Running head: T.A. PHASE II RESEARCH PROJECT
EPCC: Establishing Priority Classroom Communication
Teachership Academy Phase II
Michelle Chavez, M.Ed.
El Paso Community College
May 2015
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Running head: T.A. PHASE II RESEARCH PROJECT
Abstract
Every day, teachers make countless real time decisions and facilitate dozens of
interactions between themselves and their students. According to the Community College Survey
of Student Engagement (CCSSE), it helps educators view classrooms through a common lens,
providing data support for improving the quality of student-faculty interaction and support for
learners. Simultaneously, Establishing Priority Classroom Communication (EPCC) in terms of
teacher-student interaction in the classroom, helping create an environment that can enhance
student learning, development and retention in our community college. A significant body of
research indicates that “academic achievement and student behavior are influenced by the quality
of the teacher and student relationship” (Beutel, D., 2010). The more the teacher connects or
communicates with his or her students, the more likely they will be able to help students learn at
a high level and accomplish quickly. There are key methods in teacher-student interactions
(Faulkner, D., 1998). The first is regard for student perspectives, the degree to which teacher’s
interactions with students and classroom activities place an emphasis on student’s interests,
motivations and points of view. Another is demonstrate (or experiment) active learning
techniques that provide students the opportunity of getting to know each other better, teaches
them to work together. Students will in turn give teachers their opinions and feedback, resulting
in increased teacher-student rapport (Chavez, M., 2015).
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Running head: T.A. PHASE II RESEARCH PROJECT
Introduction
Problem
Of the classes I currently teach is Education 1300. The most important outcome is to
increase classroom communication between the teacher and students. It is imperative to build a
firm foundation for learning, build teacher-student interactions, build clear communications and
build on the value of teaching.
Solution
I developed a protocol of four Active Learning Techniques in hopes of providing a venue
for an effective way to establish priority classroom communication (Chavez, M., 2015).
Materials and Methods
This study will examine the outcome of EPCC: Establishing Priority Classroom
Communication, I will involve both my classes and myself in my project. I will also involve a
colleague.
The four active learning techniques are the following:
1. I have a questionnaire for my students to fill out asking them: Who are you?
2. I have a survey for my students about my class and it gives them a chance to reflect on: if I
taught the class, I would ___?
3. For the colleague: the person will come and observe my classes and document who is
speaking, a teacher or student, and take time on the clock when that person begins speaking. The
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Running head: T.A. PHASE II RESEARCH PROJECT
running dialogue observation is the analysis that will be documented on a chart. It will reveal
teacher-student interaction.
4. I, the teacher will have a student interaction chart that will document my class list, class name,
day and time of class and the interaction I document out of that class.
These active learning techniques:

Provides opportunities for students to work in pairs and small groups and use multiple
modes of communication (e.g., discussions, making presentations, and brainstorming).

Encourages students to work together as a class to contribute to a comprehensive answer
to an open-ended problem.

Devotes a significant proportion of class time (15-30%) to student interactions.

Encourages in-depth conversations among students (and between students and instructor).

Features several students explaining their ideas to a respectful class that listens well.
Data
These measures are designed to assess the hypothesis that the importance of: EPCC:
Establishing Priority Classroom Communication in terms of Teacher-Student interaction in the
classroom, will enhance its effects on class performance and retention. Successful discussions
are characterized by small group conversations that seek to give voice to all students and to
provide sufficient time and opportunity to listen and consider the ideas of others (Boyd, R.,
MacNeil, N., Sullivan, G., 2006).
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Running head: T.A. PHASE II RESEARCH PROJECT
Graph
Spring
2015
B
Class
# of
Class
Experiment
students Interaction
Group
11
23
16
5
16
23
Control
Group
PM
Teacher
Interaction
Total
Interaction
21
44
5
10
21
44
Total
Student/Teacher
Interaction
(Goal 100)
88
Research
applied
A
Class
AM
Traditional
Teaching Day
B
Class
PM
Research
applied
Results
The material techniques of communication increased classroom communication between
teacher and students for the experimental group. Finding the control group would have had the
same result if I would have not used the usual method of teaching. In using the same materials
with my control group on another teaching day, it gave me the same result as my experimental
group.
Running head: T.A. PHASE II RESEARCH PROJECT
Conclusion
Classes that have low interaction among students are more lecture-focused, often wellorganized, and tend to present material clearly, with minimal text and well-chosen images. The
instructor is usually well-versed in the content, but teaches in a way that does not provide an
opportunity for interactions among students (Brophy, J & Good, T., 1974). Based on the results, I
infer that this new approach created for this research project was effective in the acquisition of
Teacher-Student classroom communication which increased in terms of class engagement.
Establishing Priority Classroom Communication (EPCC), helps create an environment that
can enhance student learning, development and retention in our community college (Chavez, M.,
2015).
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Running head: T.A. PHASE II RESEARCH PROJECT
References
Beutel, D. (2010). The Nature of Pedagogic Teacher-Student Interactions: A Phenomographic
Study.
Boyd, R., MacNeil, N., Sullivan, G. (2006). Relational Pedagogy: Putting balance back into
students learning. Curriculum Leadership, 4(13), 1-5.
Brophy, J & Good, T. (1974). Teacher-Student Relationships. New York: Holt, Rinehart &
Winston.
Chavez, M. (2015). T.A. Phase II Research Project: EPCC: Establishing Priority Classroom
Communication.
Faulkner, D. (1998). Learning Relationships in the Classroom. London: Routledge.
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