Thesis advisor: Marina Vasilyeva / Motivated by the underrepresentation of women in math-related majors and occupations, the present dissertation explored the possibility that disparities in frequency of classroom participation—a measure of engagement prone to gender differences—could be partially responsible for gender differences in belonging and identity in math contexts. Via the introduction of a novel psychological construct, class participation confidence threshold, and the adoption of a Regulatory Focus Theory framework, the present work aimed to investigate mechanisms underlying gender differences in math classroom participation, as well as how these disparities might contribute to more distal outcomes.The dissertation consisted of two studies conducted with undergraduate students. Both studies tested a theoretical model that posited potential predictors and outcomes of gender differences in classroom participation. Study 1 (N = 161) was a cross-sectional investigation of students’ participation frequency, reported based on their general experience in current math and social science classes. Study 2 (N = 269) investigated the same associations using a daily diary methodology, including pre- and post-measures of relevant constructs. Results indicated that, when considering opportunities for participation, women participated less than men—both in math and the comparison domain of social science. In addition to less frequent participation, women generally displayed higher stereotype threat susceptibility and confidence thresholds in both domains. Women also demonstrated higher levels of a prevention focus in math compared to social science, while men’s regulatory orientation was similar across domains. With respect to the proposed outcomes of participation (i.e., belonging, identity, and career interest), women exhibited lower levels than men in math and equal or higher levels in social science. Path analyses revealed that students’ regulatory focus predicted their classroom participation and that this relation was mediated by their confidence threshold. Importantly, these results persisted even when controlling for motivational variables traditionally regarded as predictors of classroom participation according to Expectancy-Value Theory. The results suggest that an increased prevention focus in the math domain may lead women to set higher confidence thresholds and participate less frequently. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2022. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Counseling, Developmental and Educational Psychology.

This study adds to the literature on the persisting gender gap in STEM by examining the participation trends of women and men undergraduate students in the physics classroom. Specifically, this study builds on the existing literature of proportions in group interaction originally theorized by Kanter (1977) and investigates the turn-taking behaviors of women and men in classes that differ in their relative levels of gender representation. This study posed four hypotheses: That women will average less oral participation in the physics classroom than men, that more highly skewed classes will result in greater differences in men's and women's participation, that there will be an observable tipping point in women's participation, and that women's average participation will go up with the proportion of women in the classroom. These hypotheses were tested in 10 physics classrooms over the course of one class period each. The student-initiated turns during these class periods were coded by individual turn-taker. These data were analyzed to determine differences between men and women students' turn-taking behaviors in the physics classroom in relation to the proportion of women and men in the classroom. Findings indicate that women did average less participation than men in the physics classroom. However, the data do not point to a consistent relationship between increases in proportions of women in the physics class and increases in women's participation in the class. / Master of Science / This study looked to understand the differences in women's and men's in-class volunteered participation in the college physics classroom. Specifically, this study builds on the existing literature on the effects of group gender proportion in interaction, or how the proportion of women to men in a group shapes women's interactions, originally developed by Kanter (1977) and investigates the turn-taking behaviors, or how speech in conversation is initiated, of women and men in classes that differ in their gender compositions. This study had four hypotheses: 1) That women will have less volunteered participation in the physics classroom than men 2) That more highly skewed classes, or classes with high proportions of men and low proportions of women, will result in greater differences in men's and women's participation 3) That there will be an observable tipping point, a point when an increase in women in the classroom will cause an increase in women's participation 4) That women's participation will go up with the number of women in the classroom. These hypotheses were tested in 10 physics classrooms over the course of one class period each. The voluntary, student-initiated participation during these class periods were looked at by individual student. The information gathered was analyzed to understand if there were differences between men and women students' amount of participation in the physics classroom in relation to the composition of women and men in the classroom. The study found that women did average less participation than men in the physics classroom. However, the information gathered did not point to a relationship between the increases in the proportion of women in the physics class and increases in women's participation in the class.

Drawing on a Norwegian empirical study of girls’ and boys’ teacher-led classroom conversation participation, this paper focuses on how students attending an upper secondary school vocational programs, participate in classroom discussion when observed in homogenous groups. This quantitative study has shown that gender identities associated with heterogeneous conversational patterns as exaggerated when observing homogenous classroom participation. The discussion describes not only the influences of class and peer group pressure to explain this phenomenon, in addition clarifies the contextual difference in quality when girls take the floor in a homogenous classroom setting.

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No description available.

Syftet med denna studie är att beskriva erfarenheter hos grundskollärare i de senare skolåren som i sina klasser undervisar i olika ämnen, både elever som läser efter grundskolans läroplan, Lgr11 och elever som läser efter grundsärskolans läroplan 2011, utifrån olika kursplaner. Studien utgår från ett sociokulturellt perspektiv där interaktion och samspel med andra är viktiga förutsättningar för lärande.  Kvalitativa intervjuer med tre lärare genomfördes. Samtliga intervjuade lärare har erfarenhet av att undervisa i klasser med både grundskoleelever och grundsärskoleelever. I studien framkommer att lärarna försöker möta eleverna där de är i sitt lärande och ordna rätt anpassningar och rätt utmaningar som eleverna motiveras av. En bra planering och rätt anpassningar gör eleverna självständiga och delaktiga. Elevers olikheter, samarbetet och interaktionen med andra gör att eleverna utvecklas. Alla som deltar i undervisningen bidrar med sina tankar och åsikter genom språket. Styrkan med elevernas samarbete är att det utvecklar elevernas lärande. Genom samarbete får eleverna draghjälp och motiveras till ytterligare arbete när de utmanas av någon som kan lite mer.  Lärarna använder sig av scaffolding och artefakter för att nå elevernas närmaste utvecklingszon och utveckla lärandet. Resultatet i denna studie visar att den sociala- och didaktiska inkluderingen är tätt sammanvävda och den rumsliga inkluderingen bidrar till detta. / The purpose of this study is to describe teachers’ personal experiences about teaching based on different curriculum, Lgr 11 for compulsory school and curriculum for special compulsory school 2011, and different course syllabi. I have used qualitative interviews with three teachers from a secondary school, school year 7 -9. The teachers who participated all had experiences of teaching pupils from different curriculums. In this study I have used open formulated questions and the teachers shared their experiences regarding developing teaching strategies. This study is based on sociocultural theory. One result that can be seen is that the teachers try to meet the pupils in their learning process. They organize with individual adjustments, which motivates education in class together with others. The pupil’s social interaction is central. The teachers’ use artefacts and scaffolding to reach the zone of proximal development. A good planning for pupils and adjustments make pupils more independent and involved. Cooperation and social interaction with others lead to development. Everyone who participates in teaching contributes with their thoughts and aspects which develop learning. The results of this study show that the social- and didactic inclusion is closely interwoven and the spatial inclusion contributes to this.

This study investigates how 4 newly admitted Chinese international graduate students participate in classroom discussions at a Canadian university. This qualitative research provides rich descriptions of their backgrounds and classroom participation, as well as their voices related to their classroom experiences. Framed by Language Socialization Theory, the study examines the classroom contexts where the students are socialized, particularly the social relations in the classroom that influence the 4 students’ participation. The study also investigates the role of the 4 students’ agency in the negotiation of access and participation in classroom discussions, as well as their identity formation in classroom communities. The findings of this research highlight the co-constructed and bi-directional nature of language socialization. The 4 students’ classroom experiences are not only shaped by their educational, cultural and social backgrounds, but are also jointly constructed by local contextual factors in Western classrooms. Pedagogical implications are also discussed.

This study investigates how 4 newly admitted Chinese international graduate students participate in classroom discussions at a Canadian university. This qualitative research provides rich descriptions of their backgrounds and classroom participation, as well as their voices related to their classroom experiences. Framed by Language Socialization Theory, the study examines the classroom contexts where the students are socialized, particularly the social relations in the classroom that influence the 4 students’ participation. The study also investigates the role of the 4 students’ agency in the negotiation of access and participation in classroom discussions, as well as their identity formation in classroom communities. The findings of this research highlight the co-constructed and bi-directional nature of language socialization. The 4 students’ classroom experiences are not only shaped by their educational, cultural and social backgrounds, but are also jointly constructed by local contextual factors in Western classrooms. Pedagogical implications are also discussed.

abstract: This thesis study describes English Language Learner (ELL) participation practices in a summer English language development (ELD) middle school classroom in a public school district in Arizona. The purpose of the study was to document Mexican immigrant and Mexican American English learners' language experiences in a prescriptive ELD program in relation to the social, historical and cultural context. The study utilizes a sociocultural framework and critical language awareness concepts as well as qualitative interpretive inquiry to answer the following research questions: What is the nature of ELL participation during language lessons? That is, what are the common participation practices in the classroom? What social or cultural values or norms are evident in the classroom talk during language lessons? That is, in what ways do participants use language for social purposes? And, what is the cultural model of ELD evident in the classroom language practices? Data collection and analyses consisted of close examination of ELL participation within official language lessons as well as the social uses of language in the classroom. Analysis of classroom discourse practices revealed that ELL participation was heavily controlled within the common Initiation-Response-Evaluation pattern and that the students were limited to repetition and recitation responses. Further, analysis of discourse content demonstrated that classroom participants used language for social purposes in the classroom, most often using regulatory, decontextualized and resistance language. The findings revealed a cultural model of constrained ELD language practices that can be considered a pedagogy of subtractive assimilation. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.A. Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education 2010

The study is based in critical issues in the field of English Language Teaching (ELT) as second or additional language and informed by Critical Pedagogy (CP), the study uses thematic discourse analysis through critical analysis techniques. The main focus of this research is to explore the extent of intercultural understanding and perceptions of the English Language Teachers (ELTs) towards students in their culturally heterogeneous ELT classrooms about certain academic behaviours, namely plagiarism (Academic Integrity) and learners’ classroom participation and relationship of these academic tasks to the cultural orientation of English Language Learners (ELLs) in ELT classrooms in the Canadian context. Participating ELTs teach adult students of color and ethnic diversity in different English language teaching situations and come both from across Canada, at the macro level (Stage 1-survey questionnaire), and from Nova Scotia, at the micro level (Stage 2-focus group discussions). The thesis also demonstrates factors that may contribute to Canadian ELTs’ perceptions about the issue of understanding non-white and racially non-main stream ELLs. The thesis aims at bringing attention to the need for a collaboratively developed Professional Development (PD) training component focused on intercultural understanding from a critical perspective, for the ELTs in the Canadian context. It is expected that the findings will gain some traction among the ELT community, especially in the Canadian context and will contribute to highlighting the importance of understanding of cultural differences and inclusion of this understating in the continuous professional development of English language teachers.