Catering for ‘very different kids’: distance education teachers’ understandings of and strategies for student engagement

Journal article


Harris, Lois, Dargusch, Joanne, Ames, Kate and Bloomfield, Corey. (2020). Catering for ‘very different kids’: distance education teachers’ understandings of and strategies for student engagement. International Journal of Inclusive Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2020.1735543
AuthorsHarris, Lois, Dargusch, Joanne, Ames, Kate and Bloomfield, Corey
Abstract

Compulsory distance education has always sought to be inclusive, providing educational opportunities for K-12 students unable to attend mainstream, face-to-face schools for medical, geographical, or personal reasons. However, how to effectively engage these diverse learners has remained a perpetual challenge, with a need for further investigation into the nature of student engagement with compulsory school distance contexts and how teachers can best support it. This qualitative study used focus groups (n = 2 groups, n = 16 participants) to examine teacher definitions and student engagement strategies within eKindy-12 distance education in Queensland, Australia. Categorical analysis was conducted using a priori codes for definitions, focusing on four previously established engagement types (i.e. behavioural, emotional, cognitive, and agentic engagement), and in vivo codes for strategies. Teacher definitions focused strongly on behavioural engagement, but most also contained elements of emotional and cognitive engagement; agentic engagement was only occasionally evidenced via practice descriptions. Teachers described engaging students by: building relationships, creating a safe classroom environment through differentiation, using inclusive technological tools to facilitate interaction and monitor progress, making learning fun and relevant, drawing on school-wide pedagogical frameworks and teaching strategies, and encourage self-regulation. Findings suggest distance education teachers face unique challenges around evidencing engagement and supporting student agency.

Keywordsstudent engagement; distance education; online learning; teacher strategies; educational technology
Year2020
JournalInternational Journal of Inclusive Education
PublisherRoutledge
ISSN1360-3116
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2020.1735543
Scopus EID2-s2.0-85081298781
Page range1 - 17
Research GroupInstitute for Learning Sciences and Teacher Education (ILSTE)
Publisher's version
File Access Level
Controlled
Place of publicationUnited Kingdom
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