Abstract
Although group work is considered beneficial for problem solving, the listening that is needed for jointly solving mathematical problems is under-researched. In this article, the usefulness of two communication frameworks for understanding students’ listening is examined, using data from an educational design research study in an upper secondary mathematics classroom in Sweden. From the analysis, it was apparent that these frameworks did not provide sufficient information about the complexity of listening in this context. Consequently, a new framework, “productive listening,” is described which focuses on observable features connected to students’ ability to show willingness to listen and to request listening from others. This framework included the purpose for listening, connected to problem-solving stages, and social aspects to do with respecting the speaker’s contribution as being valuable and feeling that one’s own contribution would be listened to. These two aspects are linked to socio-mathematical norms about expecting to listen to others’ mathematical thinking and to ask clarifying questions about this thinking. By using this framework on the data from the earlier study, it was possible to better understand the complexity of listening in group work about mathematical problem solving.
Highlights
Group work is considered beneficial for problem solving, the listening that is needed for jointly solving mathematical problems is under-researched
To better understand the complexity of why and how students listen in mathematical group work, we describe the productive listening framework
As a result of identifying that the frameworks did not provide sufficient insights into the students’ listening in small group work, we designed the productive listening framework based on the three aspects identified in the earlier literature review: definition of listening, purpose of listening, and how social aspects affect listening in small group problemsolving work
Summary
Communication in small groups is considered to contribute to collective mathematics learning (Cobb et al, 2001; Walshaw & Anthony, 2008), the role of listening in the work of these groups has been under-researched (Hintz & Tyson, 2015). To maintain interactions focused on students’ mathematical thinking and so on learning possibilities, Reeder and Abshire (2012) and Carpenter and Fennema (1992) highlighted the importance of teachers listening to students Communication practices, such as explaining their thinking, are needed if students are to learn how to participate in mathematical practices, like problem solving (Esmonde, 2009). To better understand the complexity of why and how students listen in mathematical group work, we describe the productive listening framework This was developed as a result of an analysis of listening in problem-solving conversations (Sjöblom, 2015), which had used two frameworks that focused on communication in mathematics classroom interactions more generally (Alrø & Skovsmose, 2004; Fuentes, 2009). Before describing the productive listening framework, we summarise previous research on listening in mathematics education, which informed the development of the productive listening framework
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