Dynamics of teacher non-verbal communication on secondary schools students’ character development in the South West region of Cameroon
Keywords:
Dynamics, Teacher Non-Verbal Communication, Secondary Schools Students, Character Development, South West Region of Cameroon
Abstract
The prevalence of character crises and antisocial behaviour among secondary school students in Cameroon and the South West Region in particular, has raised significant concerns. This work explores the influence of teacher non-verbal communication as a component of hidden curriculum practices on students’ character development in secondary schools in the South West Region of Cameroon. In an attempt to answer the question: “How does teacher non-verbal communication influence the character development of secondary school students in the South West Region of Cameroon?”, data were collected from 400 students and 30 teachers through questionnaires and interviews respectively. A 96.25% response rate was achieved. Chi-square analysis was conducted to assess relationships between teacher non-verbal communication and character development, while qualitative interviews provided deeper insights into this relationship.Quantitative findings revealed significant relationships between teacher non-verbal communication (chi-square value = 62,104, p < 0.05) and students’ character development. Qualitative data indicated that positive non-verbal behaviours from teachers, such as encouraging gestures, eye contact and body language, fostered a supportive classroom environment that enhanced student engagement and motivation, made students feel valued and respected, significantly impacting their self-esteem and willingness to participate.
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References
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WHO. (2016). Violence against women: A global health problem. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization.
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Yilmaz, K., et al. (2019). Moral and character education: A theoretical framework. Journal of Educational Research, 112(3), 1-15.
Zvi, S. (2009). Character education in ancient Hebrew society. Jerusalem: Hebrew University Press.
Brian Duignam, eds. (2020). The impact of the industrial revolution on education. London: Routledge.
Bronfenbrenner, U. (1977). Toward an experimental ecology of human development. American Psychologist, 32(7), 513-531.
Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979). The ecology of human development: Experiments by nature and design. Harvard University Press.
Burgoon, J. K., &Bacue, A. E. (2003). Nonverbal communication. In J. A. DeVito (Ed.), The interpersonal communication book (pp. 217-238). Boston, MA: Pearson.
Carr, D. (2005). Character education: A guide for teachers. London, UK: Routledge.
Center for Curriculum Redesign. (2015). Redesigning curriculum for character education. Boston, MA: Center for Curriculum Redesign.
Chowdbury, M. (2016). Character education: A comprehensive approach. London, UK: Sage Publications.
Cubberley, E. P. (1920). Public education in the United States: A study and interpretation of American educational history. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Dulles, A. (2020). The changing landscape of education in the 21st century. New York: HarperCollins.
Dweck, C. S. (1999). Self-theories: Their role in motivation, personality, and development. Philadelphia, PA: Psychology Press.
Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. New York, NY: Random House.
Dweck, C. S., Chiu, C., & Hong, Y. (1995). Implicit theories and their role in personal relationships. In K. Y. S. Wong & J. W. W. Wong (Eds.), The psychology of personal relationships (pp. 1-27). Psychology Press.
Eamon, M. K. (2001). The influence of parental income, parental education, and family structure on the academic achievement of 12th grade students. Social Work, 46(3), 211-219.
Fisher, R. (1984). Teaching character education. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Fleming, J. (2005). The role of the teacher in character education. Journal of Education and Practice, 6(2), 45-56.
Gunawan, I., Gunio, A., & Fajardo, I. (2018). The hidden curriculum: Implicit learning in schools. Jakarta, Indonesia: Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia.
Haidt, J. (2001). The emotional dog and its rational tail: A social intuitionist approach to moral judgment. Psychological Review, 108(4), 814-834.
Hamilton, J. (2007). Education in ancient India: A historical perspective. New Delhi: Sage Publications.
Hedlund, J., Antonais, J. and Sternberg, R. J. (2003). Tacit knowledge and practical intelligence: understanding the lessons of experience. ARI Research Note 2003-04.
Hoge, J. D. (2002). Character education: A guide for teachers. New York, NY: Routledge.
Hojbotă, M. (2014). Implicit theories of morality: The role of beliefs in moral development. Journal of Moral Education, 43(3), 345-360. doi:10.1080/03057240.2014.934036
Johnson, J. (2008). The impact of teacher non-verbal communication on student learning. Educational Psychology Review, 20(3), 345-360.
Johnson, R. B., & Christensen, L. (2023). Educational research: Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed approaches (7th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.
Kerferd, G. B. (2020). Sophism and the challenge of relativism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Khan, M. (2017). The impact of nonverbal communication on students’ educational achievements. [City of publication not specified].
Khan, M. (2017). The impact of teacher non-verbal communication on student educational accomplishment. Journal of Educational Psychology, 109(3), 345-360.
Kohlberg, L. (1981). The philosophy of moral development: Moral stages and the idea of justice. San Francisco, CA: Harper & Row.
Kohn, A. (2020). The schools our children deserve: Moving beyond traditional education reform. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Li, Y., & Jiang, H. (2022). Nonverbal behaviour as an educational symbolic mediator in class. [City of publication not specified].
Li, Y., & Jiang, Y. (2022). The role of teacher non-verbal communication in student-teacher affective communication. Educational Studies, 48(1), 45-60.
Lukes, S. (2020). Education and the challenge of democracy. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Marty, M. E. (2014). The rise of public education in America: A historical overview. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Mergenthaler, M. (2016). Stewardship in education: A global perspective. Geneva: World Economic Forum.
Meyer, L. (2009). Collaborative learning in the classroom: A guide for teachers. Thousand Oaks: Corwin Press.
Mukherjee, A. (2006). Education in ancient civilizations: A comparative study. New Delhi: Academic Foundation.
Naito, M. (2013). Moral development in children: A review of the literature. Child Development Perspectives, 7(1), 1-6.
Nkuo-Akenji, T., et al. (2020). Risky sexual behaviors among secondary school students in Cameroon. Cameroon Journal of Public Health, 12(1), 45-60.
Nucci, L. P. (2001). Education in the moral domain. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.
Panopoulos, A., &Drossinou-Korea, M. (2020). The role of teacher non-verbal communication in the classroom. Journal of Educational Psychology, 112(4), 678-690.
Presidency of the Republic of Cameroon (PRC) (2021) https://www.prc.cm/en/cameroon/presentation
Reber, A. S. (1967). Implicit learning of artificial grammars. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 6(6), 855-863. doi:10.1016/S0022-5371(67)80149-0
Restall, M., &Solari, G. (2017). Maya education: A historical overview. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Ryan, A. M., & Mercer, S. (2012). Implicit theories of intelligence and their impact on student motivation. Educational Psychologist, 47(3), 173-185.
Sachdeva, S., Iliev, R., & Medina, J. (2009). Sinful saints and saintly sinners: The duality of human nature. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 96(3), 1-15.
Sedikides, C. (2019). Implicit theories of moral character: The role of beliefs in moral development. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 23(2), 123-145.
Singer, P. (1998). The ethics of education: A philosophical perspective. New York: Routledge.
Stearns, P. N. (2013). The industrial revolution in world history. Boulder: Westview Press.
Tambo, A., &Ndongko, W. (2000). Curriculum and moral education in Cameroon. International Journal of Educational Development, 20(3), 245-258.
Tambo, L. I. (2000). Perspectives on moral education in Cameroon. Cameroon Journal of Education, 5(2), 123-134.
Tozer, S. (1895). The philosophy of education: A historical overview. New York: Macmillan.
UNESCO. (2019). Global education monitoring report 2019: Migration, displacement and education. Paris, France: UNESCO Publishing.
Velez-Agosto, N. M., et al. (2017). The bioecological model of human development: A review of the literature. Journal of Child Development, 88(2), 1-15.
Wamsi, M., et al. (1996). Substance abuse in Cameroon: A demographic study. Yaoundé, Cameroon: United Nations.
White, A. (1918). The impact of the French Revolution on education. New York: Harper & Brothers.
Whitenton, K. (2021). Enhancing research credibility through mixed methods. [City of publication not specified].
WHO. (2016). Violence against women: A global health problem. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization.
WHO. (2017). Elder abuse: A global health problem. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization.
Yilmaz, K., et al. (2019). Moral and character education: A theoretical framework. Journal of Educational Research, 112(3), 1-15.
Zvi, S. (2009). Character education in ancient Hebrew society. Jerusalem: Hebrew University Press.
Published
2025-03-12
How to Cite
Song, M., & Loveline, Y. (2025). Dynamics of teacher non-verbal communication on secondary schools students’ character development in the South West region of Cameroon. GPH-International Journal of Educational Research, 8(02), 161-191. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15014507
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