Identifying the Components of First-Course Elementary Students’ Learning Culture: An Ethnographic Approach

This study aimed to identify the components of first-course elementary students learning culture by using the ethnography method. The area of ​​the research was the first-course elementary schools of Darab (Fars province) in the academic year 2019-2020. In this research by using the purposive sampling method, 12 classes from 6 schools were selected to observe the classes and ethnographic interviews with teachers and students. To analyze the data obtained from participatory observation and ethnographic interviews, the systematic method attributed to Strauss and Corbin was used. Based on this approach, the data were analyzed at three levels of open, axial, and selective coding to figure out the students' learning culture. The validity of the adjusted codes and the verifications were calculated using the peer review method and member control. The degree of agreement of the coders using the Kappa Cohen coefficient was calculated at 0.88 and 0.86. According to the findings of the present study, Components of students’ learning culture include assessment, classroom relationships, academic motivation, the psychosocial atmosphere of the classroom, students’ educational behaviors, and management of teaching-learning activities. In general, the students' learning culture is teacher-centered and the teacher is the main center of the classroom and directs and controls the teaching-learning processes.