Enhancing Classroom Communities and Course Engagement

Tony Holland & Robert Pithers, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia

Abstract

The concept of the classroom as a community has been shown to contribute to student course engagement. The research literature also shows that classroom community may also contribute to academic achievement as well. This study looked at some of the variables that might further contribute to an enhanced level of classroom community with both post-graduate and undergraduate university students. The study examined variables such as gender, mode of study and educational experience and their contribution to the development of a sense of community as measured using a Classroom Community Scale. This study will show the relative importance of each of these variables.

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