Aug 2026· Education sciences· 0 citations· 43 references
Abstract
Project-based learning (PBL) holds significant promise as a student-centered instructional approach in secondary mathematics, yet teachers’ capacity to leverage it for diverse learners is deeply shaped by their affective experiences during implementation. This narrative inquiry examines the affective journeys of three high school mathematics teachers as they adopted PBL in classrooms characterized by varied student readiness levels and engagement profiles. We document teachers’ affective journeys as they experience initial PBL awareness, participate in active experimentation, and work toward forming emerging commitments and facilitator identities. Analysis of focus groups and interviews reveals three affective tensions: comfort versus transformative reflection, epistemic ideals versus ontological school realities, and career risk versus identity change. The findings demonstrate how teachers can navigate iterative methods of trial, how teacher educators can better support future teachers’ use of student-centered pedagogies, and how administrators can be aware of the impact that teacher affect can have on performance and pedagogy. Implications address how this broader education community can support differentiated, inquiry-based mathematics instruction. This support can be advanced through scope-controlled projects, micro-evidence portfolios, and incremental adoption pathways. These approaches honor teachers’ emotional labor while supporting their sustained use of student-centered learning strategies intended to broaden opportunities for participation and learning in mathematics classrooms.
This qualitative inquiry explored the lived experiences of Grade VI public elementary school teachers in
addressing academic difficulties among learners. Anchored in a phenomenological approach, the study aimed to uncover
how teachers guide and support struggling students amid the growing demands of the 21st-century classroom. Data were
gathered through In-Depth Interviews (IDI) and Focus Group Discussions (FGD) with ten purposively selected
participants from the Langilan District, Division of Davao del Norte, each having at least five years of teaching experience.
Through Thematic Analysis, three major themes emerged: building meaningful teacher-student relationships,
implementing differentiated instruction, and displaying patience, emotional regulation, and encouragement. Coping
mechanisms included fostering collaborative reflection, setting realistic expectations, and seeking administrative and
institutional support. Teachers also demonstrated strategic leadership, integrated technology-supported engagement, and
exhibited adaptive patience in guiding learners. The findings offer practical implications for improving instructional
practices, teacher support systems, and educational leadership, particularly in addressing the needs of academically
challenged learners in public elementary education. To broaden its impact and contribute to educational practice and
policy, the publication of this study in a reputable academic journal is strongly recommended.
Queene D. Araña· International Journal of Inn...· 0 citations
Student engagement is particularly important in Technology and Livelihood Education (TVL), where meaningful learning requires students to move beyond conceptual understanding toward active participation, practical application, problem-solving, collaboration, and performance-based learning. This qualitative phenomenological study explores the lived experiences of TVL teachers in employing pedagogical practices to foster student engagement in a Philippine public secondary school. Specifically, it investigates how teachers design and facilitate learning experiences, how they perceive and respond to varying levels of behavioral, emotional, cognitive, and agentic engagement, what challenges they encounter in sustaining participation, and how they adapt instruction to learners’ needs and contextual realities. Participants are purposively selected TVL teachers with direct experience teaching practical and competency-based subjects. Data are generated through semi-structured, in-depth interviews and analyzed using Colaizzi’s descriptive phenomenological method. The inquiry is sensitized by constructivist, experiential, and student-engagement perspectives while allowing themes to emerge inductively from participants’ narratives. Particular attention is given to hands-on learning, demonstration and guided practice, collaborative activities, contextualization, differentiated support, learner autonomy, resource constraints, and teacher–student relationships. The study positions engagement not simply as observable participation but as a multidimensional experience shaped by pedagogy, relevance, relationships, competence, and learning conditions. Findings may inform context-responsive TVL instruction, teacher professional development, curriculum implementation, and school-level support for meaningful student participation in practical learning.
Messian Verdadero· International Journal of Edu...· 0 citations
This research article explores the implementation of activity-based pedagogy to enhance student engagement in teaching literature, with a specific focus on W. Somerset Maugham’s short story Mr. Know-All. Drawing from reflective classroom practice at the University with undergraduate students, the study demonstrates how student-centered activities centered on discussion, questioning, and the Think-Pair-Share (TPS) strategy transform passive reading into active, collaborative meaning-making. Activity-based learning shifts the classroom dynamic from teacher-dominated instruction to one where students actively participate through hands-on tasks, group interactions, and critical reflection, fostering deeper comprehension, critical thinking, communication skills, and emotional investment in literary texts. The methodology employs a qualitative, experience-based descriptive approach grounded in the researcher teaching experience of the story. The article details practical activities: pre-reading discussions on judging appearances, character analysis of Mr. Kelada, focused exploration of the pivotal necklace scene, and thematic discussions on tolerance, sacrifice, and prejudice. It further proposes tiered questioning (literal, analytical, and evaluative) to scaffold comprehension and critical analysis, alongside TPS activities that encourage individual reflection, peer dialogue, and whole-class sharing on issues like prejudgment and moral sacrifice. Teachers can generate various activities to make learners more engaged and creative in teaching and learning environment. Teachers can create activities that generate interest among the participants and become more engaged learners. The integration of such methods not only enhances language skills and literary appreciation but also cultivates empathy, analytical abilities, and social interaction among students.
Rajendra Prasad Joshi· English Language Teaching Pe...· 0 citations
Learner-centered teaching has gained increasing prominence as an instructional approach capable of fostering meaningful academic involvement among primary school learners. Academic involvement—conceptualized as learners’ behavioral participation, emotional engagement, and cognitive investment—is widely recognized as a crucial determinant of learning success. However, empirical studies that closely examine how learner-centered teaching environments shape academic involvement from the perspectives of both teachers and learners remain limited, particularly in rural public primary schools. This qualitative case study investigated how learner-centered pedagogical practices were enacted at Lunac Primary School and how these practices influenced learners’ academic involvement. Data were generated through classroom observations, focus group discussions with learners, and semi-structured interviews with teachers. Thematic analysis revealed four interconnected themes: (1) dialogic instruction as a catalyst for behavioral involvement, (2) learner autonomy as a foundation of emotional engagement, (3) collaborative learning as a mechanism for sustained participation, and (4) instructional scaffolding as support for cognitive involvement. Learner and teacher narratives illustrate how academic involvement was strengthened when these practices were intentionally aligned. The study underscores the value of learner-centered environments in promoting active, motivated, and reflective learning in primary education.
Jenelyn Macatbag, Matronillo Martin· International Journal of Edu...· 0 citations
This book review examines Problem-Based Learning in Elementary School: Strategies for What Helps Students Thrive by Samantha S. Reed, Carol A. Mullen, and Emily T. Boyles. The book discusses the implementation of problem-based learning (PBL) as an instructional approach that supports students’ knowledge and skill development through collaborative engagement in solving authentic, real-world problems. This review adopts a descriptive-critical approach, analyzing the book’s content, theoretical foundation, key themes, and findings from teacher interviews, while also evaluating its relevance to classroom practice in elementary education. The book emphasizes the development of 21st-century skills, known as the 5Cs, namely critical thinking, creativity, communication, collaboration, and citizenship, and demonstrates how PBL can enhance student engagement, motivation, and academic achievement. Its main strength lies in bridging PBL theory with classroom practice through teachers’ lived experiences, making it highly relevant for educators and education stakeholders. However, the book has limitations, particularly in its limited discussion of assessment practices, teacher training, scaffolding strategies, and the challenges of implementing PBL across diverse educational contexts, indicating the need for further elaboration to strengthen its practical applicability.
Imellia Imellia, D. S. Nusantara, D. Nguyen et al.· Journal of General Education...· 0 citations
The paradigm shifts from traditional to digital learning has instigated novel challenges for learner discipline, particularly in inclusive classrooms characterised by high levels of student diversity. While the current discourse largely focuses on technological solutions or behavioural management, it has overlooked the role of teacher-student relationships in shaping teacher-student engagement and learner behaviour online. This study argues that relational pedagogy intentionally cultivates caring teacher-student relationships, thus fostering positive student discipline in digitally mediated inclusive educational environments. Drawing on the Attachment Theory (Riley, 2010), the Community of Inquiry Theory (Garrison et al., 2000), and Noddings' (2013) Ethic of Care Theory, the study adopts a qualitative multiple-case study design to determine the perspectives of ten participants (four lecturers and six students) specifically from higher education digital inclusive classrooms in South Africa, demonstrating that the dynamics of learner discipline differ across educational sectors. The study revealed four findings: relational presence enhances engagement and self-regulation, relational deficits correspond with disengagement and behavioural challenges, contextual and structural factors mediate relational dynamics, and lecturers recognise relational approaches, but face systemic barriers, including large class sizes, limited time, and inadequate training. This study concludes that learner discipline in digitally inclusive educational settings must be reimagined not as a matter of control but as one that emerges from relational trust and belonging. These insights have practical implications for teacher professional development and an inclusive digital policy, representing South Africa’s contextually grounded perspective on global debates on learner discipline.
K. Mbatha· International Journal of Stu...· 0 citations
