Talking about science? A study of the nature of discussion carried out when students work in small groups in the secondary science classroom

Tinker, Jane Marie (2006). Talking about science? A study of the nature of discussion carried out when students work in small groups in the secondary science classroom. EdD thesis The Open University.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21954/ou.ro.0000c00c

Abstract

This research focuses on small group work and talk in the science classroom. Peer collaboration is considered important in supporting learning and as a means of generating cognitive conflict in the science classroom for the individual; often the social aspects of this collaboration are overlooked. There is little practitioner research in this area and this project seeks to describe, in detail, the classroom talk carried out by two groups: Group A, a single sex group of boys and Group B, a mixed sex group. It focuses on the type of talk carried out by the students using the categories of. exploratory, cumulative, disputational, off task and technical talk and examines the impact that these have on learning and group relationships. Social roles and their impact on classroom talk and learning are also examined; adopting different social roles being the means by which differential expertise and scaffolding develops within the groups. Gender issues are also examined when students work in small groups in the classroom. All of the above analysis helps to describe these groups in detail and go on to put together a framework of advice for teachers in the classroom on the setting up and monitoring of small group work to maximise the potential, small group work has, for the development of conceptual understanding in science.