless, the findings of this study will benefit students because they worked to practice basic communication skills in order to feel more confident to share ideas. Additionally, this study will benefit teacher practice in the sense that if there is a correlation between classroom discussions and confidence, the teacher will use the evidence to support classroom discussions in future school years, and change them to be increasingly effective. During Specials Classes (MakerSpace, Computer Science, and PE), students were able to use the discussion skills they have learned to contribute more in the conversations centered around their learning; peers could also benefit from others leading by example. This study could enable positive social change at school, home, and community by preparing students to hold appropriate conversations with peers and adults.

Statement of the Problem

        In a classroom that is teacher-centered, communication skills are not often practiced, and it can be increasingly difficult to instill such expectations as time goes on. One way to facilitate the development of these skills is to practice sharing and responding to ideas with a variety of different people and personalities. Confidence in the classroom is important because “when the students do not have enough confidence to join the class, the danger is that they will never enjoy the learning” (Anwar, 2016). This study used the tool of discussion to determine if increased communication and practice helped students feel more confident overall. Many social literacy skills were affected by the barriers of distance learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Students experienced a variety of limiting factors on their learning, such as varied access to computers, the effectiveness or support of their at-home learning environment, and concentration or active participation skills during an online learning session (Alsubaie, 2022). This study assessed confidence via observations, participation records, and surveys. The population includes a sample of 27 fourth grade students (12 boys, 15 girls). The study was conducted over three quarters, October 2022 to May 2023. With an effective use of discussion techniques and data tracking, this study contributes research to find out if classroom discussions have a significant effect on student confidence.

Research Question

        This study was guided by the following research questions:

1. What effect does classroom discussion have on student confidence?  
2. Will an increased amount of classroom discussions increase participation in the classroom setting?

More specifically, these questions helped to determine if the effect was significant:

1. How comfortable do students feel talking to each other in an academic setting?
2. Does the use of (talking sticks, sentence starters, intentional seating) improve student participation in classroom discussions?
3. Does participation in surveys about confidence make students feel more comfortable to self-reflect?

The independent variables were classroom discussion and participation. The dependent variables were student confidence and self-reflection skills.

Conceptual/Theoretical Framework

        Many studies have been conducted on the effectiveness of classroom discussions on student understanding and performance. Discussions in a learning environment serve two main purposes:

“(1) discussion as a method of instruction, where the purpose is to help engage students in a lesson, and learn academic content by encouraging verbal interactions; and (2) discussion competence as the subject matter, where the desired outcome is for students to learn to discuss more effectively” (Larson, 1999).

Both of these purposes can be aligned with confidence. If students have a better understanding of the content knowledge and if they learn to discuss more effectively, they will be more likely to participate and build confidence. It is the responsibility of the teacher to know that “understanding students’ confidence could be beneficial to helping teachers create more effective learning environments for students” (Sander, 2009). The Academic Behavioural Confidence scale (ABC) has been used in previous studies and has been determined as an effective tool to measure confidence; it will be used as a data collection method in this study. Similar studies have measured the effectiveness of discussions to improve confidence, specifically in the science classroom (Green, 2012). Green’s study also assessed how discussions affected student performance, and it was conducted with a population of middle school students. Few studies have been found that were conducted with elementary aged samples.

Literature Review

        Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in-person learning was replaced by online instruction. Although there were some benefits, it did not “prepare young students with the emotional and social skills necessary for their development” (Alsubaie, 2022). As a result, discussions become an even more important skill to practice in the classroom.

Because students are lacking in certain communication and social skills, it’s important to look into what practices can help boost student confidence in communicating. There are new studies being published to provide perspective on the effects of COVID-19 on school-age children, and Guppy’s study found that “the factor most associated with student confidence in learning was their sense of communication with both peers and professors” (Guppy, 2022). Guppy’s study was able to show the importance of communication and the role it plays in student confidence. This study intends to further examine Guppy’s conclusion, but in an in-person classroom.

There are many existing studies related to classroom discussion and its benefits. However, much of the research does not specifically focus on elementary aged students, and they are more geared towards measuring academic performance as a result of discussion. By reviewing the literature, it can shed light on important aspects to guide this study in comparing classroom discussions and student confidence. The thesis of this study is that by facilitating meaningful discussions, students will feel more comfortable and confident when sharing ideas inside and outside the classroom.

        In order to determine the effects of discussion on confidence, it is necessary to understand how confidence plays a role in the classroom. Learning and cognitive ability rely heavily on skill acquisition and task completion. However, researchers have pointed out that “learning is also facilitated or hampered by emotions, moods, or feelings” (Boekaerts, 1993). Classroom discussions can be a domain of discomfort for many students. It can cause feelings of doubt, anxiety, and fear to arise. When faced with a stressful situation, students either demonstrate approach or avoidance. The way they respond to stress in the classroom depends highly on the classroom community and environment that has been created. Based on Boekaerts’ study, “students who perceive the learning environment as supportive do not report less-intense negative emotions, but they do report more approach in all stressful situations”. Generally, students who report higher confidence tend to approach stress more openly, whereas students who report or show low confidence tend to be more avoidant. This demonstrates that establishing a strong, positive classroom community can impact a student’s comfort level when approaching stress. Although classroom discussions will not eliminate a student’s negative emotions towards stress, creating an environment that is conducive to growth will help them to take more responsible risks with the approach response.

Similarly, Tullis’ study emphasizes a similar idea in that interactive peer work can help students’ learning (Tullis, 2020). While these studies provide support for the idea that it is necessary for students to work together, they do not discuss how that group work affects the students’ confidence as a learner.  Anwar’s study provides methods for assessing student confidence, including a questionnaire and an interview. I implemented similar methods into this study to determine the growth of confidence as a result of discussions (Anwar, 2016). Additionally, an adaptation of Sander’s Academic Behavioural Confidence Scale was used to create a generalized picture of how participants felt , via self-reported survey (Sander, 2008).

Green’s study revolved specifically around discussions in the science classroom. The study mentions the importance of making the discussion accessible for everyone and using specific science words to connect the discussion to the content (Green, 2012). During a classroom discussion, there are certain roles that must be taken on and upheld by each student. To determine whether the discussion was a success, Kovalainen describes the roles as follows: “(a) the source of the interaction (e.g. the speaker), (b) the form of the interaction, (i.e. the interactional move e.g. initiation, reply) and (c) the communicative function of the interaction (e.g. sharing experiences, defining)” (Kovalainen, 2007). Each role plays a part in a successful discussion, but role (c) outlines the importance of making connections and using content specific vocabulary.

In order to make the discussion emotionally accessible, “there must be no demand upon the child, other than participation, no insistence on right methods or standards which would change the child’s view of its incompleteness from capacity for growth to mere incompleteness” (Schwab, 1954). Building a community of students who practice growth mindset is highly reliant on the effectiveness of the teacher and their ability to teach growth mindset. It must be made very clear to the students that participation in the classroom discussion is the goal, not whether what they contribute is correct or not. Celebrating participation will help boost students’ confidence and help to build up the community among the students.

        In summary, the findings of this literature review revealed that the research that is present and related to this topic provided good direction for this study. There were some studies that measured similar variables, however, they were not conducted on elementary age students, and did not mention the effects of COVID-19 on the nature of discussion. The literature provided a good definition of a “successful classroom discussion” and these criteria were used to fuel the discussions held for the purpose of this research. It is the goal of educators to foster the love of learning for their students, allow opportunities for social interaction and development, and to help them meet the standards for their appropriate grade level. This research analyzed classroom discussion as a method to boost student confidence both inside and outside the classroom.

Definitions

confidence-a feeling of self-assurance arising from one's appreciation of one's own

abilities or qualities

discussion-exchange of ideas between students and teacher to develop skills and

deepen understanding

Assumptions

        The researcher assumed that the participants fully understood the questions, and they answered honestly. She assumed that based on classroom discussion strategies, the discussions used for this study were effective. The study took place in a general education classroom with sufficient physical space for a classroom discussion.

Scope and Limitations

        The limitations of this study could include time as a constraint. The study was only conducted over 3 quarters and with a single class. The study provided generalizable evidence, but circumstances of different classroom environments, peer relationships, and discussion techniques will vary. Additionally, the nature of this study is limited because it is unclear whether the increase in participant confidence is a direct result of the interventions used, or simply from more practice with discussions.

Methodology

Variables

        The independent variables in this experiment were the techniques implemented to increase participation. The techniques used were: 1) talking chips, 2) seating (circle), and 3) sentence starters. Participation was tracked in all discussions, and the data from the controlled discussions was used as a baseline. The dependent variables were the frequency of participation and reported student confidence. This was measured with a survey, one as a pre-assessment at the beginning of data collection and one at the end as a post-assessment. The survey results were combined with the amount of times any given student participated in the discussion to determine if the student shows more confidence in the classroom over time. I hypothesized if students participate more in meaningful classroom discussions, they will show an overall increase in confidence.

Intervention

        In order to achieve the goals of this study, it was necessary to track data and determine how it relates to student confidence. The data includes: the amount of times a participant contributed to the discussion and their self-reported confidence from the pre and post-survey. Different discussion strategies were used as interventions. These strategies were specifically targeted towards improving participation. There were control discussions that did not include talking sticks, sentence starters, or intentional seating. After the control discussions were complete, the interventions were added, and comparing the data allowed for insight on how much the strategies impacted participation.

Participants

        The participants of this study were sampled from a fourth grade class at King Liholiho Elementary school. There were 27 participants: 12 boys, 15 girls. There were 2 students with behavioral accommodation plans, and one student who was pulled out of the classroom for special education services, specifically for Language Arts. That student was not included in the discussions that took place during the language arts block.

Negotiations

        This study was conducted in one individual classroom, where the researcher was the sole teacher. The interventions used in this study could be used by any competent teacher to obtain improved discussions results from students. The data collected could be used by the teacher for assessment purposes, and was used for the purpose of action research, a form of research performed to improve outcomes in the classroom. No harm was caused through the performance of this research.

Timeline

        The research will be conducted between the dates of 10/22- 05/22. The data collection will begin at the beginning of the second quarter, and will end after state testing administration.

*Intervention strategies are rotated each discussion in this order, beginning on the 9th discussion: Talking Chips, Seating, Sentence Starters

Resources

        The data was tracked on a printed, blank spreadsheet. The pre and post assessment surveys were distributed via Google Forms. Technology (student chromebooks) were required.

Data Collection

        Data was collected in the form of surveys and observations. Sanders’ Academic Behavioural Confidence Scale (Appendix 1) was used to create the survey that was distributed to students for the purpose of this study (Appendix 2). The results of the survey and the frequency of participation were analyzed quantitatively. Observations during classroom discussion, and any other observations that demonstrate confidence, were measured qualitatively and analyzed to determine if the actions show increased confidence.

Because the study heavily relied on observation and participation, it was necessary to keep organized records and maintain an effective system for collecting data. The interventions were evaluated on whether the frequency of participation increased as a result of the implementation. The amount of participation was compared from the control discussions without interventions to the discussions that include the interventions to see if they are effective in improving frequency of participation. All methods of data collection were triangulated and outlined in Figure 1.

Figure 1: Table of Data-Triangulation Methods

Analysis

Figure 2: Overall Significance on Student Confidence

        *Gathered from Student Survey

The table above reflects the average response value from the participants on a scale from 1 to 5; 5 being very confident. Participants’ responses conclude that there are significant changes in their confidence levels regarding “responding to a question in front of the entire class” and “giving a presentation in front of the entire class.” “Contributing to a class discussion” was marginally significant. There was not a significant change in confidence in “asking for help if you don’t understand.”

Figure 3: Overview of Self-Reported Survey

The column chart above depicts the average response for each question (x-axis), based on a Likert Scale of 1 to 5: 1 being not confident at all; 5 being very confident. The results from the pre-assessment survey are in red. The results from the post-assessment survey are in blue. For all 4 questions analyzed, participants reported more confidence in the post-assessment.

Figure 4: Self-reported Confidence on “Responding to a question in front of the entire class”

This bar graph shows the comparison of the pre and post assessments, concerning the specific question: “How confident are you that you will be able to: Respond to a question in front of the entire class?”. The pre-assessment results are in red, and the post-assessment results are in blue. Participants reported higher overall confidence in the post-assessment survey.

Figure 4.1: Pre-Assessment                                Figure 4.2: Post-Assessment

Figures 4.1 and 4.2 show the pre and post assessment survey results for the question: “How confident are you that you will be able to: Respond to a question in front of the entire class?” in a pie chart format. The blue slice (5) represents “very confident”, and the red slice (1) represents “not confident at all.” The red slice is not present in Figure 4.2 because there were no responses that reported a 1 on that question in the post-survey.

Figure 5: Self-Reported Confidence on “Contributing to a class discussion”

This bar graph shows the comparison of the pre and post assessments, concerning the specific question: “How confident are you that you will be able to: Contribute to a class discussion?”. The pre-assessment results are in red, and the post-assessment results are in blue. Participants reported higher confidence in the post-assessment survey.

Figure 5.1: Pre-Assessment                                Figure 5.2: Post-Assessment

Figures 5.1 and 5.2 show the pre and post assessment survey results for the question: “How confident are you that you will be able to: Contribute to a class discussion?” in a pie chart format. The blue slice (5) represents “very confident”, and the red slice (1) represents “not confident at all.”

Figure 6: Self-Reported Confidence on “Asking for help if you don’t understand”

This bar graph shows the comparison of the pre and post assessments, concerning the specific question: “How confident are you that you will be able to: Ask for help if you don’t understand?”. The pre-assessment results are in red, and the post-assessment results are in blue. Participants reported higher confidence in the post-assessment survey.

Figure 6.1: Pre-Assessment                                Figure 6.2: Post-Assessment

Figures 6.1 and 6.2 show the pre and post assessment survey results for the question: “How confident are you that you will be able to: Ask for help if you do not understand?” in a pie chart format. The blue slice (5) represents “very confident”, and the red slice (1) represents “not confident at all.” The red slice is not present in Figure 6.2 because there were no responses that reported a 1 on that question in the post-survey.

Figure 7: Self-Reported Confidence on “Give a Presentation in front of the entire class”

This bar graph shows the comparison of the pre and post assessments, concerning the specific question: “How confident are you that you will be able to: Give a presentation in front of the entire class?”. The pre-assessment results are in red, and the post-assessment results are in blue. Participants reported higher confidence in the post-assessment survey.

Figure 7.1: Pre-Assessment                                Figure 7.2: Post-Assessment

Figures 7.1 and 7.2 show the pre and post assessment survey results for the question: “How confident are you that you will be able to: Give a presentation in front of the entire class?” in a pie chart format. The blue slice (5) represents “very confident”, and the red slice (1) represents “not confident at all.”

Figure 8: Overall Significance of Discussion Interventions on Participation

The table above shows the analysis of each intervention in relation to the control. The mean represents the average number of times something was shared by any participant during a class discussion with each given intervention. It was calculated by finding the average of all statements contributed during the discussions when each strategy was used. Seating is the most statistically significant intervention, placed at 7.96 Sigmas from the control, with an average of 55.75 statements made by participants during the discussions with intentional seating. The use of Talking Chips and Sentence Starters are also significant, placed at 5.62 and 5.84 Sigmas respectively. The use of these interventions increased participation averages across the board; with the average number of statements made in the control discussions being 28.5.

Figure 9.1: Overview of Participation Histogram

Figure 9.1 shows the distribution for the average amount of participation in reference to each intervention. Participation refers to the average number of statements made throughout each discussion. Intervention: Seating had the most amount of participation compared to the other interventions, with a mean of 55.75 statements contributed by the class.

Figure 9.2: Overview of Participation Pie Chart

Figure 9.2 shows the distribution of the amount of participation concerning each intervention. It represents the same data that is shown in Figure 9.1, but in a pie chart format. Seating encouraged the most participation.

Observations of Interventions

        Teacher observations regarding the interventions were recorded and synthesized into a table, depicting the benefits and drawbacks of each intervention method. The items were coded into 3 overarching categories: Engagement (E), Time (T), and Managing Student Behavior (MSB).

Students participated in 8 discussions in the control setting and 8 discussions with each of the three intervention methods (32 total). The interventions were shown to be statistically significant in improving student participation, allowing the assumption of increased confidence in sharing ideas. Figure 10 below gives an overview of observations made when implementing each intervention.

Figure 10: Observations of Interventions

Based on the quanititative data tracked from participation, seating was the most statistically significant intervention in improving frequency of participation, but all interventions reflected increased readiness to share ideas.

Post-Discussion Questions

        Following each discussion, 3 questions were asked of the students:

1. How was our listening?
2. Did you feel safe?
3. Was it interesting?

Students were required to provide a “thumb” response. Students used thumbs up, thumbs sideways, or thumbs down to indicate their responses. 2-3 student volunteers were chosen to explain their response. Overall observations regarding Post-Discussion Questions:

• The question with the most variance in responses each time was regarding interest.

• Students who participated less in any given discussion generally responded negatively to this question. It can be concluded that the topic of the discussion influences participation and engagement in the discussion.
• Student-generated discussion questions/topics reported higher interest, in general, than teacher-generated discussion questions/topics.

• As more discussions were held, students were participating in the reflective questions more.

• One research question addresses the students’ ability to self-reflect as a result of improved confidence from discussions. Overall, a higher number of students volunteered to share responses to the reflection questions as time went on. Earlier discussions had less participation in the reflective piece.

• Students were generally accurate with their explanations and feedback regarding the questions.

• Students were encouraged to draw on specific examples/evidence from the discussion to support their “rating”. Students referenced specific parameters previously coconstructed about what a safe discussion looked and sounded like. This will vary by class and teacher and may affect the results of the study.

        The results of this study indicated a correlation between various intervention methods and increased participation in classroom discussions, ultimately leading to an overall sense of increased confidence in students. Further research may determine the ideal implementations of each intervention, since all can be influenced by the teacher and their personal style. Specific parameters could be helpful to identify for each intervention in order to make this research more generalizable for a larger sample.

        Due to the fact that half of the data presented in this study was based on student self-reporting and teacher observations, there were opportunities for bias. The quantitative data provides some balance to offset this, however, self-reported data can be influenced by a number of factors, like mood, time of day, prior experiences, etc.

        The topics of the discussions also had an impact on the levels of participation and sustained focus in the discussion. By providing opportunities for students to generate the topics of discussion, a sense of ownership was created and they showed more interest overall. This skill was taught prior to data collection. The pre-training included important criteria to consider regarding what makes a discussion meaningful and what kinds of questions should be asked.

Another factor that was not recorded or analyzed deeply was the use of a notebook or whiteboard to record ideas during the discussion before sharing them to the class. It allowed students to prepare their thoughts and avoid forgetting their ideas while waiting for their turn to speak. This was offered as an accommodation for students in all discussions outside of the control set (8). This accommodation appeared helpful in improving confidence in students, often they would read their responses from the paper or whiteboard, which could take away the conncection to the people in the discussion. It may feel less like a discussion and more like sharing responses. However, students who would typically be more reserved during discussions shared more frequently with access to a paper or whiteboard to record their thoughts. Due to the fact that this data was not specifically tracked, the impact of this accommodation is inconclusive, but could be an area for future research.

        Building confidence in the classroom can also be dependent on a variety of factors unrelated to discussions or interventions. The overall culture of the classroom and relationships among students and with the teacher can also influence the willingness to share ideas and participate. Regardless of the classroom culture, clear expectations regarding participation during academic activities and safety to share ideas without fear should be communicated clearly and upheld with management over time. It is essential for the teacher to establish a clear culture surrounding discussions in order for the results to hold validity and significance.

Conclusion

        The data collected during this study concludes that an increased number of classroom discussions can improve student confidence to participate in front of the class. The participants reported their confidence in speaking in front of the class and sharing ideas prior to the discussions and interventions and after. The participants, on average, reported higher numbers on the likert scale, indicating they feel more confident.

        Another goal of this study was to explore the use of three various interventions to improve the participation from students in the discussions. The data concluded that all three interventions were successful in improving participation, the highest difference resulting from the seating intervention.

        This study also focused on students’ ability to self-reflect. Self-reflection activities related to this study included the Google Forms survey regarding confidence and the three post-discussion questions, in which students were asked to reflect on the discussion and report their thoughts. As time went on, student explanations behind their response began to include specific examples from the discussion and meaningful reflections.

        COVID-19 has affected the social structure for everyone, but especially for students in the classroom returning from virtual learning. It is important to continue to build communication skills and thoughtful conversations among students. Structured, intentional, frequent discussions have the potential to engage students in the exploration of new topics and encourage them to share their ideas. Supporting confident students can encourage risk taking and persistence in any work effort, leading to motivated students who can love to learn.

        Future research can provide additional data to analyze other discussion interventions beyond seating, sentence starters, or talking chips. Further synthesis of similar studies can provide a guide for the ideal discussion settings to encourage confidence. It is also important to keep in mind the other factors affecting students’ confidence, such as home life, background knowledge of specific topics, negative prior public speaking experiences, etc. It would be interesting to see how much each of those factors plays a role in student confidence, and how much is related to the classroom efforts and environment. For future research, it would be interesting to distinguish whether the participants’ confidence improvement was as a result of the interventions, or a result of increased practice in classroom discussions. Building confidence in students will also encourage openness to new learning and challenges could be faced with resilience instead of discouragement.

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Appendix 1: Academic Behavioural Confidence Scale

Source: Sander, P. (2008, November 30). Current developments in measuring academic behavioural confidence. Psychology Teaching Review. Retrieved September 12, 2022, from https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ860619

Appendix 2: Survey Distributed to Students

(Based on Academic Behavioural Confidence Scale- Appendix 1)