Understanding the Construction of a Science Storyline in a Chemistry Classroom

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to consider the ways that video analysis could be used to examine the construction of a science storyline in a chemistry classroom. The participating teacher is part of a professional development group, the Invisible College for Inquiry Science Study. This group is dedicated to learning about science teaching through professional reflection, educational research, and dialogue among members. Video data are a primary tool used to achieve all of these goals. In the science unit selected, the teacher developed a storyline leading to the construction of the chemistry concept of a mole. The video analysis used different conversational units of analysis to examine how science concepts are introduced into the classroom community and evolved through dialogue among teachers and students. This analysis considered the pedagogical moves made through discourse, including dialogue around teacher demonstrations, inscriptional practices, and analogical reasoning. The theoretical approach documents how video analysis provides ways to develop teacher professional vision regarding learning opportunities in everyday classroom life.