Engagement in adult first nations learners : the power of academic self-concept

• Main Author: Twigg, Valerie
• Other Authors: Fowler, Leah
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: Lethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Faculty of Education, c2010 2010
• Subjects: Indigenous peoples > Education > Canada; Academic achievement; Adult students; Teacher-student relationships; Adult education > Psychological aspects; Motivation in adult education; Self-perception; Canada; First Nations
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10133/3084

v, 65 leaves 29 cm Academic self-concept has been shown to significantly affect student engagement and achievement (Hudley, Daoud, Polanco, Wright-Castro, & Hershberg, 2003; Akey, 2006). This action research project explores specific strategies that are effective in increasing 24 adult First Nations learners’ academic self-concept, engagement, and achievement in Science classes over a period of five weeks. Student participants came from three college courses: General Science, Biology and Chemistry. In addition to numerous existing strategies to increase student perception of academic performance currently in use in my classroom, this study explores action research implementation of the following new practices to further augment students’ academic self-concept including: students’ daily journal of new learning, direct teaching of students to attribute success to ability and effort (and failure to lack of effort), visual display of lesson objectives, linking new work to prior experience explicitly, and increasing expectations of assignment completion. There are recommendations for teachers and students to increase positive academic self-concept and more effective teaching strategies to enhance student success and completion, as well as meaningful experiences in education.