Interrelation between communication competence of teachers and student behavior in the classroom

Buhač, Ljiljana. (2017). Interrelation between communication competence of teachers and student behavior in the classroom. PhD Thesis. Filozofski fakultet u Zagrebu, Department of Pedagogy.
(Poslijediplomski doktorski studij pedagogije) [mentor Kolak, Ante].

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Abstract

The research of the classroom context in the last two decades suggests that the context, i.e. more concrete variables of classroom processes have an important role in improving the knowledge of what and how the students learn. A very important component of classroom context is the interaction between teacher and students.Observations of classroom developments and practices have revealed that the interpersonal behavior of teachers plays a pivotal part in directing the flow of teaching and earning in the classroom. It is essential,herefore, that teachers establish a rapport with students thatwill ensure smooth functioning of the teaching-learning process. This further underscores the fruitfulness of investigating the impact of interpersonal teacher behavior on student activities. More specifically, research into interpersonal teacher behavior is important not only for enhancing student outcomes, but also for improving teacher competency in classroom communication It is widely reported that communication is reciprocal, so that the behaviors of the teacher and students influence each other mutually. Research goals: This study aims to determine the relationship between the communicative competence of teachers and student activites. In accordance with that goal, it also aims to determine: the pychometric properites of the questionairre that measures students' perception of different aspects of the communicative competences of teachers - Communicative Competence Scale (CCS), to determine students' perception of the teachers' communicative competences, to determine teachers' self-assessed communicative competences, to determine differences between the students' perception of the teachers' communicative competence and the teachers' self-assessed communicative competences, to determine differences in the activity degree in the classroom and to determine differences in the students' activity in the classroom in relation to the teachers' selfassessed communicative competences. Methodology Participants: 275 students from 4th grade and their seven teachers from the „X. gimnazija, Zagreb“ high school. Instruments: The teachers' communicative competence was measured with the Communicative Competence Scale, and the level of the student activity was measured with the Nonverbal Immediacy Scale - Observer Report (NIS-O). Results: The Communicative Competence Scale has been shown to be rather acceptable to the Croatian population for every aspect of the communicative competence. Results have also shown that students' perception of the teachers' communicative compentences, as well as teachers' self-assessed communicative competence changes depending on the the class and the the teacher. Students' perception of the teachers' communicative competence and the teachers' self-assessed communicative compentences differ significantely in the direction of the more positive self-perceptions of the teachers themselves. There is a significant connection between the perceived competence of the teacher and the students' level of activity, such that the higher the communicative competence of the teacher, the more negative will the students' activity be. In the context of this research, it is probable that activities of the student influence activities of the teachers, and vice versa, which can have a postitive influence in creating and mantaining positive classroom climate.

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