NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGE AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES ĐẶNG BÍCH NGỌC USING INTERACTIVE ACTIVITIES TO ENHANCE 3RD - GRADE STUDENT’S ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE ENGLISH CLASSES: AN ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT AT AN ENGLISH CENTER IN HAI PHONG (Sử dụng các hoạt động tương tác để tăng cường sự tham gia của học sinh lớp 3 trong lớp học tiếng Anh trực tuyến: Dự án nghiên cứu hành động tại một trung tâm Tiếng Anh tại Hải Phòng. MINOR THESIS Field: English Teaching Methodology Code: 8140231.01 HA NOI - 2024 VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGE AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES ĐẶNG BÍCH NGỌC USING INTERACTIVE ACTIVITIES TO ENHANCE 3RD- GRADE STUDENT’S ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE ENGLISH CLASSES: AN ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT AT AN ENGLISH CENTER IN HAI PHONG (Sử dụng các hoạt động tương tác để tăng cường sự tham gia của học sinh lớp 3 trong lớp học tiếng Anh trực tuyến: Dự án nghiên cứu hành động tại một trung tâm Tiếng Anh tại Hải Phòng. MINOR THESIS Field: English Teaching Methodology Code: 8140231. Võ Đại Quang HA NOI - 2024 DECLARATION OF AUTHORSHIP I certify that the minor thesis entitled “Using interactive activities to enhance 3rd-grade students' engagement in online English classes: An action research at an English Center in Hai Phong” is the result of my work and has not been submitted in any form for another degree or diploma at any universities or other institutions.
I am fully aware that should this declaration be found to be dishonest, disciplinary action and penalties by University policies and rules can be imposed. Hanoi, 2023 The researcher Đặng Bích Ngọc Approved by SUPERVISOR (Signature and full name) Assoc. Võ Đại Quang Date:. i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I want to thank my supervisor, Assoc.
Võ Đại Quang, for motivating me to do this study. My thesis would not have been completed if it weren't for his kind donation of useful materials, priceless advice, perceptive remarks, and kind assistance. I also want to express my gratitude to all of my professors at the postgraduate department of Vietnam National University in Hanoi for their invaluable lectures, some of which I used for my research. I am grateful for the third-grade pupils' participation and support in the selected center's sessions.
I owe the completion of this study to my family: my parents and my relatives who supported and understood me during the study. Finally, weaknesses are unavoidable in my minor research. Therefore, construction comments are highly appreciated for the better refinement of the thesis in the time to come. Hanoi, 2023 ii ABSTRACT A lesson in general, an English online lesson in particular can not be said to be successful without students' active participation.
Learners of second foreign languages should be allowed to participate in the classes and complete their learning objectives. This study investigated the effectiveness of interactive activities to enhance students' engagement in online English classes. The research employed the action research method with 30 graders 3 at an English center in Hai Phong. Data were collected through pre-tests, post-tests, questionnaires, and interviews.
The results revealed that the post- test scores in Cycle 2 showed a significant improvement compared to Cycle 1, indicating the positive impact of interactive activities on students' engagement. The analysis of mean scores also demonstrated higher post-test scores in both cycles, further supporting the effectiveness of project-based learning. The results indicate that one of the key drivers of student engagement and excitement in online English courses is interactive activities during online learning. This study intends to guide language teachers and advocates of innovative classroom approaches.
It recommends a new teaching method to improve English online lessons at the English center I studied and other schools in the neighborhood and city. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Declaration Of Authorship. II List Of Tables. 1 List Of Figures.
Rationale For The Research. Aims And Objectives Of The Study. Scope Of The Study. Method Of The Study.
Significance Of The Study. Organization Of The Thesis. 5 Chapter 2: Literature Review. Educational Interactive Activities.
Definitions Of Educational Interaction. Types Of Educational Interactions. Some Interactive Activities In English Online Classes. Concept Of Students' Engagement.
Students' Engagement In Online Learning Environment. Factors Affecting Students' Participation In Online Learning Environment. Dimensions And Indicators Of Student Engagement. Previous Studies Related To How To Enhance Students' Engagement iv During Online English Classes.
Restatement Of Research Questions. Definition Of An Action Research. Principles Of An Action Research. Models Of Action Research.
Context Of The Study. Data Collection Instruments. Pre-Test And Post-Test. Data Collection Procedures.
Data Analysis Methods. 44 Chapter 4: Findings And Discussion. The Results From The Tests .2 The Results From Questionnaire. Data Analysis Of Interview With The Students.
The Effectiveness Of Using Interactive Activities In Online Teaching59 4. The Student’s Attitudes Towards The Use Of Interactive Activities In Online Teaching To Improve Learning Skills. Increasing Teacher’s Roles. Increasing Interactive Activities For Students.
Limitations Of The Study. Suggestions For Further Study. 76 Appendix 1: A Sample Description Of A Project. 107 Appendix 5: Giấy Đồng Ý Tham Gia Vào Nghiên Cứu.
109 Appendix 6: Giấy Đồng Ý Cho Học Sinh Tham Gia Vào Nghiên Cứu. 111 vi LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Indicators Of Student Engagement (Adapted From Bond Et Al. Manuscript In Preparation). 21 Table 2: 20 Units In English 3- Global Success 3.
39 Table 3: Classification Of Students’ Level On A 10-Point Scale. 40 Table 4: The Rthef Pre-E He Tests In 2 Cycles. 47 Table 5: The Results Of Pre-Tests. 48 Table 6: The Results Of Post–Tests.
49 Table 7: The Results Of Posthetests. 49 Table 8: Differences Of The Test Mean Scores Of 2 Cycles. 53 Table 9: Behavior Bbehavioron Learning English Online With Interactive Activities. 54 Table 10: Students’ Emotional Engagementinn Learning Nglish Online With Interengagement Inties.
54 Table 11: Students’ Cognitivel Engagement Onlearning Englicognitivewith Interactine Activities. 55 Table 12: Students’answer On The Interview. 56 LIST OF FIGURES Figure1: Student engagement within a technology-enhanced learning microsystem. 22 Figure2: Models of action research by Kemmis and McTaggart (1988).
28 Figure3: The 4 Stages Action Research Cycle by Burns (2010). 29 1 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION This part gives a thorough summary of the study, including the reasons for the research's conduct, its goals and objectives, its questions, its scope, importance, research methodologies employed, and the thesis's structure. Rationale for the research English is a required subject in the national school system and is extremely significant in today's world of globalization and multidimensional integration, there is no denying English's importance as a global language. This also contributes to a marked change in English teaching methods and techniques, instead of only one form of learning, which is the "blackboard and whiteboard" learning style as before at English language centers.
Centers in Vietnam in general and Hai Phong in particular have changed and diversified forms of learning, including online learning with many of its conveniences. Additionally, learning is an active process in which students participate to make a connection to the material and solidify the lessons they have been taught. Students who actively participate in the learning process can have better learning results, as noted by Hefzallah (2004): "To teach is to communicate, to communicate is to interact, to interact is to learn" (p. It can be difficult to incorporate interactions whether between students and teachers or between learners themselves, in an online classroom.
Therefore, teaching English how to attract and encourage students to engage in learning activities to create effective English lessons is always a concern of teachers like me. In the course of online teaching, I've come to grasp the psychology of my pupils; some of them are eager and thrilled to participate in the sessions, while others turn off the camera, switch off the microphone, and conceal themselves for the duration of the session. Aware of that urgent problem, our 2 study focuses on interactive activities to foster engagement in online classes and create an environment where all students can engage themselves in the learning process. It is intended that the results might add to the pedagogical approaches for improving interactions in an online learning environment, particularly the ones that have not yet been recognized and documented in the literature.
Aims and objectives of the study This research is aimed at improving students' involvement in online English classes at the English center by using interactive activities. To achieve that aim, the following objectives are set for the research: (i) To investigate the improvement of the 3rd graders’ engagement at an English center in Hai Phong through interactive activities in online classes. (ii) To investigate the attitudes of the 3rd graders at an English center in Hai Phong by using interactive activities in online classes. Research questions To accomplish the previously stated objectives, the researcher will address the following research questions: 1) To what extent do interactive activities enhance students' engagement in online English classes of the 3rd graders at an English center? 2) What are the attitudes of these students towards the use of interactive activities in English online lessons? 1.
Scope of the study The scope of the study is to investigate the efficacy of implementing interactive activities in English online lessons. This study was carried out on the third graders at an English center in Haiphong over 8 weeks. The participants of the study included 30 students in this center who are gifted students with very good backgrounds in English and are very familiar with 3 taking online classes. It will investigate the extent to which interactive activities lead to increased student engagement.
The research will be based on relevant theories and concepts related to interactive activities and student engagement. The topic does not cover all of the interactive activities that can be used to enhance and improve students' participation in English online lessons but rather focuses on the use of some of the most appropriate and effective activities for my students at the center where I teach to engage students in learning activities that enhance and improve their engagement in online lessons. Method of the study As mentioned above, this research adopts action research in an attempt to improve the current situation of online English teaching and learning in the teacher-researchers class. In so doing, the method including tests, questionnaires, and interviews will be employed during the process of data collection.
Significance of the study Both theoretically and practically, the research's findings are anticipated to be valuable. Theoretically, it is anticipated to improve online English instruction's philosophy of learning. Practically, this research has implications for students, teachers, centers, and other researchers. For the students, it helps to improve and promote their participation and interest in English online lessons through the use of interactive activities.
Additionally, it encourages the growth of self-discipline, the capacity for autonomous self-study, and the willingness to try new things and acquire new techniques, particularly those connected to contemporary information technology. For teachers, it is helpful to innovate teaching methods with newer interactive forms and activities. Moreover, this can be a tool for 4 reforming online teaching and learning for the English centers. Finally, the research's findings can be a suggestion and a reference for the researchers who want to improve students' participation in English online lessons in particular and other online lessons in general.
Organization of the thesis This research offers an overview of the effectiveness of using interactive activities to enhance students' engagement in online English classes. It is divided into five chapters. Chapter 1 - Introduction: presenting the rationale of the study, the aim and objectives, research questions, scope, method, significance as well as the design of the study.