Strategies for academic engagement perceived by Finnish sixth and eighth graders |
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| Authors: | Sanna Ulmanen Tiina Soini Kirsi Pyhältö Janne Pietarinen |
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| Institution: | 1. School of Education, University of Tampere, ?kerlundinkatu 5, 33014, FinlandSanna.Ulmanen@uta.fi;3. School of Education, University of Tampere, ?kerlundinkatu 5, 33014, Finland;4. Centre for Research and Development of Higher Education, Institute of Behavioural Sciences, University of Helsinki, Siltavuorenpenger 5A, P.O. Box 9, 00014, Finland;5. School of Applied Educational Science and Teacher Education, University of Eastern Finland, Yliopistokatu 2, P.O. Box 111, Finland |
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| Abstract: | This study explores strategies students use to construct their academic engagement in the social environment of school. The study is based on group interview data collected from 161 sixth (78) and eighth (83) grade students. Students reflected both engaging and disengaging episodes. Data were content analysed. The results show that students reported using only confirming strategies in teacher–student interaction. More diverse strategies were described in relation to peer interaction. The results indicated that simultaneously maintaining functional peer relations and engaging effectively in academic activities is a highly challenging task which requires strategic flexibility and self-regulative skills. In terms of the development of more engaging learning environments for students, our results suggest that more attention should be paid to creating positive opportunities to participate, in terms of both academic activities and peer interaction. |
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| Keywords: | academic engagement social strategies teacher–student interaction peer interaction |
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