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IJSSR!Page%2921

Assistant%Principal,%PAU%Excellencia%Global%Academy%Foundation,%Inc.%Toledo%City,%Philippines

Don%Andres%Soriano%National%High%School,%Senior%High%School%Department,%Toledo%City%Division,%

Philippines

Department%of%Education,%Philippines

students.%The%use%of%icebreaker%activities%has%become%a%common%approach%to%ease%these%initial%feelings%of%

discomfort%and%create%a%more%welcoming%and%inclusive%classroom%environment.%Icebreakers%are%activities%

designed%to%introduce% students% to% each%other% and% the% teacher%in% a% low-stakes% and%non-threatening%way.%

International!Journal!of!Social!Service!and!Research%% https://ijssr.ridwaninstitute.co.id/%

safe,% supported,% and% valued.% Icebreakers% can% be% an% effective% tool% to% create% such% a% climate.% Thus,% the%

purpose%of%this% research%is%to% examine%the%impact% of%icebreaker%activities%on%student% engagement%in%the%

classroom.%%

engagement%and%participation.%For%example,%Abbas,%et%al.%(2022)%found%that%icebreakers%had%a%significant%

impact%on%student%engagement,%particularly%among%students%who%were%initially%disengaged.%They%suggest%

that% icebreakers% help% to% create% a% sense% of% community% and% belonging,% which% can% lead% to% increased%

participation%and%engagement.%

participation%in%the%classroom.%The%study%found%that%students%who%participated%in%icebreaker%activities%at%

gaps%in%existing%research%and%the%need%for%further%investigation%into%the%impact%of%icebreakers%on%student%

engagement%and%participation.%

framework% is% social% constructivism,% which% suggests% that% learning% is% a% collaborative% process% that% occurs%

through% social% interactions% (Kent% &% Rechavi,% 2020).% Icebreakers% are% designed% to% facilitate% social%

interactions%among%students,%which%may%lead%to%increased%engagement%and%participation.%

(Wong,%2022).%According%to%this%theory,%students%are%more%likely%to%engage%in%learning%activities%when%they%

feel% a% sense% of% autonomy,% competence,% and% relatedness.% Icebreakers% may% promote% these% feelings% by%

providing% students% with%a% sense% of% control% over% their% learning% and% creating% a% sense% of% belonging% in% the%

and%minimally%structured%classroom%discussions%on%student%learning%and%understanding.%They%found%that%

students% who% participated% in% highly% structured% discussions,% which% included% icebreaker% activities,%

demonstrated% higher% levels% of% learning% and% understanding% than% those% who% participated% in% minimally%

structured%discussions.%

icebreakers,%on% student% engagement% and% retention% in%higher%education.% They% found% that% these% activities%

were%associated%with%increased%engagement%and%retention%among%students.%

International!Journal!of!Asian!Education!,%

John%Michael%V.%Sasan

engagement%and%participation,%there%are%several%gaps%in%the%literature%that%need%to%be%addressed.%Firstly,%

much%of%the%existing%research%has%focused%on%undergraduate%students%in%higher%education,%leaving%a%gap%in%

participation,%which%may%be%subject%to%bias.%There%is%a%need%for%more%objective%measures%of%engagement%

and%participation,%such%as%classroom%observations%or%assessments%of%student%performance.%

engagement%and%participation.%There%is%a%need%for%longitudinal%studies%that%examine%the%long-term%impact%

of%icebreakers%on%student%outcomes,%such%as%academic%achievement%and%retention.%

significant% impact.% This% research% aims% to% contribute% to% this% literature% by% examining% the% impact% of%

icebreakers%on%student%engagement%and%participation%in%the%classroom.%

%

sample%consisted%of%students%from%two%sections,%one%of%which%incorporated%icebreaker%activities%and%the%

other%did%not.%The%sample%was%randomly%assigned%to%each%group.%The%study%was%conducted%over%the%course%

of%one%semester%in%senior%high%%school.%

initial% levels% of% engagement% and% participation.% The% post-survey% assessed% students'% engagement% and%

International!Journal!of!Social!Service!and!Research%% https://ijssr.ridwaninstitute.co.id/%

purpose%of%the%study%and%their%right%to%withdraw%from%the%study%at%any%time.%Participants'%confidentiality%

and%anonymity%were%maintained%throughout%the%study,%and%all%data%were%kept%secure.%

%

Note:% The% icebreaker% group% showed% significant% improvement% in% engagement% and% participation% scores%

compared%to%the%non-icebreaker%group.%

%

International!Journal!of!Asian!Education!,%

John%Michael%V.%Sasan

International!Journal!of!Social!Service!and!Research%% https://ijssr.ridwaninstitute.co.id/%

their%peers,% and% more%likely% to% socialize%with% their%classmates% outside%of% school.% The%increased% sense%of%

community%and% connectedness%reported% by% students%who% participated% in%the% icebreakers%has%important%

implications%for%their%overall%well-being%and%academic%success,%as%well%as%the%development%of%a%stronger%

sense% of% community% and% connectedness% that% could% have% long-lasting% positive% effects% beyond% the%

classroom.%

Theme!2:!Improved!classroom!atmosphere!and!mood!

atmosphere% and% improved% their% overall% mood.% One% participant% stated,% "The% icebreakers% were% really% fun%

and%helped%us%all%to%relax%and%feel%more%positive.%It%was%a%great%way%to%start%the%class%and%put%everyone%in%a%

good%mood."%(Participant%5)%

activities.%

relationship,% as% several% participants% mentioned% feeling% more% comfortable% approaching% and% interacting%

with%the%teacher%after%participating%in%the%icebreakers.%One%participant%stated,%"The%icebreakers%helped%to%

create%a%more%friendly%and%approachable%atmosphere,%which%made%it%easier%to%talk%to%the%teacher%and%ask%

for%help%when%we%needed%it."%(Participant%9)%

enjoyable% learning% experience% for% students,% which% in% turn% may% have% improved% their% overall% academic%

performance.%This%finding%is%supported%by%previous%research%which%has%shown%that%positive%emotions%are%

associated%with%better%academic%outcomes%(Stifter%et%al.%2020).%

class.% But% after% doing% the% icebreakers,% I% felt% more% confident% in% my% ability% to% contribute% and% I% was% more%

willing%to%share%my%thoughts%with%the%class."%(Participant%11)%

and%inclusive%learning%environment.%One%participant%stated,%"The%icebreakers%made%me%feel%like%I%belonged%

in%the%class%and%that%my%voice%was%heard.%I%think%it%helped%to%create%a%more%inclusive%atmosphere%where%

everyone%felt%comfortable%sharing%their%perspectives."%(Participant%6)%

relationships%with% their% teachers.%One% participant% stated,%"I% felt% like%my% teacher% was%more% approachable%

International!Journal!of!Asian!Education!,%

John%Michael%V.%Sasan

and%were%more%willing%to%participate%in%class%discussions%and%activities.%The%icebreakers%also%had%a%positive%

impact%on%students'%relationships%with%their%teachers,%making%them%feel%more%approachable%and%friendly.%

Discussion:!

and% participation% in% a% high% school% classroom.% The% study% employed% a% mixed-methods% design,% with% both%

significant% increase% in% student% engagement% and% participation% after% the% use% of% icebreaker% activities.% The%

of% community% and% connectedness,% classroom% atmosphere% and% mood,% and% increased% participation% and%

engagement.%

additional%qualitative%data.%

the% impact% of% icebreaker% activities% on% the% students'% engagement% and% participation.% The% focus% group%

atmosphere%and%mood,%and%increased%participation%and%engagement.%

connectedness%with% their% peers%after% participating% in%the%icebreaker% activities.% This%finding% is% consistent%

with%previous%research%that%has%shown%the%importance%of%social%connectedness%and%community%building%in%

promoting%student%engagement%and%academic%success%(Bradley%et%al.,%2021).%

mentioned% that% the% icebreakers% helped% to% create% a% more% positive% classroom% atmosphere% and% improved%

their% overall%mood.% This% finding% is% consistent%with% previous% research% that% has%shown%the% importance% of%

positive%emotions%in%promoting%engagement%and%motivation%in%the%classroom%(Stifter%et%al.%2020).%

provide%a%comprehensive%understanding%of%the%impact%of%icebreaker%activities%on%student%engagement%and%

International!Journal!of!Social!Service!and!Research%% https://ijssr.ridwaninstitute.co.id/%

contexts.%Secondly,%the%study%was%conducted%over%the%course%of%one%semester,%and%the%long-term%effects%of%

icebreaker% activities% on% student% engagement% and% participation% are% unknown.% Future% research% could%

investigate% the% long-term% effects% of% icebreaker% activities% on% student% engagement% and% participation% in%

different%contexts%and%over%a%longer%period.%

engagement%and%participation%in%the%classroom.%The%study%employed%a%mixed-methods%design,%with%both%

of% the%impact%of%icebreaker%activities% on%student%engagement%and%participation.% The% qualitative% findings%

complemented%the%quantitative%results%and%provided%more%in-depth%insight%into%the%mechanisms%through%

which%icebreakers%promote%engagement%and%participation.%These%findings%have%practical%implications%for%

participation%in% a%senior% high%school% setting,%utilizing%both% quantitative%and% qualitative%data.%The%results%

indicate%that%icebreakers%positively%impact%various%aspects,%including%student%engagement,%participation,%

sense% of% community,% classroom% atmosphere,% and% mood.% Quantitative% analysis% demonstrated% significant%

increases% in% engagement% and% participation% following% the% use% of% icebreakers,% while% qualitative% analysis%

offered% deeper% insights% into% student% experiences.% Overall,% the% findings% suggest% that% incorporating%

icebreakers% can% be% a% valuable% strategy% for% educators% to% establish% a% positive% and% engaging% learning%

environment.% However,% it% is% crucial% to% acknowledge% the% need% for% further% research% to% comprehensively%

Ansari,% J.A.N.,% Khan,% N.A.% (2020).% Exploring% the% role% of% social% media% in% collaborative% learning% the% new%

Bradley,% G.L.,% Ferguson,% S.,% Zimmer-Gembeck,% M.J.% (2021).% Parental% Support,% Peer% Support% and% School%

Carmel% Kent% &% Amit% Rechavi%(2020)%Deconstructing% online% social% learning:% network% analysis% of% the%

International!Journal!of!Asian!Education!,%

John%Michael%V.%Sasan

Heilporn,% G.,% Lakhal,% S.% &% Bélisle,% M.% (2021).% An% examination% of% teachers’% strategies% to% foster% student%

Jessica%Bourne%&%Naomi%Winstone%(2021)%Empowering%students’%voices:%the%use%of%activity-oriented%focus%

Jill%Dickinson,%Teri-Lisa%Griffiths%&%Alex%Bredice%(2021)%‘It’s%just%another%thing%to%think%about’:%encouraging%

Kyle% K.% H.% Tan,% Gareth% J.% Treharne,% Sonja% J.% Ellis,% Johanna% M.% Schmidt% &% Jaimie% F.% Veale%(2021)%Enacted%

Martijn% Leenknecht,% Lisette% Wijnia,% Martine% Köhlen,% Luke% Fryer,% Remy% Rikers% &% Sofie%

Noorhan% Abbas,% Jenni% Whitfield,% Eric% Atwell,% Helen% Bowman,% Thomas% Pickard% &% Aisha%

Thomas% K.% F.% Chiu%(2021)%Student% engagement% in% K-12% online% learning% amid% COVID-19:% A% qualitative%