The Mediating Role of Classroom Connectedness in the Relationship between Teacher Confirmation Behaviors and Students’ Classroom Participation

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Assistant Professor, Department of Educational Administration, Farhangian University, Tehran, Iran

2 Ph.D. in Curriculum, Department of Educational Administration and Planning, Faculty of Education and Psychology, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran

3 Assistant Professor, Department of Educational Sciences, Farhangian University, Tehran, Iran.

10.22091/jrim.2025.12026.1176

Abstract

Active students participation in the classroom is an essential requirement for learning and academic success. The purpose of this research is to study the mediating role of classroom connectedness in the relationship between teacher confirmation behaviors and Classroom Participation. This research is applied in its objective and employs a descriptive-correlational design for data collection and analysis. The study population consisted of 12th-grade high school students from Kermanshah city. A total of 210 students were selected and studied using convenience sampling. Data collection tools were three scales: classroom connectedness, teacher confirmation and classroom participation. The validity of the scales was confirmed by experts, and their reliability was confirmed using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. The Cronbach's alpha coefficients for the three questionnaires—Teacher Confirmation, Classroom Cohesion, and Classroom Participation—were 0.79, 0.74, and 0.71, respectively. For data analysis the pearson correlation test and structural equation modeling were used. The findings from the correlation test indicated that the relationships between teacher confirmation and classroom participation (p < .05; r: .51), teacher confirmation and classroom connectedness (p < .05; r: .56), and classroom connectedness and classroom participation (p < .05; r: .54) were all significant. The structural equation modeling results also revealed that the effect of Teacher Confirmation on Classroom Participation was not significant (β = .03, p > .05), whereas the effect of Teacher Confirmation on Classroom Connectedness (β = .85, p < .05) and the effect of Classroom Connectedness on Classroom Participation (β = .90, p < .05) were significant. Based on these findings, the mediating role of Classroom Connectedness in the relationship between teacher's confirmed behaviors and students' classroom participation was confirmed (RMSEA: .02; CFI: .99). Based on these findings, it can be concluded that teachers' adherence to positive communicative and interpersonal behaviors fosters a cohesive and friendly classroom environment, which ultimately leads to increased student participation in class

Highlights

Ahrari, E. A., & Farid, A. (2023). The Mediating Role of School Connectedness in the Relationship Between Social-Emotional Learning and Bullying Victimization. Educational and Scholastic studies, 12(4), 343-368. [In Persian]. doi: 10.48310/pma.2023.3455.

Aloia, L S. (2020). Student Learning: The Influence of Instructor and Student Confirmation, Classroom Connectedness, and Self-Efficacy. Journalism & Mass Communication Educator, 76 (2), 1-14.  https://doi.org/10.1177/1077695820944265.

Amiryousefi, M., Amirian, Z., & Ansari, A. (2019). Relationship between classroom environment, teacher behavior, cognitive and emotional engagement, and state motivation. Journal of English Language Teaching and Learning, 11 (23), 27-56. https://elt.tabrizu.ac.ir/article_8937.html.

Cohen, S. (2004). Social Relationships and Health. American Psychologist, 59(8), 676–684. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.59.8.676

Dwyer, K K., Bingham, S G., Carlson, R E., Prisbell, M., Cruz, A M., & Fus, D A. (2004). Communication and connectedness in the classroom: Development of the connected classroom climate inventory. Communication Research Reports, 21 (3), 264–272. https://doi.org/10.1080/08824090409359988.

Ellis, K. (2000). Perceived Teacher Confirmation the Development and Validation of an Instrument and Two Studies of the Relationship to Cognitive and Affective Learning. Human Communication Research, 26 (2), 264-291. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2958.2000.tb00758.x

Ellis, K. (2004). The impact of perceived teacher confirmation on receiver apprehension, motivation, and learning. Communication Education, 53 (1), 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1080/0363452032000135742

Goldman, Z W., & Goodboy, A K. (2014). Making Students Feel Better: Examining the Relationships between Teacher Confirmation and College Students' Emotional Outcomes. Communication Education, 63 (3), 259-277. https://doi.org/10.1080/03634523.2014.920091.

Goldman, Z W., Claus, C J., & Goodboy, A K. (2018). A Conditional Process Analysis of the Teacher Confirmation–Student Learning Relationship. Communication Quarterly, 66 (3), 245-264. https://doi.org/10.1080/01463373.2017.1356339.

Goodboy, A K., & Myers, S A. (2008). The Effect of Teacher Confirmation on Student Communication and Learning Outcomes. Communication Education, 57 (2), 153179. https://doi.org/10.1080/03634520701787777.

Frisby, B. N., & Martin, M. M. (2010). Instructor-student and student-student rapport in the classroom. Communication Education, 59(2), 146–164. https://doi.org/10.1080/03634520903564362.

Houser, M L., & Waldbuesser, C. (2017). Emotional Contagion in the Classroom: The Impact of Teacher Satisfaction and Confirmation on Perceptions of Student Nonverbal Classroom Behavior. College Teaching, 65 (1), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1080/87567555.2016.1189390.

Johnson, D I. (2009). Connected Classroom Climate: A Validity Study. Communication Research Reports, 26 (2), 146-157. https://doi.org/10.1080/08824090902861622

Kamran, F., Afzal, A., & Rafiq, S. (2022). Teachers’ Behavior Influencing the Classroom Participation of University Students. Journal of Social Research Development, 3 (2): 173-192. DOI: https://doi.org/10.53664/JSRD/03-02-2022-05-173-192

Li, M. (2022). A Study on the Influence of Middle School Students' Classroom Participation on English Achievement: Based on the Data of a Middle School in Foshan. Journal of Education and Educational Research, 1 (1), 45-47. https://doi.org/10.54097/jeer.v1i1.2283

Maloney, T., & Matthews, J. S. (2020). Teacher Care and Students’ Sense of Connectedness in the Urban Mathematics Classroom. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 51 (4), 399-432. https://doi.org/10.5951/jresematheduc-2020-0044.

Mittal, S., Dhand, S., & Nghiem, X. H. N. (2025). Social Support Networks and Their Role in Entrepreneurial Well-Being. In Supporting Psychological and Emotional Wellbeing Among Entrepreneurs (pp. 319-344). IGI Global. https://www.igi-global.com/gateway/chapter/361754

Mohammadhossein Hajivar, A., Shiralinia, Kh., & Abbaspour, Z. (2023). The Role of Victimization by Peers and School Connectedness in Predicting Suicidal Thoughts of Adolescent Girls. Iranian Journal of Psychiatric Nursing, 11 (2), 64-73. [In Persian]. http://dx.doi.org/10.22034/IJPN.11.2.64

Naz, S., Elahi, K., Shah, S A., & Makhdum, F N. (2021). Factors Affecting Classroom Participation: A Study of Secondary School Students in Pakistan. International Journal of Business and Economic Affairs, 6 (5), 246-256. DOI: https://doi.org/10.24088/IJBEA-2021-65003  

Nasseh, M., Ghazinour, M., Joghataei, M. T., Nojomi, M., & Richter, J. (2011). A persian version of the social support questionnaire (SSQ). Social Welfare Quarterly, 11(41), 251-266.

Rohi, S., & Muslim, S. (2023). Factors Influencing Classroom Participation: A Case Study of Undergraduate Students at Education Faculty, Paktia University. Journal for Research in Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, 2 (1), 99-104. https://doi.org/10.55544/jrasb.2.1.13

Rone, N. , Guao, N. , Jariol Jr, M. , Acedillo, N. , Balinton, K. & Francisco, J. (2023). Students’ Lack of Interest, Motivation in Learning, and Classroom Participation: How to Motivate Them?. Psychology and Education: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 7(8), 636-645. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7749977

Sedláček, M., & Šeďova, K. (2020). Are student engagement and peer relationships connected to student participation in classroom talk? Learning, Culture and Social Interaction, 26, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lcsi.2020.100411

Sepanta, M., Abedi, A., Yarmohammadian, A., Ghomrani, A., & Faramarzi, S. (2018). The effect of fredrickson's positive emotion training program on emotion regulation of students with dyslexia. Quarterly Journal of Child Mental Health, 5 (4),94-109. [In Persian]. URL: http://childmentalhealth.ir/article-1-607-en.html

Sidelinger, R J., & Booth-Butterfield, M. (2010). Co-constructing Student Involvement: An Examination of Teacher Confirmation and Student-to-Student Connectedness in the College Classroom. Communication Education, 59 (2), 165-184. https://doi.org/10.1080/03634520903390867.

Seif, A, A. (2010). Measurement, Assessment, and Educational Evaluation. Tehran: Doran Publishing, 31st Edition, 5th Revision. [In Persian]

Susak, M. (2016). Factors that affect classroom participation[Thesis. Rochester Institute of Technology Croatia].

Wang, Y., & Derakhshan, A. (2023). Teacher confirmation and caring in Chinese and Iranian students’ willingness to attend EFL classes. Porta Linguarum Revista Interuniversitaria de Didáctica de las Lenguas Extranjeras, 39 (1), 165-192. DOI: https://doi.org/10.30827/portalin.vi39.23625

Wang, Y., & Kruk, M. (2024).  Modeling the interaction between teacher credibility, teacher confirmation, and English major students’ academic engagement: A sequential mixed-methods approach. Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching, 14 (2), 235-265. https://doi.org/10.14746/ssllt.38418.

Xiaoqian, L., & Noordin, Z. M. (2024). A Brief Review: Factors that Affect Classroom Participation in the Chinese Language Courses. International Journal of Academic Research in Progressive Education and Development, 13 (1), 2506-2511. dx.doi.org/10.6007/IJARPED/v13-i1/21109

Yassha, P M., Yesasri., & Setiawati, M. (2022). The Relationship of Student Participation in Improving Student Achievement in Smp Negeri 1 X Koto Above. JURNAL SCIENTIA, 11 (1), 297-300. https://infor.seaninstitute.org/index.php/pendidikan/article/view/476.

 

Keywords

References

Ahrari, E. A., & Farid, A. (2023). The Mediating Role of School Connectedness in the Relationship Between Social-Emotional Learning and Bullying Victimization. Educational and Scholastic studies, 12(4), 343-368. [In Persian]. doi: 10.48310/pma.2023.3455.
Aloia, L S. (2020). Student Learning: The Influence of Instructor and Student Confirmation, Classroom Connectedness, and Self-Efficacy. Journalism & Mass Communication Educator, 76 (2), 1-14.  https://doi.org/10.1177/1077695820944265.
Amiryousefi, M., Amirian, Z., & Ansari, A. (2019). Relationship between classroom environment, teacher behavior, cognitive and emotional engagement, and state motivation. Journal of English Language Teaching and Learning, 11 (23), 27-56. https://elt.tabrizu.ac.ir/article_8937.html.
Cohen, S. (2004). Social Relationships and Health. American Psychologist, 59(8), 676–684. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.59.8.676
Dwyer, K K., Bingham, S G., Carlson, R E., Prisbell, M., Cruz, A M., & Fus, D A. (2004). Communication and connectedness in the classroom: Development of the connected classroom climate inventory. Communication Research Reports, 21 (3), 264–272. https://doi.org/10.1080/08824090409359988.
Ellis, K. (2000). Perceived Teacher Confirmation the Development and Validation of an Instrument and Two Studies of the Relationship to Cognitive and Affective Learning. Human Communication Research, 26 (2), 264-291. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2958.2000.tb00758.x
Ellis, K. (2004). The impact of perceived teacher confirmation on receiver apprehension, motivation, and learning. Communication Education, 53 (1), 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1080/0363452032000135742
Goldman, Z W., & Goodboy, A K. (2014). Making Students Feel Better: Examining the Relationships between Teacher Confirmation and College Students' Emotional Outcomes. Communication Education, 63 (3), 259-277. https://doi.org/10.1080/03634523.2014.920091.
Goldman, Z W., Claus, C J., & Goodboy, A K. (2018). A Conditional Process Analysis of the Teacher Confirmation–Student Learning Relationship. Communication Quarterly, 66 (3), 245-264. https://doi.org/10.1080/01463373.2017.1356339.
Goodboy, A K., & Myers, S A. (2008). The Effect of Teacher Confirmation on Student Communication and Learning Outcomes. Communication Education, 57 (2), 153179. https://doi.org/10.1080/03634520701787777.
Frisby, B. N., & Martin, M. M. (2010). Instructor-student and student-student rapport in the classroom. Communication Education, 59(2), 146–164. https://doi.org/10.1080/03634520903564362.
Houser, M L., & Waldbuesser, C. (2017). Emotional Contagion in the Classroom: The Impact of Teacher Satisfaction and Confirmation on Perceptions of Student Nonverbal Classroom Behavior. College Teaching, 65 (1), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1080/87567555.2016.1189390.
Johnson, D I. (2009). Connected Classroom Climate: A Validity Study. Communication Research Reports, 26 (2), 146-157. https://doi.org/10.1080/08824090902861622
Kamran, F., Afzal, A., & Rafiq, S. (2022). Teachers’ Behavior Influencing the Classroom Participation of University Students. Journal of Social Research Development, 3 (2): 173-192. DOI: https://doi.org/10.53664/JSRD/03-02-2022-05-173-192
Li, M. (2022). A Study on the Influence of Middle School Students' Classroom Participation on English Achievement: Based on the Data of a Middle School in Foshan. Journal of Education and Educational Research, 1 (1), 45-47. https://doi.org/10.54097/jeer.v1i1.2283
Maloney, T., & Matthews, J. S. (2020). Teacher Care and Students’ Sense of Connectedness in the Urban Mathematics Classroom. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 51 (4), 399-432. https://doi.org/10.5951/jresematheduc-2020-0044.
Mittal, S., Dhand, S., & Nghiem, X. H. N. (2025). Social Support Networks and Their Role in Entrepreneurial Well-Being. In Supporting Psychological and Emotional Wellbeing Among Entrepreneurs (pp. 319-344). IGI Global. https://www.igi-global.com/gateway/chapter/361754
Mohammadhossein Hajivar, A., Shiralinia, Kh., & Abbaspour, Z. (2023). The Role of Victimization by Peers and School Connectedness in Predicting Suicidal Thoughts of Adolescent Girls. Iranian Journal of Psychiatric Nursing, 11 (2), 64-73. [In Persian]. http://dx.doi.org/10.22034/IJPN.11.2.64
Naz, S., Elahi, K., Shah, S A., & Makhdum, F N. (2021). Factors Affecting Classroom Participation: A Study of Secondary School Students in Pakistan. International Journal of Business and Economic Affairs, 6 (5), 246-256. DOI: https://doi.org/10.24088/IJBEA-2021-65003  
Nasseh, M., Ghazinour, M., Joghataei, M. T., Nojomi, M., & Richter, J. (2011). A persian version of the social support questionnaire (SSQ). Social Welfare Quarterly, 11(41), 251-266.
Rohi, S., & Muslim, S. (2023). Factors Influencing Classroom Participation: A Case Study of Undergraduate Students at Education Faculty, Paktia University. Journal for Research in Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, 2 (1), 99-104. https://doi.org/10.55544/jrasb.2.1.13
Rone, N. , Guao, N. , Jariol Jr, M. , Acedillo, N. , Balinton, K. & Francisco, J. (2023). Students’ Lack of Interest, Motivation in Learning, and Classroom Participation: How to Motivate Them?. Psychology and Education: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 7(8), 636-645. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7749977
Sedláček, M., & Šeďova, K. (2020). Are student engagement and peer relationships connected to student participation in classroom talk? Learning, Culture and Social Interaction, 26, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lcsi.2020.100411
Sepanta, M., Abedi, A., Yarmohammadian, A., Ghomrani, A., & Faramarzi, S. (2018). The effect of fredrickson's positive emotion training program on emotion regulation of students with dyslexia. Quarterly Journal of Child Mental Health, 5 (4),94-109. [In Persian]. URL: http://childmentalhealth.ir/article-1-607-en.html
Sidelinger, R J., & Booth-Butterfield, M. (2010). Co-constructing Student Involvement: An Examination of Teacher Confirmation and Student-to-Student Connectedness in the College Classroom. Communication Education, 59 (2), 165-184. https://doi.org/10.1080/03634520903390867.
Seif, A, A. (2010). Measurement, Assessment, and Educational Evaluation. Tehran: Doran Publishing, 31st Edition, 5th Revision. [In Persian]
Susak, M. (2016). Factors that affect classroom participation[Thesis. Rochester Institute of Technology Croatia].
Wang, Y., & Derakhshan, A. (2023). Teacher confirmation and caring in Chinese and Iranian students’ willingness to attend EFL classes. Porta Linguarum Revista Interuniversitaria de Didáctica de las Lenguas Extranjeras, 39 (1), 165-192. DOI: https://doi.org/10.30827/portalin.vi39.23625
Wang, Y., & Kruk, M. (2024).  Modeling the interaction between teacher credibility, teacher confirmation, and English major students’ academic engagement: A sequential mixed-methods approach. Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching, 14 (2), 235-265. https://doi.org/10.14746/ssllt.38418.
Xiaoqian, L., & Noordin, Z. M. (2024). A Brief Review: Factors that Affect Classroom Participation in the Chinese Language Courses. International Journal of Academic Research in Progressive Education and Development, 13 (1), 2506-2511. dx.doi.org/10.6007/IJARPED/v13-i1/21109
Yassha, P M., Yesasri., & Setiawati, M. (2022). The Relationship of Student Participation in Improving Student Achievement in Smp Negeri 1 X Koto Above. JURNAL SCIENTIA, 11 (1), 297-300. https://infor.seaninstitute.org/index.php/pendidikan/article/view/476.
 

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History

  • Receive Date: 01 January 2025
  • Revise Date: 19 January 2025
  • Accept Date: 23 January 2025

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