SED 573Fall 2009

Leading a Discussion

  1. Group given a black box activity
  2. Group selects a main inquiry objective, (a) observation/inference; (b) hypothesis & theory; (c) sharing, discussion, debate, communication
  3. Group discusses how to approach running the activity and leading a discussion that emphasizes the main focus
  4. One person in the group runs the activity and discussion, teammates observe and prepare a follow up critique to lead a whole group discussion
  5. Group members may pass suggestions to leader in the form of notes or side comment
  6. The discussion leader is expected to employ discourse strategies from section A below.

Classroom Discourse Practices

AEngaging student reasoning out loud

  1. Prompting participation (something add? New idea?)
  2. Asking student to restate someone else’s idea
  3. Asking student to apply reasoning to another idea (do you agree? Why?)

BBuilding a case or argument

  1. Wait Time I (after teacher talk) and II (after student talk) (stimulates more discussion)
  2. Teacher highlights a student idea – for some purpose
  3. Teacher restates student idea (to give emphasis or to engage student reasoning)
  4. Teacher summarizes or combines student ideas (building a case or argument or position)

Wooden boxes with unknown obstructions

  • Sources of data: sound; feel; orientation
  • Observations, discussion, agreement/disagreement
  • Hypothesis, a limited claim intended for building a theory or explanation – hypothesis about where just one obstruction is located
  • Theory, the complete explanation – draw the inside of box
  • Theory testing – not so easy, you cannot match this box; you can put material in an empty canister and see if it sound similar
  • Always room to improve theory – draw a different or more accurate diagram
  • Collaboration, debate, communication – groups can share data, theory, ideas and see if they agree
  • The box can remain closed – in science you never have a “God’s eye view”

Leading a Discussion

  1. Group given a black box activity
  2. Group selects a main inquiry objective, (a) observation/inference; (b) hypothesis & theory; (c) sharing, discussion, debate, communication
  3. Group discusses how to approach running the activity and leading a discussion that emphasizes the main focus
  4. One person in the group runs the activity and discussion, teammates observe and prepare a follow up critique to lead a whole group discussion
  5. Group members may pass suggestions to leader in the form of notes or side comment
  6. The discussion leader is expected to employ discourse strategies from section A below.

Classroom Discourse Practices

CEngaging student reasoning out loud

  1. Prompting participation (something add? New idea?)
  2. Asking student to restate someone else’s idea
  3. Asking student to apply reasoning to another idea (do you agree? Why?)

DBuilding a case or argument

  1. Wait Time I (after teacher talk) and II (after student talk) (stimulates more discussion)
  2. Teacher highlights a student idea – for some purpose
  3. Teacher restates student idea (to give emphasis or to engage student reasoning)
  4. Teacher summarizes or combines student ideas (building a case or argument or position)

Film canisters with unknown materials

  • Sources of data: sound; feel; weight; magnetism
  • Observations, discussion, agreement/disagreement
  • Hypothesis, a limited claim intended for building a theory or explanation – hypothesis about individual materials in the canister
  • Theory, the complete explanation – list the materials or types of materials inside
  • Theory testing – make up another canister that sounds, feels, weighs the same
  • Always room to improve theory – make up a different canister and see if it matches better
  • Collaboration, debate, communication – groups can share data, theory, ideas and see if they agree
  • The canister can remain closed – in science you never have a “God’s eye view”