Visualising the dynamics of learner interaction: Cases from a Norwegian language classroom

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Thesis

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Visualising the dynamics of learner interaction: Cases from a Norwegian language classroom

Juurd Hjalmar Stelma

PhD

2002

University of Leeds

350

LIST OF TABLES 4LIST OF FIGURES 8LIST OF EXTRACTS 121 INTRODUCTION 141.1 RESEARCH AIMS 151.2 STRUCTURE OF THE THESIS 152 RESEARCH ON INTERACTION BETWEEN LANGUAGE LEARNERS 192.1 NEGOTIATION OF MEANING PERSPECTIVE 192.1.1 Background to the Negotiation of Meaning Perspective 192.1.2 Research on Negotiation of Meaning in Learner Interaction 202.1.3 Critique and Implications for the Research Aims 232.2 COGNITIVE PERSPECTIVE 252.2.1 Background to the Cognitive Perspective 262.2.2 Research on Cognitive Processes in Learner Interaction 262.2.3 Critique and Implications for the Research Aims 292.3 SOCIOCULTURAL PERSPECTIVE 302.3.1 Background to the Sociocultural Perspective 312.3.2 Research on Functions of Output in Learner Interaction 312.3.3 Research on Mediation, Scaffolding and the ZPD in Learner Interaction 342.3.4 Critique and Implications for the Research Aims 362.4 IMPLICATIONS FOR THE RESEARCH 383 A DYNAMICAL PERSPECTIVE ON LEARNER INTERACTION 403.1 RELATED DYNAMICAL FRAMEWORKS 403.1.1 Classroom Talk as a Complex System 413.1.2 Microdevelopmental Analysis 423.2 A DYNAMICAL PERSPECTIVE 443.2.1 Learner Interaction as a Complex System 453.2.2 Learner Interaction and Sociocultural Theory 483.2.3 Conceptualising Change Across Similar Activities 503.3 IMPLICATIONS FOR THE RESEARCH 514 RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND DATA COLLECTION 534.1 RESEARCH QUESTIONS 534.2 PILOT WORK AND DESCRIPTION OF RESEARCH SETTING 564.2.1 Access to the Research Setting 564.2.2 Description of the School, Class and the Teachers 574.2.3 Classroom Activities in the English Lessons 584.2.4 Pilot Work on Sources of Contextual Data 604.3 PARTICIPANTS AND ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS 614.3.1 Selection of Participants 614.3.2 Profiles of the Participants 634.3.3 Ethical Considerations 644.4 OVERVIEW OF SOURCES AND COLLECTION OF DATA 654.4.1 Classroom Observation Preceding the Role-play Task 664.4.2 Learner Interaction Data from the Role-play Task 664.4.3 Follow-up Activity 684.4.4 Additional Sources of Data 704.5 CONTINGENCIES IN THE DATA COLLECTION 714.5.1 Data Collection: March 2000 724.5.2 Data Collection: May 2000 754.5.3 Data Collection: October 2000 774.5.4 Data Collection: January 2001 804.6 SUMMARY 835 VISUALISING THE LEARNER INTERACTION DATA 845.1 TRANSCRIPTION OF THE LEARNER INTERACTION DATA 845.1.1 Temporal Accuracy of Transcription 855.1.2 Transcribing Talking-and-Thinking 885.1.3 Intonation Units and Transcription Conventions 895.2 FACILITATING CODING AND VISUALISATION 925.2.1 Identifying Activity Strands and Threads 935.2.2 Constraints and Conventions in Visualisation 945.2.3 Preparing the Transcripts for Coding 965.2.4 Implementing the Visualisation 995.3 CODING AND VISUALISATION OF EACH ACTIVITY STRAND AND THREAD 1025.3.1 Coding of the Writing Strand 1025.3.2 Visualisation of the Writing Strand 1045.3.3 Coding of the Attention Strand 1055.3.4 Visualisation of the Attention Strand 1115.3.5 Coding the Language Code Thread 1125.3.6 Visualisation of the Language Code Thread 1145.3.7 Coding of the Regulative Threads 1155.3.8 Visualisation of the Regulative Threads 1245.4 SUMMARY 1256 VISUAL DYNAMICAL ANALYSIS OF LEARNER INTERACTION 1276.1 IDENTIFYING PATTERNS AND PHASES 1276.2 PATTERNS AND PHASES OF LEARNER INTERACTION: CASE 1 1306.2.1 Features in Single Activity Strands and Threads 1306.2.2 Relationships between Activity Strands and Threads 1476.2.3 Synthesis of Phases in the Learner Interaction 1576.3 PATTERNS AND PHASES OF LEARNER INTERACTION: CASE 2 1596.3.1 Features in Single Activity Strands and Threads 1606.3.2 Relationships Between Activity Strands and Threads 1736.3.3 Synthesis of Phases in the Learner Interaction 1816.4 PATTERNS AND PHASES OF LEARNER INTERACTION: CASE 3 1836.4.1 Features in Single Activity Strands and Threads 1836.4.2 Relationships Between Activity Strands and Threads 1976.4.3 Synthesis of Phases in the Learner Interaction 2046.5 SUMMARY AND DISCUSSION OF PATTERNS AND PHASES 2067 DEMANDS AND SUPPORT IN THE LEARNER INTERACTION 2127.1 IDENTIFYING EPISODES OF LEARNER TALK 2127.2 ANALYSIS OF EPISODES OF LEARNER TALK 2137.2.1 Beginning of the Activity 2147.2.2 S-pattern in First Half of the Activity 2177.2.3 S-pattern in Last Half of the Activity 2227.2.4 End of the Activity 2277.3 SUMMARY AND DISCUSSION 2308 VISUAL ANALYSIS OF SUCCESSIVE LEARNER INTERACTION 2348.1 IDENTIFYING CHANGES IN LEARNER INTERACTION 2348.2 SECOND DIALOGUE-WRITING ACTIVITY: MAY 2000 2368.2.1 Veronica and Karen: May 2000 2378.2.2 Morten and Tim: May 2000 2448.2.3 Marcus and Dennis: May 2000 2498.3 THIRD DIALOGUE-WRITING ACTIVITY: OCTOBER 2000 2558.3.1 Veronica and Karen: October 2000 2568.3.2 Morten and Tim: October 2000 2628.3.3 Marcus and Dennis: October 2000 2698.4 FOURTH DIALOGUE-WRITING ACTIVITY: JANUARY 2001 2758.4.1 Veronica and Karen: January 2001 2758.4.2 Morten and Tim: January 2000 2828.4.3 Marcus and Dennis: January 2001 2898.5 PUPILS??? CONTRIBUTION TO THE CHANGE PROCESSES 2958.6 SUMMARY OF CHANGES IN LEARNER INTERACTION 2999 CONTRIBUTIONS OF VISUALISATION 3019.1 CONTRIBUTIONS AND LIMITATIONS OF VISUALISATION AS A METHOD 3019.1.1 Visualisation as a Representation of Learner Interaction 3019.1.2 Visual Dynamical Analysis of Learner Interaction 3049.1.3 Visual Analysis of Successive Instances of Learner Interaction 3079.1.4 Pedagogical Implications for Use of Classroom Activities 3099.2 APPLYING THE VISUAL METHOD TO ADDITIONAL DATA SETS 3119.2.1 The Role of the Present Data in Developing the Visual Method 3129.2.2 Identifying Activity Strands and Threads in Additional Data Sets 3139.2.3 Suitability of Additional Data Sets for Visualisation 3159.3 CONCLUDING REMARKS 317APPENDIX A: INFORMED CONSENT FORMS 318APPENDIX B: ROLE-PLAY TASK SHEETS 321APPENDIX C: DESCRIPTION OF THE ROLE-PLAY TASK 325APPENDIX D: WORKBOOK PAGE FOR TASK IN JANUARY 2001 326APPENDIX E: TRANSCRIPTION CONVENTIONS 327APPENDIX F: CODING OF THE WRITING STRAND 328APPENDIX G: CODING OF THE ATTENTION STRAND 331APPENDIX H: CODING OF THE LANGUAGE CODE THREAD 334APPENDIX I: CODING OF NON-PROSPECTIVE REGULATIVE THREAD 337APPENDIX J: CODING OF PROSPECTIVE REGULATIVE THREAD 340APPENDIX K: VISUAL DISPLAY SOFTWARE SPECIFICATIONS 343BIBLIOGRAPHY 346

This thesis presents visualisation as a method for research on learner interaction. The visualisation is designed to account for the dynamics of learner interaction across the duration of language classroom activities. The development of this method includes the formulation of a dynamical perspective on learner interaction, which draws on sociocultural and complexity theory. The visualisation is developed with, and applied to, data from three pairs of participants engaged in a series of similar English writing activities in a Norwegian primary classroom. The thesis provides a detailed discussion of how this learner interaction data was transcribed, coded and eventually visualised. The application of the visualisation to the Norwegian primary classroom data resulted in the identification of patterns and phases in the participants??? learner interaction. These patterns and phases revealed both common and unique dynamics across the three cases of interaction. The outcome of the visual analysis of one of the cases was used to guide an in-depth analysis of episodes of learner talk. This in-depth analysis confirmed some of the dynamics established by the visual analysis. A final visual analysis identified different change processes in the three cases of learner interaction across the series of similar writing activities. Overall, the visualisation helped to make transparent how both the writing activity and the participants??? own contributions affected the dynamics of learner interaction. The thesis concludes that, in the terms of the dynamical perspective developed by the thesis, visualisation was an effective method for describing the dynamics of learner interaction in the writing activities the participants were engaged in. The thesis also suggests that visualisation can be used in conjunction with other methods for researching learner interaction. Finally, the thesis points out some limitations of the present implementation of visualisation, and makes suggestions for how the method can be improved through further research.

• Visualisation; classroom interaction

• Stelma, Juup

• Faculty of Humanities
• School of Education
• School of Environment, Education and Development

uk-ac-man-scw:69207

Stelma, Juup

23rd October, 2009, 22:51:34

Stelma, Juup

2nd August, 2013, 22:35:02