A Qualitative Study on Classroom Management and Classroom Discipline Problems, Reasons, and Solutions: A Case of Information Technologies Class.

Abstract

Th e purpose of this study was to investigate classroom management and discipline problems that Information Technology teachers have faced, and to reveal underlying reasons and possible solutions of these problems by considering the views of parents, teachers, and administrator. Th is study was designed as qualitative study. Subjects of this study consisted of 14 school administrators, 14 teachers, and 17 parents. Th ree diff erent, but parallel, semi-structured interview schedules were used for data collection. Data were analyzed through the use of content analysis method. As a result of this analysis, the problems associated with classroom management were grouped under following themes; lack of motivation, breaking the rules and routines, lack of infrastructure, insuff icient time management, ineff ective classroom environment, and lack of interaction in classrooms. On the other side, participants related these problems with following reasons; place and structure of the course in the curriculum, classroom environment, classroom size and lack of hardware, lack of rules, home environment and parents attitudes, lack of teachers’ management skills and students attitudes. Finally, following solutions were suggested to overcome disciplines and classroom management problems; improvement in teachers’ qualification, regulation at place and structure of the course in the curriculum, organizing motivational activities, using software which controls computers usage in classroom/lab, reorganizing classroom/lab sitting plan, giving punishment, ignoring misbehavior, understanding reasons behind problems, meeting with parents and providing coordination among diff erent subject communities (Zumre) in schools.