Discussion
In this paper, we set out to investigate the pedagogical moves of BGEs from a discourse perspective. The findings of this study suggest that, although their discourse predominated during the guided visits, the diverse communicative approaches adopted and the variety of questions asked revealed the complexity of their pedagogical practices. Firstly, the analysis based on the four classes of communicative approach has revealed that the BGE discourse was interactive and authoritative in nature. Despite the fact that interactive/dialogic discourse was occasionally observed, it was overwhelmed by either an interactive/authoritative or non-interactive/authoritative pattern. Mortimer and Scott (2003) point out that in dialogic discourse
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It requires educators to be familiar with students’ school learning experience, sociocultural background, the needs of the individual learner, and so forth (Cox-Petersen et al., 2003; DeWitt & Storksdieck, 2008; Tal & Morag, 2007). In sociocultural learning environments, as Ash and Wells (2006) have suggested, in order to move towards greater individual understanding, students should be encouraged to participate in knowledge building by sharing what they know and by providing arguments through the ongoing challenge of responding to other speakers. However, whether this outcome can be achieved depends on the content being taught and the type of mediation provided by educators (Tal, 2012). Thus, we believe that the BGEs might benefit from making the content less informative and more exploratory when designing learning activities. They need to bear the principles of learning suggested by the sociocultural theory in mind and engage students in joint negotiations through dialoguing. In particular, they might strive to create real discussions, in which the educator and students are in equal or similar positions, by shifting the power relation in favor of the …show more content…
The detailed picture of the guided visit that we have provided herein emphasizes that the learning environment designed by botanic gardens, or even other informal science institutions in a broader sense, should encourage dialogues, which engage both BGEs and students in creating and making sense of knowledge through joint activities. The findings of this study suggest that the facilitation of dialogues requires the shift of power in discourse from the educator to the learner. Our advice to educators is to pose open-ended questions and employ certain moves (e.g., “elicit”, “maintain”, “press”, etc.) to encourage his or her students to think, interpret, and make new understandings through their contributions to the dialogic discourse. Such discourse can be an essential feature of effective learning in both informal and formal contexts (Ash & Wells, 2006; DeWitt & Hohenstein, 2010; Nystrand, 1997). Another important implication of this study is the use of the framework for identifying the pedagogical functions of the follow-up moves which was devised by drawing on studies conducted in and out of the classroom settings, we believe that educators in different contexts could use it as a tool to guide their teaching practices as well as researchers employing it to analyze learning
The thesis, or the main idea of the book, is that by using specific communication techniques, we can turn difficult discussions into productive learning conversations.
Christensen, C. "The Discussion Teacher in Action: Questioning, Listening and Responding." In C. Christensen, D. Garvin, and A. Sweet(eds), Education for Judgement. Boston: Harvard Business School Press, 1991.
For most people who have ridden the roller coaster of primary education, subtracting twenty-three from seventy is a piece of cake. In fact, we probably work it out so quickly in our heads that we don’t consciously recognize the procedures that we are using to solve the problem. For us, subtraction seems like something that has been ingrained in our thinking since the first day of elementary school. Not surprisingly, numbers and subtraction and “carry over” were new to us at some point, just like everything else that we know today. For Gretchen, a first-grader trying to solve 70-23, subtraction doesn’t seem like a piece of cake as she verbalizes her confusion, getting different answers using different methods. After watching Gretchen pry for a final solution and coming up uncertain, we can gain a much deeper understanding for how the concept of subtraction first develops and the discrepancies that can arise as a child searches for what is correct way and what is not.
Throughout my practice, I have found that this mix is essential in order for children to engage with lessons. Alexander (2004) suggests that dialogical teaching includes traditional types of talk such as rote, recitation and instruction/exposition. It should also include discussion and dialogue (Alexander, 2004). These types of talk can occur in different situations: whole class, group discussions and paired talked. Mercer (1996) carried out a research project concerning the quality of talk in the classroom. His findings supported ‘…the conclusion that talk between learners has been shown to be valuable for the construction of knowledge’ (Mercer, 1996: 362). He disputed that not all kinds of exchange are of educational value (Mercer, 1996: 362). This point validates the importance of teachers understanding what type of talk makes their teaching genuinely dialogic.
This course is in its twilight, and I wanted to share some thoughts with you right before the screen goes down.
In order for true learning to occur, the instructional unit must be designed to meet the needs of the learners represented within the group. During a learner analysis, a curricular designer examines the learners as a group. Since comprehensive curricular units designed to teach the foundational skills of keyboarding are not readily available, a full learner analysis will give the curricular designer a blueprint for creating such an instructional unit. This learner analysis will identify key areas that are instrumental to be included within the instructional unit; thus, increasing the likelihood of student success by meeting the individual needs of each student, as well as the group in entirety.
However, research has shown that specific training of teachers is effective in increasing confidence and competence in addressing controversial issues within the classroom. (Gilligan, Handley & Lynagh, 2010). Often times, to help students think critically about issues, teachers will establish a discussion amongst the students. They will do this by simply stating the facts about an issue and leaving the students to analyze and deconstruct it. In these discussions, teachers will create an environment in which students will be open to multiple perspectives and everyone will get the chance to argue their point respectfully (Warren, 2000). Through this strategy, students will develop critical thinking skills, as they will be able to hear their classmates’ perspectives, as well as being able to express their own in a safe school environment. In order to develop critical thinking skills, pupils must be able to objectively analyze all sides of an issue in order to form a judgement (Gilligan, Handley & Lynagh, 2010). From hearing their classmates’ perspectives, students will learn to build their own conclusions by analyzing all the various viewpoints of an
In the article “What Does It Mean to Educate the Whole Child?” Nel Noddings attempts to provide a deeper insight on what it means to educate the whole child. According to the article, public schools in the United States are currently facing a huge pressure to provide students with thorough and efficient education. In this connection, a program known as No Child Left Behind (NCLB) has endeavored to ensure that efficient education is provided to all minority children, especially the many who are in the inner-cities. Notwithstanding this endeavor, individuals from some quarters have criticized NCLB by claiming that it is an unfunded mandate since it comes up with costly demands without providing necessary resources to meet them. In effect, among
Discourse can be considered as a standerdized approach to thinking, a sort of social boundary illustrating what can be taught about specific topics. Discources affect our veiws and diffrent discources can put a diffrent perspective on the same issue or topic. It is imposible to escape discourses ecspecially in relation to education. To put it another way; the chosen discourse expresses the vocabulary, interpretation and style in which a person communicates e.g a teacher to their students.
I believe that the purpose of education is to produce the next generation of leaders who are intelligent and have great character. This idea is supported in the article “The Purpose of Education” by Martin Luther King. Martin Luther King Jr. was a civil rights activist who fought for black and white people to have equal rights in America. He writes about the true purpose, and meaning of education in the article by saying, “Education must enable one to sift and weigh evidence, to discern the true from the false, the real from the unreal, and the facts from the fiction (MLK1).” This quote from the article explains that being academically educated is very important. It will help people stand up, be a leader, and take charge to make the world a better place for everyone. That gallant leader will argue against the fallacy, lies,
It can be said that the educational system as we know it today and with reference to the local context, the former severely lacks in dialogue. The curriculum relies heavily on the students learning like parrots, to memorise ‘mechanically’, and the t...
Learning Valuebale Lessons from our parents are bound to happen if your a troubled kid like me when u every once in a while make a mistake. Well this can happen to everyone well it happend to me more than the average kid. Have you ever had a good valueable lesson that you learnd from your parents. Well a good valuebale lesson that i learned from my parents is that you do your best no matter what you do and no matter what it is cause if you do your best and know you did your best then you know you did it right. When I was younger and I was Shoveling the drive way and I didn't do the best job and my dad came out side and told me is that the best you can do and I told him no and anyway he said If you can do your best on every thing you do and
Students are provided with adequate tools for learning (student analog clocks, white boards to transfer understood information), and peer or group activities to support the language in Vygotsky’s description of Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). The lesson will consist of the same learning outcome, the same anticipatory set, including the questioning as it practices Vygotsky’s theory of language development. To better align the anticipatory set to Vygotsky’s theory of language development, the teacher may expand on the questions so that students have an opportunity to explain their answers, i.e. “What helps you know and understand the differences between these objects?” and “Why is telling time important to you?” The plan would mimic the same modeling, and guided practice (including book “The Grouchy Ladybug” by Eric Carle read aloud). The use of literature models after Vygotsky’s principle of reciprocal teaching, as students will learn and practice from text. The plan for independent practice will differ in that extra time will be dedicated for more discussion in pairs or groups (added language development). Instead of completing a worksheet over what was just taught, each group of students will orally present a summary of what was learned in the lesson, as well as a brief explanation of how the learning can be applied outside of school. Vygotsky theorized
While in high school, I took many Advanced Placement classes and passed the accompanying exams. Because of this, I was able to begin college with many of my general education credits already completed. This has allowed me to fulfill all but one of the general education classes required by UC Santa Cruz. I will complete my final remaining general education course in Winter quarter 2017. Having finished these requirements will allow me to focus exclusively on classes for my major and possible minor without the distraction of lower division classes.
Situative and other sociocultural perspectives on learning construe knowing as fundamentally social Discourse to Enhance Formative Assessment and Practice (Gutierrez & Rogoff, 2003; Lave & Wenger, 1991) and view participation in discourse, for example, as primary characterization of learning and knowing. In this sense, enhancing participation in discursive practices is learning and not simply something that supports learning. In this article, authors draw on Hickey, et. al.' sociocultural views of classroom discourse, which view social interaction as integral to meaning making and learning (e.g., Mercer, 2004; Wickman & Ostman, 2002; Wortham, 2005), but also consider the understanding and skills of individuals. Such scholars characterize the act of completing individual assessments as another form of participation in a trajectory of discursive practices that relate understanding in social situations to that which is “gathered” in more individualized contexts (often inevitable in formal education). Such learning is a trajectory of participation in discursive practices in which students must engage the text and inscriptions of assessments in meaningful ways. This practice necessarily draws upon other, less formal, discursive representations. Hickey,et.al (2005) considered this latter type in their analyses, which then refined across three stages with the goal of scaffolding students’ abilities to navigate more formal discursive representation such as those on achievement tests.