Discourse Practices in Science Learning and Teaching

Abstract

Interactional contexts are constructed through discourse in various settings. Research on discourse processes in science education has examined how knowledge and practice are communicated in different settings and how research processes themselves entail uses of discourse. Studies of discourse include examination of everyday talk and action in ongoing teaching and learning events, interviews of participants, and written texts in their various forms, andThe fi eld of science education has become increasingly interested in understanding the nature and relationship of discourse processes and social practices in instructional settings. This chapter begins by providing a rationale for the study of discourse in science education research. Theoretical perspectives and methodological approaches for researching discourse in science education are reviewed. Discourse studies include consideration of social languages, speech genres, contextualization, paralinguistic communication, interactional contexts, and the role of language in social practice. Studies of discourse in science education reviewed in this chapter were organized into four broad categories. These categories are not mutually exclusive and overlap across a number of dimensions. The fi rst group examines how access to science and identity with science and school are constructed and positioned through interaction. These studies focus on issues of equity and student diversity and are often set in urban and other multicultural educational settings. A second set of studies considers discourse practices across multiple learning contexts. These studies investigate different forms of science instruction and student engagement and include inquiry approaches, group work, and project-based learning. A third set of studies treats argumentation as a discourse practice for students and teachers in science education. The fourth category concerns the discourse of teaching and teacher education. Given the nature of discourse processes in educational events, any given study can be characterized multiple ways. For example, a study of student identity through engagement in an urban community-based science project might fi t into any of the four categories used in this review. After reviewing the current knowledge of discourse practices in science education, the chapter concludes by proposing topics, methods, and audiences for future research directions.