Abstract:
This thesis presents an overview of research on best practices for virtual and hybrid
learning. The study focuses on the impact of communicating with families on student
achievement and describes methods of instruction and communication that a 9th grade science
teacher at a metropolitan high school found efficacious. An analysis of existing literature was
conducted and combined with quantitative and qualitative data collected from an integrated
chemistry/physics classroom during spring 2020.
Collected data includes outcomes and survey responses for 121 students following four
weeks calling families of students at different rates. Families for half of students were called
twice a week for two weeks, while the other half of students did not receive any calls. At the end
of the first two-week period, the students who did not receive calls received a weekly call for a
period of two weeks. The students who received phone calls the first two weeks did not receive
phone calls over the second two-week period.
Student assignment completion and self-ratings for engagement were compared. There
was no significant difference between the number of assignments completed, number of
assignment attempts, or grades between the two groups. There was no significant difference
between the grades assigned to the teacher by members of each group. The two groups were
equally likely to rate the class as interesting, and equally likely to report that they had learned
over the course of the semester.
Teachers have limited time and resources. Therefore, identifying the teaching practices
that have the greatest impact on student engagement can help them determine how to spend their
time and resources, and help guide school policies and procedures. This paper provides
suggestions for improving engagement in a virtual classroom setting based on the action research
and literature reviews conducted.
