University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

NARST 2014 Pittsburgh (Wallon)

Science teacher questioning while students learn with simulations.

Abstract: The purpose of this exploratory study was to classify the types of questions a science teacher used to support students while they learned with a digital simulation that ran on NetLogo software. An audio recording of a high school biology teacher's interactions with students was transcribed, and teacher questions were interpretatively categorized using Mortimer and Scott's (2003) framework. Teacher questions were also inductively categorized as primarily relating either to using the software or developing conceptual understanding. More authoritative rather than dialogic questions were used, especially when the teacher provided support for using the software. One implication is the importance for students to receive training on simulation software features so that the teacher can dedicate more time to developing conceptual understanding. This paper discusses other implications related to curriculum development and professional development, including the potential benefit of engaging teachers in an analysis of their own questioning types as a professional development activity.

Keywords: simulations, science education, teacher questioning

Wallon, R.C.,* & Hug, B. (2014, March). Paper presented at the Annual International Conference of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, Pittsburgh, PA.

*Conference presenter

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