Quantifying Differences in Students’ Participation Patterns in Classroom Discussions

Abstract

Research has shown that student participation in classroom dialogues is associated with learning gains, and initiatives to encourage more dialogic forms of learning and teaching are abundant. Yet, less is known about how different students may experience, participate in, and what they may gain from dialogic classroom activities. In the current work, we explore potential differences in participation of high and low-achieving students (from 6 different classrooms) in upper elementary Hebrew lessons of teachers who participated in a professional development program on academically productive dialogue. We used Epistemic Network Analysis to identify differences across twelve lessons. Findings reveal that the network model of low-achieving students is characterized by simpler talk moves, reduced connectivity, and repetitive loops. In contrast, high achieving students’ network model is more interconnected, and the strongest connections formed among codes there are indicative of a reasoned argumentation and critical stance. Analyses of selected excerpts further explored the dynamics that may have led to these different patterns.