"I Own It!" The Influence of Student Agency on Discourse Patterns in Specialized STEM Schools

• In Event: Teaching Science for Citizenship, Agency, and Sociopolitical Action

Abstract

Specialized STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) schools often serve as programs for the gifted population because they offer the best education available to students. Research in STEM schools indicates a culture of student empowerment and student centered learning (Tofel-Grehl & Callahan, 2014). Understanding the ways in which classroom discourse impacts the learning opportunities of students is essential for improving classroom instruction. The current study examines the ways in which teachers' structure learning opportunities through classroom discussion and open ended questioning by examining the questioning techniques of science and mathematics teachers within specialized STEM schools.

Authors

• Colby Tofel-Grehl, Utah State University

• Carolyn M. Callahan, University of Virginia