Reflective discourse: developing shared understandings in a physics classroom

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Abstract
The study examines ways of speaking that foster the communication of physics principles through reflective discourse. By reflective discourse we mean classroom discussions during which three conditions frequently occur: students express their own thoughts, comments and questions rather than recite a textbook exposition; the teacher and individual students engage in an extended series of questioning exchanges that help students better articulate their beliefs and conceptions; and student/student exchanges involve one student trying to understand the thinking of another. Data consisted of two videotaped lessons about the nature of gravity and its effects. We developed a narrative analysis of the transcripts and identified characteristic features of reflective discourse. These included invoking metaphors for teaching and learning, following a student's lead in thinking and structuring the discussion to foster and monitor changes in the students’ conceptions.

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