Effects of student participation in classroom decision making on attitudes, peer interaction, motivation, and learning

Abstract

Although organizational research suggests that involving members in decision making can improve morale and motivation, this procedure has rarely been used or investigated in educational settings. In 2 elementary schools, 14 classrooms with a total of 304 3rd–6th graders were randomly assigned to 2 conditions. In the student participation condition, Ss decided the topic and major learning activities with the teacher; in the teacher planned condition, the teacher announced the topic and acitvities and urged Ss to become involved. Ss rated higher their attitudes (Tennenbaum Child Attitude Scale) and completed teacher-devised achievement tests before and after 5 wks of instruction. During instruction, Ss' peer interaction and motivation were observed. Results indicate that Ss who participated in classroom decisions developed more favorable attitudes toward school and subject, interacted more positively with peers, worked more consistently without supervision, and learned more than Ss whose teacher made decisions. Participation in making decisions may integrate students into school life and develop their commitment to learning. (25 ref) (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)