Building Transparency in the 21st Century Classroom: Strategies and Implications in Promoting Student Motivation and Achievement

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Transparency in the classroom means making teaching and learning visible for all students by giving them clear goals to help them understand their progress and help them remain motivated. The 21st-century classroom is a conducive avenue for promoting transparency through digital platforms which are highly customizable and accessible. Mobile applications can be utilized to enhance the transparency of learning goals, student progress, and assessment results.

METHODS

The research employed the quasi-experimental action research design. Pre-tests were administered to a sample group composed of 30 Grade 10 students to measure motivation and achievement. Afterward, transparency strategies using mobile platforms were utilized. After 35 days, post-tests were conducted to compare motivation and achievement before and after treatment.

RESULTS

The 21st-century classroom, aided with technology and the internet, provides mobile platforms that enhance classroom transparency and fit the needs of every learner. The researcher applied strategies of classroom transparency using online mobile applications. Students viewed their tasks with rubrics, outputs with feedback, and progress charts through their mobile phones both at home and in school. Results show positive implications of digital classroom transparency strategies to both student motivation and academic achievement. Students are highly motivated to learn and to perform when they clearly understand the expected learning outcomes, criteria for grading, and results of assessments. From being Somewhat Motivated (2.96), students became Highly Motivated (4.62) to attend classes, participate in discussions and group work, accomplish tasks on time, and perform better in assessments. Moreover, students significantly improved their academic achievement, from a mean score of 82 to 91.

DISCUSSIONS

Classroom transparency allows students to track their own learning by clearly visualizing what their goals are, how they can achieve these goals, and whether they have successfully achieved them. Mobile applications, which are readily available for use and free of cost, can be utilized as digital venues to disclose students' tasks, scoring rubrics, progress charts, and numerical grades. Moreover, social networking apps can be used as channels for peer and teacher feedback on their uploaded outputs. Building a transparent classroom encourages student involvement in the teaching-learning process, making them more motivated to learn, perform, and achieve target learning outcomes.