Advancing Early Childhood Learning through Structured Multimodal Engagement: Evidence from Kindergarten Classroom
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32871/rmrj2513.02.06Keywords:
engagement, multimodal (inter)action analysis, young learners, multimodality, classroom interactions, instructional inputs, early childhood education, behavioral engagement, emotional engagement, cognitive engagementAbstract
Background: Learner engagement is a critical factor in educational success. It reflects the depth of students’ involvement in learning activities and is shaped by both individual and contextual factors within the classroom. Given its multifaceted nature, engagement poses definitional and analytical challenges. This paper explores the dimensions and manifestations of engagement by analyzing its phases in classroom activities.
Methods: Adopting a multilayered analysis, we employed Dimensions of Engagement and Multimodal (Inter)action Analysis to analyze two video extracts of kindergarten classroom interactions. We examined how engagement is manifested by different dimensions and how it develops dynamically through verbal and non-verbal interactions.
Results: Findings reveal that the type of instructional inputs learners receive influences the dimensions of their engagement. Additionally, engagement is not a single-dimensional construct; rather, it is manifested by learners in an overlapping and interconnected manner where different forms of engagement (e.g., behavioral, emotional, and cognitive) interact progressively.
Conclusion: This study contributes to a deeper understanding of learner engagement in early childhood education by highlighting its temporal and multimodal nature, with an emphasis on the role of instructional inputs and classroom interactions in shaping engagement over time.
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