Analysis of Primary Sources and Student Engagement in Middle School Social Studies Classrooms

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to determine if the use of primary sources in middle school social studies classes would impact student engagement. The measurement tool used was created by the teacher and based on the findings of Lee in the article “The Relationship between Student Engagement and Academic Performance: Is it a Myth or Reality?” The study was quasi-experimental and used a pre- and posttest design with a comparison group. There was no statistically significant increase in student engagement when either primary or secondary sources were used, with the exception that students who analyzed secondary sourced avoided disruptions more frequently than their peers who analyzed primary sources.