Supporting Cooperative Dialogue in Heterogeneous Groups in Elementary Education

Abstract

<jats:p> Literature agrees that learning in heterogeneous groups could benefit from support that structures the cooperative process, but has been inconclusive as to what this support should look like. This study investigated the effects of a worksheet that structured a heterogeneous cooperative process. The worksheet addressed the elements of social interdependence theory. Fourth to sixth graders ( n = 136) worked cooperatively in 34 heterogeneous groups of four, either with or without the worksheet. Results showed that heterogeneous cooperation benefited from the worksheet. Group members with the worksheet participated more equally in the domain-related dialogue, and a larger proportion of the group dialogue was task oriented and spent on exchanging domain-related explanations in comparison with the control group. However, adding the worksheet helped only low-ability children to increase their level of knowledge. Future research should look into possibilities for children’s learning outcomes to benefit more from improved heterogeneous group dialogue. </jats:p>

Analyzing Socially Shared Regulation of Learning during Cooperative Learning and the Role of Equal Contribution: A Grounded Theory Approach

“…For the initial coding and focused coding phases, video recordings of the groups in the supported condition were coded using ELAN software [49]. During a former analysis of the data, which has been published in [43], the data had already been subdivided into segments in ELAN. Each segment represented a speaking turn of a specific student and started when a student started to speak and stopped when another student started to speak, when the student was interrupted or when a silence of more than two seconds occurred.…”

“…The effect of equal participation was also investigated by observing the SSRL processes in two conditions. The supported condition was assisted by a worksheet that fostered equal participation [43]. The unsupported condition did not have access to the worksheet.…”

“…To structure information sharing by the group members in the heterogeneous design groups and to support equal participation, a worksheet was given to the students in the supported groups (see Appendix A) [43]. The worksheet consisted of four steps that were based on social interdependence theory [44], which holds that the accomplishment of goals is influenced by the acts of others.…”

“…The study by van Dijk, Eysink and de Jong (2021) [43], in which the effectiveness of the worksheet was investigated, found that the students in the supported condition engaged in more equal participation in the domain-related discourse, gave more domainrelated theoretical explanations, and spent more time on coordinating their cooperation than students in the unsupported condition.…”

BE COOL! a digital learning environment to challenge and socially include gifted learners

“…As a consequence, the tool which was implemented as a worksheet, was expected to lead to more equal participation in the knowledge-sharing process, more focus on domain knowledge sharing, and more knowledge acquisition. A full description of the worksheet can be found in van Dijk et al (2019).…”