ABSTRACT

TO WHAT EXTENT DOES CLASSROOM DISCOURSE SYNERGISTICALLY SUPPORT ELECTRONIC DISCOURSE?: A STUDY OF THE KIDS AS GLOBAL SCIENTISTS MESSAGE BOARD

by

Soo-Young Lee

Chair: Nancy Butler Songer

The purpose of this study is to understand and characterize mechanisms by which electronic discourse can be best integrated into a classroom environment and supported by classroom discourse.  Sixth grade students participated in an Internet-enhanced, inquiry-rich science curriculum called Kids as Global Scientists (KGS) studied weather phenomena using real-time data and collaborated with peers and scientists from all over the world through telecommunication technologies.  This study examined the development of scientific understanding students exhibited on the KGS Message Board, a web-based discussion tool, and what role classroom discourse — as a mediator of teacher scaffolding — plays in the process as well as the product of electronic discourse.  Domain analysis of classroom discourse identified three cycles of the KGS Message Board-related activities.  Results demonstrated different patterns of teacher – student interaction, both across the three cycles and between a science classroom and a computer lab.  In general, the teacher’s conceptual scaffolding was more frequently observed in the science classroom rather than in the computer lab.  In addition, the frequency of conceptual scaffolding increased whereas the frequency of procedural scaffolding decreased overtime in the computer lab.  Verbal analysis of electronic discourse revealed that student’s understanding of scientific concepts and scientific inquiry varied across the three cycles depending on curriculum objectives, degree of teacher’s conceptual scaffolding including explicit modeling, opportunity to practice, and students’ prior understanding of science and technology.  The results of this study p suggest several recommendations for the future design of a learning environment where electronic communication is integrated in a face-to-face classroom environment.  To promote students’ understanding of scientific inquiry as well as scientific concepts, a curriculum should provide explicit and multiple models of scientific inquiry and curriculum objectives should explicitly address both scientific concepts and scientific inquiry.  Students should have multiple opportunities to practice different types of scientific discourse in a meaningful context.  This study also argues that teacher’s conceptual scaffolding is even more critical in the computer lab than in a traditional classroom, because of the tendency that teacher feedback can easily fall back to procedural scaffolding.  To ensure proper conceptual scaffolding in the computer lab, this study recommends heterogeneous student grouping in the computer lab, providing customizable procedural scaffolding through a curriculum and a technology tool, and providing diverse sources of conceptual scaffolding such as on-line scientists.