CHARACTERISTICS OF SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION REDUCING MISCONCEPTIONS

Anne Gooding and Kaye Stacey

Abstract

This pilot study establishes characteristics of dialogue during a group discussion designed to reduce misconceptions related to division. Groups of children were videotaped and transcripts were coded for mathematical and interactive aspects of the discourse. Although there were important differences between the nature and purpose of this task and those that have been used in previous studies of peer learning, once again a highly interactive pattern of discourse was found to be associated with effective learning. Substantial differences were found in the ways in which effective and ineffective groups engaged with the content of the discussion. Teachers who are alerted to the characteristics of effective group discussion may be able to help children make it a better learning tool.