The Multifaceted Benefits of Classroom Participation for Students

Participation is a workhorse teaching strategy that is simple to apply, basic, expected, and typically extremely effective at achieving a variety of learning objectives. It’s useful to remind us of its many applications, particularly on days when encouraging pupils to participate feels like pulling teeth.

We can all agree that one of the most satisfying aspects of teaching is assisting one student in finding their voice and taking ownership of the classroom learning environment. Allowing students to engage in dialogue that includes externalizing, elaborating on their reasoning, and accepting criticism can help them build their knowledge and understanding of a topic. However, in order to reconstruct ideas and concepts based on prior information and existing schemas, students must have authority and command over their own thinking.

Benefits of classroom participation for students:

• Participation adds interest;

It’s difficult to keep students’ concentration and attention when all they hear is the professor talking. Participation adds intrigue. Hearing another person’s voice, as well as an answer or a different point of view, is beneficial.

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  Participation engages student;

Students are more engaged when they are asked questions that stimulate their curiosity, make them wonder why, make them think, and encourage them to make connections with the material. When teachers play around with the question, repeating it, writing it on the board, and not calling on the first hand they see, this benefit is amplified.

• Participation provides teachers feedback;

Teachers can see the amount of their pupils’ knowledge when they answer or try to explain when they participate. They can fix (or assist students in correcting) what the pupils have gotten wrong or don’t understand.

• Participation provides the student feedback;

When teachers ask questions or otherwise seek student involvement on a topic, they are informing pupils about the relevance of specific ideas and information.

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  Participation can be used to promote preparation;

Participation can be utilized to encourage students to come to class prepared—if an instructor often calls on students and asks questions about prescribed reading or what’s in their notes from the previous class session, students (at least some of them) will come to class prepared.

• Participation can be used to control what’s happening in class;

If a student is dozing off, texting, softly conversing, or otherwise not paying attention in class, that student can be called on, or the student next to the offender can be asked to reply.

• Participation can be used to balance who and how much is contributing in class;

In the great majority of cases, the teacher chooses the participant. Teachers can influence who talks and how much if they wait patiently and do not always select the same student if they gaze expectantly at others and confirm orally and nonverbally the value of hearing from other people. Participation even aids teachers in limiting their speaking time.

Benefit of discussion

• Students’ love of class and their retention of factual knowledge improves as their active participation in the classroom grows. A study was conducted on medical students at the undergraduate level. The same class was taken by two groups of students. They learned the same material and took the same examinations, but one class was taught in a standard lecture manner, while the other was taught in an open discussion format. Medical students in the discussion group preferred the teaching style over those in the lecture group, and test findings demonstrate that interactive teaching practices improve information retention.
• Students can use discussions to improve their interpersonal communication skills as well as their analytical and critical thinking abilities. According to research, there is a link between the quality of classroom conversation and how well students comprehend what they have studied (Murphy et al, 2009). It also implies that increased classroom debate will aid pupils in developing better problem-solving skills.
• Discussions aid in the consolidation of what students have learnt as well as the development of conceptual and procedural knowledge. When students have difficulty understanding something, having a discussion clarifies for both the teacher and the student exactly what the student is having difficulty with, allowing the teacher to address and correct the problem (de Garcia, 2013). Although there are numerous advantages to using discussion in the classroom, hardly enough teachers do so.

Problem and solution to getting students to talk over;

• When utilized appropriately, a whole-class discussion can be a fantastic tool, but it isn’t always the ideal technique for getting every student to speak up. When it comes to engaging kids to talk in large groups, there are several drawbacks. Many pupils are hesitant to speak in front of the entire class. They are afraid of embarrassing themselves in front of their peers if they make a mistake. Students who are shy or insecure may not be able to contribute at all.

• Students who are nervous about speaking in front of the entire class may find that speaking in a smaller group is less intimidating. Students may build confidence to speak in front of the entire class if they can speak with a smaller group. Think-Pair-Share is a conversation technique that blends small-group and large-group discussion. When asked a question, pupils pause for a moment to consider it before breaking into pairs or small groups. They talk in small groups before sharing with the rest of the class. If a student is concerned about speaking in front of the class, Think-Pair-Share provides an opportunity for them to rehearse before speaking to the entire class.

FAQs;

What kind of authority do you have in the classroom?

Legitimate power, or the authority that comes with a position to make decisions, set standards, and so on; Referent power derived from students' appreciation or respect for the teacher; While all of these things can help you gain authority in the classroom, they're a little difficult for me to deal with when it comes to my own.

Why is it vital for students to participate in class?

Student engagement in class is a vital feature of their education. Classroom time is a perfect opportunity for kids to speak up and learn to express themselves, yet the vast majority of students struggle and are unwilling to participate for a variety of reasons.

What makes pupils want to join online forums?

This sense of belonging serves as a motivator for continuing to participate in discussions throughout time. Furthermore, if students are unable to mingle, they may engage in off-topic debate in the course discussion boards.