Observe, interact and act: teachers’ initiation of mini-plenaries to scaffold small-group collaboration

Andrew Joyce-Gibbons

doi:10.1080/1475939x.2016.1173089

Abstract

Mini-plenaries, the shift in discussion from group to class and then back to group during the course of a small-group collaborative activity, have long been part of the repertoire of teachers. Despite this, they are not considered in detail in the research into teacher orchestration or classroom interaction. This article explores the behaviours of two teachers prior to their decision to initiate a mini-plenary. It considers the impact of technology and classroom conditions on this decision. It also looks at the impact of mini-plenaries on student learning and discusses what the initiation of a mini-plenary may signify within the current theoretical framing of classroom orchestration and teacher–student interaction.

Highlights

Orchestration and its limitations Collaborative learning, the process of two or more students working together to find a joint solution to a task, is associated with robust gains in student learning; developing both the versatility and the depth of understanding of students (Barron, 2000, 2003)
This study focuses on the agency of the teacher as an orchestrator of a collaborative learning activity during the inter-active phase of the ICLC framework
The results show that each teacher followed a consistent yet distinct pattern of behaviour prior to initiating a mini-plenary

Summary

Introduction

Orchestration and its limitations Collaborative learning, the process of two or more students working together to find a joint solution to a task, is associated with robust gains in student learning; developing both the versatility and the depth of understanding of students (Barron, 2000, 2003). Orchestration refers to the actions of the teacher to influence learning, within the limitations imposed by the physical, social and political context in which they work Such limitations may include: length of the school day, length of the lesson, content of the syllabus, the size/complexion/organisation of the class and the available resources (Dillenbourg, 2013). Researchers focused on designing tools and learning environments have seen the teacher as an orchestrator of a musical score, adapting it to the needs of a given ensemble (Dillenbourg & Jermann, 2010; Dimitriadis, Prieto, & Asensio-Pérez, 2013). Joyce-Gibbons constraints and people present in the classroom to achieve the optimal learning experience for each individual (Kollar & Fischer, 2013; Sawyer, 2004)

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion