Improving Quantity of Hands Raised in the Classroom

Level of Education of Students Involved

Undergraduate

Faculty Sponsor

Selina Bartels

College

College of Arts & Sciences (CAS)

Discipline(s)

Education

Presentation Type

Oral Presentation

Symposium Date

Spring 4-30-2026

Abstract

This action research proposal focuses on increasing classroom participation by improving the quantity of hands raised during lessons. In many classrooms, only a small group of students consistently participate, while others remain quiet or disengaged. During my field experience, I noticed that when teachers ask questions the same students tend to respond, which limits overall engagement. Because of this, my research question is: how can I improve the quantity of hands raised while also increasing overall student participation.

Based on my literature review, two main strategies emerged: improving questioning techniques and incorporating response systems such as response cards. Research shows that when teachers clearly structure expectations for participation and use effective questioning strategies, student engagement increases. Additionally, studies found that response cards significantly increase participation because all students are able to respond at the same time instead of waiting to be called on.

To address my research question, I will implement both strategies in my classroom. I will improve my questioning techniques by increasing wait time, using higher-level questions, and reinforcing hand raising. I will also incorporate response cards by giving each student a whiteboard and asking them to respond simultaneously. I will alternate between traditional hand-raising lessons and response-card lessons to compare participation rates.

I will collect and analyze data by tracking participation through a recording of my lessons and comparing results over time. Overall, I believe these strategies will increase engagement and create a more inclusive classroom.

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