Three Dimensions of Dialogicity in Dialogic Argumentation

Markus Hähkiöniemi,Pasi Nieminen,Jenna Hiltunen,Sami Lehesvuori,Kaisa Jokiranta

doi:10.5817/sp2019-4-9

Abstract

Three dimensions of dialogicity are emphasised in the literature: dialogic teacher talk, students' dialogic moves and organising for dialogic teaching. In this article, we examine these dimensions and the interplay between them in supporting dialogic argumentation in the context of whole-class discussions in mathematics and physics. Three seemingly different seventh-grade lessons were selected for further analysis from the database of a research project on dialogic argumentation. In this paper, we focus on whole-class discussions after a group assignment. The lessons were video recorded with multiple cameras and transcribed. We characterised dialogic features of teacher talk, more general teacher decisions and organising for dialogic teaching, as well as students' dialogic and justifying moves. In addition, we examined how these were connected. According to the results, the three dimensions of dialogicity played out differently in the lessons. Furthermore, the results give insights into the interplay of the three dialogicity dimensions and students' justifying moves in dialogic argumentation.

Highlights

IntroductionSeveral studies have provided evidence that whole-class discussion (e.g. Evans & Dawson, 2017; Zaccarelli, Schindler, Borko, & Osborne, 2018) and argumentation (see, e.g., the reviews by Asterhan & Schwarz, 2016, and Nussbaum, 2008) may enhance the learning of mathematics and science
Several studies have provided evidence that whole-class discussion (e.g. Evans & Dawson, 2017; Zaccarelli, Schindler, Borko, & Osborne, 2018) and argumentation may enhance the learning of mathematics and science
We elaborate on the dialogic argumentation in the lessons

Summary

Introduction

Several studies have provided evidence that whole-class discussion (e.g. Evans & Dawson, 2017; Zaccarelli, Schindler, Borko, & Osborne, 2018) and argumentation (see, e.g., the reviews by Asterhan & Schwarz, 2016, and Nussbaum, 2008) may enhance the learning of mathematics and science. Several studies have provided evidence that whole-class discussion It is stressed that dialogicity is an essential element in high-quality, whole-class discussion, the concept of dialogicity has slightly different meaning or emphasis in different studies (see the recent handbook Wegerif et al, 2019). Three dimensions of dialogicity have been emphasised: dialogic teacher talk (Bansal, 2018; Lehesvuori, Hähkiöniemi, Jokiranta, Nieminen, Hiltunen, & Viiri, 2017; Lehesvuori, Ramnarain & Viiri, 2018; Mortimer & Scott, 2003), students’ engagement with each other’s ideas through dialogic moves (Asterhan & Schwarz, 2009; Webb et al, 2014) and general organising for dialogic teaching (Alexander, 2004; Stein, Engle, Smith, & Hughes, 2008). We consider dialogicity in the latter sense

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