The purpose of this study is to analyze classroom group cohesion levels in accordance with elementary school students' perceived teachers' discipline styles. For the purpose, this researcher raised the following research questions.
First, what are te...
The purpose of this study is to analyze classroom group cohesion levels in accordance with elementary school students' perceived teachers' discipline styles. For the purpose, this researcher raised the following research questions.
First, what are teachers' discipline styles as perceived by elementary school students ?
Second, how are levels of classroom group cohesion ?
Third, how is classroom group cohesion different in accordance with elementary school students' perceived discipline styles of their teachers ?
To get answers to these questions, the researcher made both a literature research and a research survey. Through the literature research, the study investigated the concept, purpose and problems of discipline, teachers' discipline styles and the concept, sub-factors and effects of classroom group cohesion. To obtain answers to the above research questions, then, the researcher made a questionnaire survey of 800 students of 80 classes from 25 randomly sampled elementary schools located in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province and Busan. The measurement device was prepared by the researcher through the modification and supplementation of Kim Dal Hyo's(2006) Questionnaire of Teachers' discipline Styles and Kim Mi Rae's(2006) Questionnaire of Classroom Group Cohesion.
Data from the survey were statistically processed using SPSSWIN 13.0 Program. The frequency test was made to identify elementary school students' perceived discipline styles of their teachers and χ2-test, to examine differences in such styles in accordance with those students' background variables. With the data, mean and standard deviation values were calculated to examine the levels of classroom group cohesion and t-test and F-test, to determine differences in such levels in accordance with the above mentioned background variables. One-Way ANOVA was carried out to examine classroom group cohesion levels in accordance with the above discipline styles and then Two-Way ANOVA to investigate such levels in accordance with elementary school students' background variables. Findings of the study can be summarized as follows.
First, teachers' discipline styles as perceived by their elementary school students could be classified into mixing, democratic, autocratic, supportive, compromising and non-intervenient styles. In elementary schools that were having 4 to 6 or not more than 2 classes for each grade, teachers were more mixing in discipline style. In such schools that were located in large cities, teachers were more democratic in the same style.
Second, the levels of classroom group cohesion was, as a whole, more than moderate. Among sub-areas of the cohesion, especially, interactivity was highest in level. Elementary school students whose school was having 3 classes or below or 7 or above, who were residing in a large city or whose teacher was female were perceiving the group cohesion of their classroom as higher in level.
Third, classroom group cohesion was highest in level when teachers were democratic in discipline style, followed by compromising, supportive, mixing, autocratic and non-intervenient in such style in order. Classroom group cohesion varied in level depending on styles of discipline by teachers.
There were no significant interactive effects between teachers' discipline styles and their students' gender and residence, the number of classes for each grade and those teachers' gender. But there were significant interactive influences between such styles and the students' grade. In other words, teachers' discipline styles were having no significant effects on levels of classroom group cohesion in accordance with their students' gender and residence, the number of classes for each grade and those teachers' gender, but significantly affecting in accordance with their students' grade.
Based on these findings, the study made the following suggestions.
First, it is fortunate that the non-intervenient style of discipline by teachers were being perceived least by elementary school students. The non-intervenient style of discipline by teachers were found relatively even higher in schools located in eup and myeon districts than in small, medium and large cities. This problem should be identified and solved through subsequent studies.
Second, even when teachers were non-intervenient in discipline style, 5th-grade classes were relatively high in classroom group cohesion, but 6th-grade ones, quite low. This means that teachers' discipline styles should be different in accordance with grades. In conclusion, teachers should utilize different discipline styles in accordance with their students' different grades. They also need to participate in discipline training programs, and learn how to cope with discipline-related problems.