Factors influencing Life Sciences learners’ engagement in classroom questioning
A case of students from rural contexts
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47381/aijre.v36i1.828Keywords:
classroom questioning, rural context, Life Scoences learners, engagementAbstract
Learner engagement in Life Sciences classroom questioning has been seen as a driver of meaning-making. However, research suggests that this engagement is minimal in rural science teaching contexts. The purpose of this study was to investigate factors that influence rural school Life Sciences learners’ engagement in classroom questioning. A conceptual framework consisting of several theoretical positions regarding science classroom questioning was developed to ground the study. Using a qualitative case study approach, data were collected through open-ended questionnaires. The 128 questionnaires were analysed using a qualitative content analysis. This analysis yielded six categories that characterise inhibiting and enabling factors to classroom questioning engagement. These categories include teacher orchestration of classroom questioning, teacher perception of questioning, learner preference and perceptions of questioning, learner anxiety and resilience, learner resonance with the topic, as well as language issues. I argue that it is important for Life Sciences teachers to realise these factors, especially issues of learner anxiety and language. A recommendation from this study is that teachers need to be trained in strategies that can be used to deal with the factors that inhibit Life Sciences learners’ engagement in classroom questioning.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Hlologelo Climant Khoza
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors contributing to The Australian and Internation Journal of Rural Education agree to publish their articles under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 license, allowing third parties to copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format, and to remix, transform, and build upon the material, for any purpose, even commercially, under the condition that appropriate credit is given, that a link to the license is provided, and that you indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
Authors retain copyright of their work, with first publication rights granted to The Australian and International Journal of Rural Education.
Manuscripts submitted for publication should not have been published or submitted for publication elsewhere. It is the responsibility of authors to secure release of any copyright materials included in their manuscripts, and to provide written evidence of this to the editors.
Papers are accepted on the understanding that they are subject to editorial revision. The Editorial Committee cannot guarantee that all contributions will be published nor give definite dates of publication. However, contributors will be advised if their papers are not accepted or if there will be a long publication delay.