Harkness and learning: In what ways does growth in student confidence manifest itself through Harkness lessons?

Thesis

This project set out to identify in what ways growth in student confidence manifests itself through Harkness lessons. Harkness lessons entail students and their teacher sitting around a single table, in conference with the teacher adjusting their role to be an observer or facilitator not an expert figure with the right answer.

Practitioner research was conducted in three phases that involved pre- and post-intervention questionnaires to measure students' assertiveness quantitatively and, to enrich the data with qualitative description, ongoing observations combined with terminal interviews and a Harkness-specific questionnaire. My own Year 13 class was the primary research focus, but colleagues' Key Stage 5 classes completed the questionnaires to provide cohort context.

The findings suggested students' confidence did increase and they self-report that Harkness lessons contributed to this growth. Such growth manifests itself in increased lesson participation, greater prior preparation (and consequent confidence to share ideas) and an increase in respect for their peers. The findings also highlighted the importance of a safe environment for ideas to be shared and indicated that dialogic skills need to be developed lower down the school and that regular use of Harkness lessons would benefit students in Key Stage 5 subjects.

Authors: Lambert, S

• DOI: 10.5287/ora-e961vgq4r
• Type of award: MSc
• Level of award: Masters
• Awarding institution: University of Oxford
• Language: English
• Keywords: MLT; MLT2019
• Subjects: Education