Upper Primary Students’ Engagement in Active Learning: The Case in Butajira Town Primary Schools

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the level of upper primary students’ engagement in active learning. The study involved an in depth analysis and interpretation of the on-going classroom activities and events. A total of 48 science and social studies lessons conducted by 24 teachers of grades 6 and 8 classes were observed and tape-recorded. A combination of quantitative and qualitative approaches was employed to analyze and interpret the data obtained from the field. The findings of this study reveal the existence of a very low level of students’ engagement in active learning. The level of students’ engagement in active learning was higher in grade six classes than in grade eight classes. However, no significant subject- wise variation in engagement rate was found in this study. The results seem to suggest that the policy has set expectation on schools to implement a pedagogical innovation that demands more than what they actually can at the moment. Therefore, provision of more enabling conditions such as instructional resources, favorable working regulation, and continuous and relevant in service training for primary teachers is highly essential in order to narrow down the existing gap between curriculum (policy) intentions and the actual pedagogical practices in the classrooms.