Development of Conceptions of Cognitive Benefits of Collaboration During Inquiry-Based Science Units

• In Event: Collaboration and Co-Construction in the Classroom

Abstract

There are challenges to collaboration characterized by explanation and mutual negotiation. One explanation is students’ undeveloped conceptions of peers as contributing to knowledge construction, given limited experience with groupwork. We examine change in seventh graders individual and groups’ conceptions of the cognitive benefits of groupwork during an inquiry unit. We consider whether patterns of development differ for individuals with positive attitudes toward groupwork and initial shared conceptions of the cognitive benefits of groups. While individual’s conceptions remained stable, groups’ conceptions of cognitive benefits showed significant declines across the unit. The observed decline was experienced for those groups with more negative conceptions of group activity, while incoming positive conceptions buffered the initial challenge presented by novel and complex tasks.

Authors

• Toni Kempler Rogat, Purdue University

• Todd P. Shuba, Purdue University