Comparative analyses of discourse in specialized STEM school classes

thinking. When teachers asked questions seeking analysis, justification, or applied reasoning from students, students were observed to spend more time talking. Further, we found that the analysis questions tended to precede small and large group discussions. Often, the teacher’ reasoning and justification questions prompted students to ask more questions of each other. When students responded to the analysis questions they were more likely to receive a question from a peer than they were when they responded to the rote knowledge opening or follow-up questions (see Figure 5). Trends in discursive differences associated with classroom characteristics Subject matter. Across all sites, teacher interview and classroom observation data yielded evidence of a high value on questions to support student reasoning. In all teacher focus groups, both mathematics and science teachers—regardless of degree attainment level—articulated a philosophy valuing student reasoning Figure 2. Teacher: Abby, where shall we put this one kilo mass to make it balance? Abby: I said eight inches Teacher: And can you explain your logic that you went through to arrive at that? Abby: Well I think that it was twice as much weight so it would be half as much distance. Teacher: That sounds pretty simple and straight-forward. Do you want to come up here and try (on the model)? If I let go of this are you guys confident we will be ok? Abby: No. Teacher: No? Why not? Abby: I am stalling for time to work it out. I was confident when I said it and put it as my answer but looking at it, it doesn’t look right. Teacher: Show of hands of how many people think it will balance. THE JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH 5