Students Participation in Learning and Teaching - Research Paper Example

Student’s Experiences of Participation in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education Name: Course: Date: Introduction Students’ participation is essential in learning especially in higher learning institutions where there is minimal student-teacher interaction (Hinton-Smith, 2012 p.11). Higher learning requires a high level of engagement between students and teachers to make learning and teaching an effective process. Research in this area is qualitative in nature hence the need to use qualitative research techniques in collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data. This paper will justify the use of qualitative research and various theoretical approaches suitable for researching this area. It will analyze the phenomenon under study to come up with proposals for effective approaches in the study. It will then suggest specific concepts and principles to use in the study based on the nature of the research as well as give reasons for choosing them. This paper is therefore a guide to qualitative research and its applicability in researching the students’ experiences in participation. It seeks to answer the question, why is qualitative research technique suitable for conducting research in this area? Literature Review Reviewed literature explores the dynamics of student participation in higher education and acknowledges participation as the key to effective learning. Lack of participation only equips students with theoretical knowledge and instructors need to make learning more practical to ease the transition from learning to actual practice of the information. Practical courses such as engineering require a high level of expertise acquired through physical involvement of the student making participation a necessity. (Smith 2007) explores the applicability of student participation in higher education. The book explores the importance of having an active student participation culture in the community of practice. In practice, students must have an active level of engagement for them to acquire relevant skills. Community of practice in particular requires acquisition of practical skills that determine one’s expertise. Participation of students in terms of attending classes physically is a requirement while taking such courses. According to the text, adults tend to have many responsibilities that may distract their class attendance and overall participation in their education. Higher learning institutions should acknowledge this fact in order to create schedules that facilitate engagement in their education. The text explores the dynamics involved in active participation of students in the course of the studies. Learning through action is the most effective teaching method for instructors in higher learning institutions. Grading should therefore include the amount of classes attended by an individual student to encourage participation. The book however discourages technological engagements between the learner and instructor arguing that it lacks the real experience factor especially for medical students. (Cheung, Guillemette & Mobasher-Fard, 2012) explore the responsibility of higher learning institutions in equipping skills and providing an environment for innovation. According to the text, higher learning is a component of economic growth and every nation should view it as an asset. Learning can therefore not only occur through reading textbooks but through understanding information and applying it to real life situations. Through this, students acquire valuable skills that help them in navigating life and influence their perspective to various situations. Education acquired should not only help a student understand their area of study but should open their minds to understand various situations. Innovation emerges from these open minds as students seek to solve problems that exist in the society. Active involvement of students in learning is the only way of ensuring sustainability of education in higher learning institutions. It has short term and long-term benefits to individuals as well as the nation by producing well-educated individuals. Participation can also occur through students’ participation in national matters and assisting in policymaking. This makes students gain knowledge on the working of various industries and contribute towards their development. The text therefore demonstrates students’ participation in a broader perspective by showing its application on a national level. Participation therefore begins in schools and continues throughout the lives of individuals. The spillover effect makes it a credible teaching method for higher learning institutions to adopt and ensure students reap maximum benefits from education. Some authors have concentrated on the varying levels of participation of groups considered minorities in the society. From the information, there emerges a need to increase the participation level of these minority groups, which would improve the overall rate of participation in higher learning. According to (Pelavin & Kane, 2010) minorities exist in the education system and their level of participation remains very low. Ignoring this reality leads to imbalance in learning institutions as well as the entire society. Minority groups include women, people living with disabilities, and racial minorities in any given society. These groups hold few or no leadership positions in institutions and their contribution appears less important. Failure to make deliberate efforts in encouraging their participation translates in a high dropout rate and low level of performance. This phenomenon continues in the corporate world where their contribution takes a backseat, which eventually causes a major imbalance in the society. Encouraging their participation is the key to improving the overall participation of individuals in a learning environment. Their active participation continues beyond the school setting and into their careers where they make major contributions and innovations in the areas of study. Higher learning institutions therefore have a role to play in restoring balance in the society by eliminating the brand of minorities. According to (NCES, 2004), social factors affect the level of participation of adults in learning. Ethnicity and racism in particular affect the attitudes and perspectives of students and influence their level of performance. Members of a certain origin gravitate towards certain course while avoiding others due to the attitudes held towards them. Social factors have a serious effect on the level of interaction between students and their peers, which then affects the flow of information to these students. Participation requires contribution to debates, class attendance, and group discussions among other levels of interaction. Language barrier appears as one of the major deterrent to international students’ participation in learning. It affects the level of comprehension and the ability of students to communicate ideas to their peers. Social factors correlate with economic factors since minority groups such as immigrants tend to have low economic status hence the need to work extra hard for sustainability. This affects the amount and quality of time spent in learning since they spend most of their time working. Addressing the issue of minority participation in higher education therefore starts with addressing social and economic factors of the students. Qualitative Methods in Psychology This is a research method that gathers non-numerical information that is descriptive in nature through tools such as unstructured interviews and open-ended questionnaires. This form of research is useful when investigating issues at an individual level by capturing the feelings and attitudes of individuals towards a certain phenomenon. Analysis and interpretation of qualitative data requires expert knowledge. The field of psychology has used qualitative research methods for a long time with its major contributors such as Piaget and Feud using the method in studying human behavior. Qualitative methodology is the appropriate research technique for this research since it focuses on individual experiences. The research aims at examining the students’ participation experiences in higher learning (Ussher, 2007 p.54). It is therefore of a descriptive nature meaning respondents would need to give a detailed account of their experiences. Tools of research would feature questionnaires and interviews of an unstructured nature since experiences differ from one person to another. Expert knowledge is also required in form of theories and prior information on the subject under study for derivation of appropriate interpretations and conclusions. The nature of this research therefore makes qualitative research technique the most effective technique in data acquisition, analysis, and interpretation. Qualitative Epistemology and Methodology Epistemology is the theory of knowledge and assumptions and beliefs held concerning nature of knowledge. It focuses on how individuals know the world and the relationship between the inquirer and the known. Methodology refers to the process of obtaining knowledge this knowledge about the world. Constructionism is a principle of epistemology and involves construction of mental models in an attempt to understand the world. Constructionist learning involves using knowledge already known to an individual in acquiring more knowledge. It encourages active participation of individuals in the learning process such as research projects under instruction of a more knowledgeable individual. This is the most applicable epistemological principle to use in this research since student participation in higher learning is a familiar topic. Familiarity of the topic means that the researcher already knows about the issue from experience or reading relevant information. The principle requires the use of this prior knowledge to investigate an issue and learn more about the phenomenon. It encourages active participation and vigilance of the researcher to enquire about an issue based on information learnt prior to the research process. The fact that this research involves student researchers makes it a learning process for them. Their knowledge about the higher learning dynamics place them at a better position to carry out this research on students’ experiences of participation by knowing the right questions to ask (GBDE, 2003 p.92). Phenomenology, field research, narrative, and grounded theory are the approaches to qualitative methodology applicable to this research. Phenomenology focuses on individuals’ perspective of the world concerning a particular phenomenon. It also studies how this perspective differs from the common perspective held about the same phenomenon. It relies on personal accounts of various experiences to offer an insight about the phenomenon. In using this approach, the researcher will conduct interviews to obtain credible information concerning the area of study through direct interaction with respondents. Questionnaires are also applicable in obtaining information from the respondents concerning their experiences and views about a phenomenon. Grounded theory will help in making connections between theoretical concepts and data obtained during research. This continuous process requiring further research on the area of study to obtain theories that applies to the area of study. This approach will guide in the collection of data from the ground through direct observation of the individuals under study. Theoretical concepts emerging from these observations will then offer guidance on theories applicable to the phenomenon (Thomas, Cooper &Quinn, 2002 p.44). Linking theory to evidence obtained then follows to develop new theories applicable to the area under study to assist further research. Field research is applicable since the researcher has to make trips to the ground and meet students who then offer information about their various experiences. The researcher blends in with the subjects and observes about their behaviour. In this research, the researchers are students who can easily blend in with students from organizations under study and this facilitates the observation process. It is therefore the most suitable approach to conducting qualitative research in the area of study. Narrative will involve offering personal experiences and sequence of events to help facilitate research. This will help the researcher gather valuable information about individual experiences to enable the process of analysis and generalization. Subjectivity Subjectivity refers to a collection of experiences, perceptions, expectations, and personal beliefs specific to an individual. It refers to that which informs, influences, and biases individuals’ judgments about reality and truth. This phenomenon emerges from social interactions where the society shapes one’s judgment. A person’s judgment therefore depends on his opinions and feelings that create a certain level of biasness. When viewing a certain situation, an individual judges various occurrences depending on his personal opinion rather than facts. Research should be objective rather than subjective since conclusions should emerge from facts rather than personal opinions. Subjectivity comes in when the researcher uses personal opinions in recording findings and conclusions of a research study. A researcher may have prior knowledge and opinions about the study area, which may influence his or her judgment. Despite obvious knowledge about a phenomenon, the researcher should rely solely on evidence from data collected during research. Subjectivity therefore affects the effectiveness and credibility of research information due to inclusion of personal feelings and influences. Data gathered during research may differ from findings of other researchers and the researcher may feel the need to adjust findings to match those of previous researchers. This research covers an area of study familiar to the researcher, which may affect the objectivity of the study. Having prior knowledge of the phenomenon may trigger the researcher to make conclusions based on personal opinions and experiences of the research area. However, this research is subjective in nature since it relies on personal experiences and feelings concerning students’ participation (Gray, 2000 p.72). Respondents need to give an account of their personal experiences in learning and the researcher merely collects these accounts. It becomes difficult to separate the research process from personal biasness since it forms the basis of the research. The researcher must therefore pay close attention to information given by respondents and avoid application of presumptions on the subject matter. Due to overreliance on personal experience of individuals, the process may involve a certain level of biasness that the researcher must eliminate its influence on findings. Conclusion Qualitative research technique is an effective tool in conducting research that involves the study of people’s behaviour, attitudes, and experiences. Students’ experience in participation of learning and teaching is an example of an area that would benefit from the use of qualitative research techniques (David, 2010 p.23). Qualitative epistemology and methodology offer guidance on principles and concepts to follow while conducting this research. Constructionism is the most applicable principle for this research to help the researcher use prior knowledge in gathering more information concerning the area of study. Subjectivity is an undesirable and inescapable phenomenon in qualitative research due to its encouragement of using personal opinions and experiences. Despite the shortcomings, this research would benefit from the use of qualitative research techniques by facilitating the acquisition of respondents’ personal experiences. References Smith A. (2007). The transition of adult students to higher education: Legitimate peripheral participation in a community of practice? Adult Education Quarterly, 57(4), Pp.312-328. Ussher S.(2007). Participation in tertiary education: a birth cohort approach. Wellington: Ministry Of Education Publication. Cheung C., Guillemette Y., Mobasher-Fard S.(2012). Tertiary education: Developing skills for innovation and long term growth in Canada. Paris: OECD. David M. E. (2010). Improving learning by widening participation in higher education. New York: Routledge. National Centre for Education Statistics (2004). Racial and ethnic differences in participation in higher education. London: Routledge. Great Britain Department For Education (2003). Widening participation in higher education. London: Routledge. Pelavin S. H., Kane M. B. (2010). Minority participation in higher education. Washington Dc: Pelavin Associates. Hinton-Smith T (2012). Widening participation in higher education: casting the net wide? New York: Palgave Macmillan. Gray M. J. (2000). Combining service and learning in higher education: evaluation of the learn and serve America higher education program. Santa Monica: RAND Education. Thomas L., Cooper M., Quinn J. (2002). Collaboration to widen participation in higher education. United Kingdom: Trent ham Publishers. Read More

According to the text, higher learning is a component of economic growth and every nation should view it as an asset. Learning can therefore not only occur through reading textbooks but through understanding information and applying it to real-life situations. Through this, students acquire valuable skills that help them in navigating life and influence their perspective to various situations. Education acquired should not only help a student understand their area of study but should open their minds to understand various situations. Innovation emerges from these open minds as students seek to solve problems that exist in society. Active involvement of students in learning is the only way of ensuring the sustainability of education in higher learning institutions. It has short-term and long-term benefits to individuals as well as the nation by producing well-educated individuals. Participation can also occur through students’ participation in national matters and assisting in policymaking. This makes students gain knowledge on the working of various industries and contribute towards their development. The text, therefore, demonstrates students’ participation in a broader perspective by showing its application on a national level. Participation, therefore, begins in schools and continues throughout the lives of individuals. The spillover effect makes it a credible teaching method for higher learning institutions to adopt and ensure students reap maximum benefits from education.

Some authors have concentrated on the varying levels of participation of groups considered minorities in society. From the information, there emerges a need to increase the participation level of these minority groups, which would improve the overall rate of participation in higher learning. According to (Pelavin & Kane, 2010) minorities exist in the education system and their level of participation remains very low. Ignoring this reality leads to an imbalance in learning institutions as well as the entire society. Minority groups include women, people living with disabilities, and racial minorities in any given society. These groups hold few or no leadership positions in institutions and their contribution appears less important. Failure to make deliberate efforts in encouraging their participation translates into a high dropout rate and low level of performance. This phenomenon continues in the corporate world where their contribution takes a backseat, which eventually causes a major imbalance in society. Encouraging their participation is the key to improving the overall participation of individuals in a learning environment. Their active participation continues beyond the school setting and into their careers where they make major contributions and innovations in the areas of study. Higher learning institutions, therefore, have a role to play in restoring balance in the society by eliminating the brand of minorities.

According to (NCES, 2004), social factors affect the level of participation of adults in learning. Ethnicity and racism, in particular, affect the attitudes and perspectives of students and influence their level of performance. Members of a certain origin gravitate towards certain courses while avoiding others due to the attitudes held towards them. Social factors have a serious effect on the level of interaction between students and their peers, which then affects the flow of information to these students. Participation requires a contribution to debates, class attendance, and group discussions among other levels of interaction. The language barrier appears as one of the major deterrents to international students’ participation in learning. It affects the level of comprehension and the ability of students to communicate ideas to their peers. Social factors correlate with economic factors since minority groups such as immigrants tend to have low economic status hence the need to work extra hard for sustainability. This affects the amount and quality of time spent in learning since they spend most of their time working. Addressing the issue of minority participation in higher education, therefore, starts with addressing the social and economic factors of the students.

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