Using different classroom seating arrangements to increase students’ on task behaviors in cooperative learning activities

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HA NOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES PHAN THÙY LINH USING DIFFERENT CLASSROOM SEATING ARRANGEMENTS TO INCREASE STUDENTS’ ON-TASK BEHAVIORS IN COOPERATIVE LEARNING ACTIVITIES (Thay đổi mơ hình xếp chỗ ngồi sinh viên để thúc đẩy tham gia vào hoạt động học theo phương pháp dạy học hợp tác.) M.A MINOR THESIS Field : English Teaching Methodology Code : 8140231.01 HÀ NỘI, 2019 VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HA NOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES PHAN THÙY LINH USING DIFFERENT CLASSROOM SEATING ARRANGEMENTS TO INCREASE STUDENTS’ ON-TASK BEHAVIORS IN COOPERATIVE LEARNING ACTIVITIES (Thay đổi mơ hình xếp chỗ ngồi sinh viên để thúc đẩy tham gia vào hoạt động học theo phương pháp dạy học hợp tác.) M.A MINOR THESIS Field : English Teaching Methodology Code : 8140231.01 Supervisor : Prof Hoàng Văn Vân HÀ NỘI, 2019 DECLARATION I certify that I myself write this thesis entitled “Using Different Classroom Seating Arrangements to Increase Students’ On-Task Behaviors In Cooperative Learning Activities” It is not a plagiarism or made by others Anything related to others‟ works is written in quotation, the sources of which are listed on the list of references If then the pronouncement proves wrong, I am ready to accept any academic punishment, including the withdrawal or cancellation of my academic degree Signature i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First and foremost, I have to thank my research supervisor, Prof Dr Hoang Van Van Without his assistance and dedicated involvement in every step throughout the process, this study would have never been accomplished I would like to thank him very much for his support and understanding I am grateful to all of those with whom I have had the pleasure to work during this and other related projects Thanks to their passionate participation and input, the validation survey could not have been successfully conducted Nobody has been more important to me in the pursuit of this project than the members of my family I would like to thank my parents, whose love and guidance are with me in whatever I pursue Once again, to my wonderful parents and my friends, thank you for supporting and believing in me Love you! ii ABSTRACT Research has shown that student participation is affected by a number of factors that include students‟ gender, personality differences as well as class environment This class environment includes classroom seating arrangements which are believed to play an important role in fostering students‟ on-task behavior However, how a seating arrangement can encourage on-task or off-task behavior is found to depend on how far this seating arrangement agrees with the activity being done and the interaction pattern aimed at in class The purpose of this study was to determine: (1) if classroom seating arrangements affect student on-task/off-task participation in CL activities, (2) in what ways seating arrangements affected student participation (3) students‟ preferences of different classroom seating arrangements, namely rows and columns and circles The study was mainly exploratory and qualitative using a convenience sample of two EFL classes, of a total of 43 students Data were collected through students‟ responses to a questionnaire and a reflective paper In addition, video recordings of class sessions were also used to collect data about student on-task/off-task participation in both seating arrangements Analysis of data shows seating arrangement is a priority to foster student on-task participation in class since the videos show that students in one class were keen to create their semi-circle shaped when seated in the rows and columns in order to work on group activities while students in the other were subversive to the rows and columns seating arrangement where two of the group members left their places and sat facing the group iii TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ABSTRACT LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES PART 1: INTRODUCTION 1.Rationale 2.Aims of the study and research questions 3.Scope of the study 4.Methods of the study 5.Design of the study PART 2: DEVELOPMENT Chapter 1: Literature review 1.1.Cooperative Learning (CL): De 1.2.Basic classroom seating arrange 1.3.Classroom seating arrangement 1.4.Students‟ and teacher‟s role an CHAPTER 2: METHODOLOGY 2.1 Setting and Participants iv 2.2.Procedure 2.3.Data analysis CHAPTER 3: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 3.1.Questionnaire 3.2.Video 3.3.Ten minutes paper 3.4.Discussion PART 3: CONCLUSION Recapitulation Teaching implications Limitations Suggestions for further research REFERENCES APPENDICIES APPENDIX A: Free form Questionnaire APPENDIX B: Ten-minute paper APPENDIX C: List of Codes APPENDIX D: Students’ responses to Questions and on the questionnaire CLASS v CLASS APPENDIX E: Students’ responses to Question on the reflection pape CLASS CLASS APPENDIX F: Students’ preferences in both the questionnaire and the 10-minute pape XV r CLASS XV CLASS XVI vi LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES Figures Content Figure Row seati Figure Cluster se Figure U-shape/h Figure Students' Figure Students' Figure Students' preference Figure Number o Figure Number o category ( Figure Number o Figure 10 Number o Figure 11 Number o category Figure 12 Students' 10-minute Tables Content Table Reasons for cho Table Number of com Table Reasons for stud the 10-minute p vii PART 1: INTRODUCTION Rationale According to Cornell (2003:1), for a long time, the term “classroom” was characterized as a rectangular room where the focus was directed to the front where the instructor exercised complete control of the pace, content, and sequence of activities by using a blackboard and an overhead projector However, the traditional style of instruction, where the teacher delivers the information and students sit silently taking notes, is slowly being replaced with student-centered learning (Nair, 2000) This implies that the traditional type of seating arrangement (desk rows) should be substituted by more flexible ones, such as U-shape, modular or circular to foster interaction among students themselves, support communication with teachers, and motivate individual students to learn Halpern (1994) share the same thoughts with Nair (2000) that effective learning rarely occurs passively Therefore, educators have come to realize that effective instruction focuses on active involvement of students in their own learning, with opportunities for teacher and peer interactions that engage students‟ natural curiosity (Halpern, 1994:11) McCorskey & McVetta (1978) claim that classroom seating arrangements are the most important part of establishing the physical classroom environment A good classroom seating arrangement will set the overall atmosphere, or mood and further the stage for teacher student relationships When considering that classroom seating arrangements are organized by teachers into logical, methodical design structures that best facilitate student learning and make use of the teacher‟s individual teaching style, problems can arise when teachers not choose their seating arrangements carefully and meaningfully (O‟Hare, 1998) However, it may be hard for teachers to choose a certain seating arrangement, the problem that frequently surfaces is this: what classroom seating arrangement is the most effective Undoubtedly, this works under the proposition that there are some seating arrangements that are more effective than others (McCorskey & McVetta, CLASS Name Ánh Ro Ái Ci Dinh Ci Đăng Ci Dung Ro Duy Ro Huy Ci Mai Ci VI Manh Ci Mạnh Ci H Nam Ci N Nam Ci Ro Ngân co Ngọc Ci Nhi Ci Ro Quân co Ro Quý co VII Sơn Tú Ci Ro co Tân Ci Tâm Ci Tùng Ci K.Trang Ci T.Trang Ro co N.Việt Ci X.Vũ Ci H.Vũ Ci IX APPENDIX E: Students’ responses to Question on the reflection pape CLASS Name Wo An T Anh V Anh ma No - No Việt Anh co stu Bảo Bùi Chi - - We If Dung foc We Phương oth M Hạnh - Linh H.Mai It i X an wi V.Mai Minh Lâm - co Id wo Sang co co XI CLASS Name Ánh - Ái - Dinh - Đăng In co Dung sm tha It w the Duy wi Huy - Mai - Manh It‟ Mạnh - H Nam - N Nam It‟ Ngân co XII an Ngọc - It b Nhi are oth Quân - It w Quý to Sơn for Tú It‟ It f Tân sat Id Tâm ey Tùng It w K.Trang no T.Trang - Ic N.Việt in XIII loo row co X.Vũ wo fee be H.Vũ - XIV APPENDIX F: Students’ preferences in both the questionnaire and the 10-minute paper CLASS Name An T Anh V Anh Việt Anh Bảo Bùi Chi Dung Phương Hạnh Linh H.Mai V.Mai Minh Sang XV CLASS Name Ánh Ái Dinh Đăng Dung Duy Huy Mai Manh Mạnh H Nam N Nam Ngân Ngọc Nhi Quân Quý XVI Sơn Tú Tân Tâm Tùng K.Trang T.Trang N.Việt X.Vũ H.Vũ XVII ... condition of the place where the study took place, it can only focus on examining students‟ participation while working on in- class cooperative learning activities in two different seating arrangements; ... classroom seating arrangement affect students‟ on- task/ off -task participation in cooperative learning activities? Question 2: If so, in what ways classroom seating arrangements affect students‟ ontask/off -task. .. significant in managing student behavior According to Weinstein (1979), due to the lack of space within a classroom, teachers are generally limited to using three classroom seating arrangements; row seating,