Inspiring Students in Their Learning : A Theoretically Based Discussion Building on Three Courses

• It often happens that some students come to engage in their learning, and in the learning of their peers, far beyond what we, or they, would have expected. There is also ample evidence of the opposite experience, where students, even if initially highly motivated, end up unable to engage in a meaningful manner. I n this paper, we analyse three courses in order to better understand why the level of student engagement varies to such a high degree, with the aim of opening for seeing underlying factors explaining this. Further, we illustrate and discuss our framework with empirical data collected from at Uppsala University. We study the courses using different research approaches (or perspectives), based in the sociocultural tradition, namely Activity Theory (as described by Engestrom), Zone of Proximal Development (Vygotsky), and Communities of Practice (Lave & Wenger). These approaches serve as lenses with the aim of finding common factors in the learning environments that are collectively created by the students and their teachers during the extent of the courses. Our results point towards the need to establish a joint understanding between students and teachers at several different levels: at a course level in terms of the aim of a course and its possible outcomes, but also personal aims related to what the course could lead to for everyone involved. Further, our research suggests that the supporting and scaffolding role of the teacher is crucial to the development of a positive learning environment in a course.

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Utbildningsvetenskap -- Lärande (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Educational Sciences -- Learning (hsv//eng)

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Utbildningsvetenskap -- Didaktik (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Educational Sciences -- Didactics (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

CS Education Research

Student Centered

Student Motivation

Sociocultural

Learning Environments

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