Increasing Peer Rapport and Teamwork: Comparing Preferred Engagement Strategies and Team Management in Online and In-Person Classrooms
Research Team: Calvin Campbell, Alisha Arora, Courtney Schouten, Sumaheep Khatri, & Shayna Minosky
We explored student perceptions of peer rapport and teamwork across in-person and online classroom environments using a mixed methods design. In Study 1, we used focus groups with 29 undergraduate students (96% women) to explore student perceptions of the importance of peer rapport and their experiences working in teams. Our results identified three overarching themes: feeling motivated and engaged, developing relationships with peers, and managing group work. In study 2, we used an online survey with 168 undergraduate students (81% women) to quantitatively assess peer rapport, teamwork, and engagement strategy use and effectiveness across different class formats. As predicted, in-person formats were rated more positively than synchronous formats which were rated more positively than asynchronous formats. These findings highlight similarities across class formats in regard to peer rapport and teamwork, and identify differences in opportunities to connect with peers and engagement strategies that are most effective across class formats.
The Impact of Instructor Rapport on the Learning Styles of Students with ADHD Symptomatology
Research Team: Tanisha Bali & Shayna Minosky
Research has shown that Attention Deficient Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has been linked to poorer academic functioning. Students with ADHD often struggle with executive dysfunction, inattention, low motivation, and impulsivity, leading to challenges within the classroom, including a reliance on more surface approaches to learning (learning just to pass the course) rather than more meaningful approaches, such as deep (learning for self-interest) or achievement learning (learning to get an A/best possible outcome). There are three different learning styles that have been identified; surface, achieving and deep. As positive student-instructor rapport has been linked to better learning outcomes and academic achievement (by increasing motivation, self-efficacy and prosocial behaviours), we explored whether student-instructor rapport may moderate the relationships between ADHD symptomatology and learning approaches. A total of 208 undergraduate students (88% female) completed an online survey measuring ADHD symptoms, learning approaches, and instructor rapport. We conducted a set of nine moderation analyses with three learning approaches (surface, achieving, deep) as separate dependent variables, and carelessness, inattentiveness and disorganization as separate predictor variables; rapport was used as a moderator with each predictor. Our results showed statistically significant results for six of these analyses; all three predictors positively predicted surface learning but did not predict achievement learning or deep learning, however carelessness and disorganization negatively predicted achievement learning. Rapport positively predicted achievement learning and moderated the relationship between disorganization and achievement learning; however, it did not moderate the relationship with the other ADHD symptoms. These results provide guidance on how to teach those with ADHD symptomology and implement ways to help those with ADHD without pharmacological interventions
Comparing Video Conferencing and In-person Participation in Social Connection and Motivation
Research Team: Melissa Campion, Alisha Arora, Sumaheep Khatri, Niki Dhillon, Andrew Schwartz, & Shayna Minosky
For some students, online classes have become the preferred medium of learning. Understanding the consequences of moving the learning environment online may provide insight into when online classes should be employed while also allowing for a more robust teaching strategy for instructors and an overall better learning experience for students. This study sought to examine the effect of delivery format on social connection and motivation. A between-groups experiment was conducted with 101 students in which they were randomly assigned to complete a group activity in either an online (n =41) or in-person (n = 60) format. After completing the activity, students completed a survey measuring social presence, rapport, group effectiveness, motivation, and attention. A linear mixed-effects model examined the effect of delivery format on these five outcomes. The results showed that students in the in-person condition reported higher social presence, rapport, and group effectiveness than students in the online condition. There were no differences for motivation and attention. These results should be taken into consideration by faculty and students when choosing among delivery formats.