Socio-Cognitive Constructs and Characteristics of Classroom Communities: An Exploration of Relationships

Abstract

In our Cultures Connect project, students engaged in interactions with local and remote audiences in a telecommunication, constructivist-based learning environment with an emphasis on writing about real-world science. The sample consisted of fourth and fifth grade students from a predominantly Hispanic school. They were part of a larger learning community with six other school sites connected through telecommunications. Participants at our site worked in cooperative groups toward the development of a research writing project on real-world science topics. Interactions with their distant peers about their research and other topics consistently occurred over the project's course. Data collected for the current study targeted the status of relationships among socio-cognitive factors with selected group dynamic features of task structure preference and audience awareness. The task structure preference variable divided the students into two groups: (1a) preference to work in teams or (1b) preference to work independently. For another analysis, students were divided into two groups on the basis of expressing an (2a) audience awareness or (2b) lack of an audience awareness in their written communications. Sociocognitive factors included confidence in writing, metacognition, academic motivation, and self-efficacy measures. A group-comparison design was used to compare the mean scores on these constructs for each group factor. The group reporting an audience awareness demonstrated a higher orientation to engaging in group interactions and in using metacognitive strategies in writing. A lack of confidence in writing was more prevalent among the students expressing less awareness to different audiences in their writing. Students with a preference to work by themselves showed statistically significant higher ratings in self-efficacy and a marginal significance on the use of metacognitive skills. Those with a group work preference enjoyed interacting with and receiving input from their peers. Other questions assessed students' perceptions of the benefits accrued as a Cultures Connect participant. The study and discussion of results are situated in the constructivist principles of instruction and learning. In addition, the research addresses related concepts of communities of learners, with implications for designing student-directed environments.