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Discussion
Analysis
At the center of good teaching are good discussions. To analyze discussions
and to find ways to improve discussion leading you need to be a careful
observer. This page provides forty-nine aspects of discussions that you
can observe and about which you can gather concrete and specific data. Following
each aspect listed below are suggestions in brackets for how to gather data.
I also suggest three additional methods of data gathering beyond observation.
Observation can be direct or from video or audio recordings. You can
only collect data on a small number of aspects of a discussion at any
one time--select the focus for your data collection carefully. Prepare
to observe discussions by drawing a classroom map on which you can record
information, such as tally marks on boxes that represent student desks
and lines and arrows showing movement or direction or people or comments,
and have at hand several lined pages for notes and a watch. Word-for-word
transcripts may be very important for the analysis. Frequently recording
the time and noting events can create a useful record.
Good classroom observation is a complex art that requires study and practice,
but even carefully observing, gathering data, and writing an analysis
of a single discussion can teach you a great deal about how to create
a good discussion. (For more information on discussion data collecting
and analysis, see Looking in Classrooms by Good and Brophy.)
Physical Setting Suitable for Discussion
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1. organization of students, seating, position
of teacher
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draw maps, arrows
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2. classroom environment
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make observations, notes
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Clear Purposes for Discussion
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3. goal statement
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transcribe
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4. benchmark comments, links within the discussion,³mini-summaries²
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transcribe
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5. links to previous / future learning
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transcribe
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6. closure statements, activities
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transcribe / record
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Teacher Caring / Affect / Interest / Enthusiasm
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7. statements
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transcribe
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8. body motions, expression
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note / record / count |
Discussion Support Activities
| 9. writing, drawing |
record event |
| 10. small groups, dyads |
record event |
| 11. note taking |
record / time sample |
| 12. reading silently, aloud, by teacher, by students |
record event / time |
| 13. use of blackboard, overhead |
record event |
| 14. integration of homework with discussion |
transcribe / interview |
| 15. metacognitive reflection on discussion/activity
itself |
transcribe |
Questioning Strategies
| 16. total number of questions |
count |
| 17. clarity of questions |
transcribe |
| 18. intellectual level of questions |
transcribe / code |
| 19. teacher repeats questions |
transcribe / count |
| 20. teacher repeats student answers |
count |
| 21. wait time |
count seconds |
| 22. calls on volunteers vs. non-volunteers |
count / map |
| 23. naming students before or after asking questions |
count / transcribe |
| 24. pattern of responses (t-s-t-s, t-s-s-s, etc.) |
record |
| 25. probing (individual or group) |
transcribe |
| 26. ratio of teacher talk to student talk |
record with watch |
Feedback to Students
| 27. information about accuracy transcribe |
code |
| 28. praise / censure |
transcribe / code |
| 29. to individuals, groups, or whole class |
transcribe / code |
Discussion Equity
| 30. distribution of questions, responses by gender,
race, etc. |
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Student Behavior
| 31. frequency of participation |
map / code |
| 32. length of discussion responses |
record by counting |
| 33. talk to teacher, talk to other students |
note eye contact |
| 34. ask questions, of teacher, of other students |
transcribe / code |
| 35. connections to previous learning |
transcribe / count |
| 36. connections to own experience |
transcribe / count |
Expectations
| 37. intellectual / academic level of discussion
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transcribe / code (eg. Bloom's taxonomy) |
Discussion Content
| 38. topic balance |
note time when topic changes |
Assessment of Student Learning from Discussion
| 39. monitoring of student responses |
interview teacher |
| 40. teacher surveys (raise hands, fingers of five, etc.)
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record event |
| 41. written assignments assigned based on the discussion |
record / interview |
| 42. student self-assessment |
record / transcribe |
Discussion Management
| 43. students on task |
time sampling |
| 44. behavior / language appropriate |
record event |
| 45. clarity of teacherıs instructions |
transcribe |
| 46. appropriate academic level |
record student responses |
| 47. teacher tone |
transcribe / notes |
| 48. naming or calling on students to control behavior |
count |
| 49. teacher response to disruption |
transcribe / notes |
Other Methods
| create questionnaire, for students and/or teacher |
| interview teacher and/or students |
| write a classroom ethnography |
Created by: careywebb@wmich.edu
Revised Date: 7/02
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