Collaborative problem solving (CPS) is a 21st-century skill essential for learning gains, workplace success, and tackling increasingly complicated global problems. Group diversity plays a vital role during collaborative activities, especially in a digital space. Although CPS involves dynamic communication behaviors, few studies have considered the…

We investigate teacher beliefs about discourses for equation solving and the challenges these beliefs might pose for the implementation of instructional practices that promote deductive reasoning in algebra. To uncover these beliefs, we recorded three video explanations of solutions to the same linear equation with distinct discursive…

A digital wall is a tool for students to structure and register their online work on mathematical problem-solving activities that involve the coordinated use of digital technologies. How could students use such digital wall to understand mathematical concepts and to develop problem-solving competencies? The aim of this study is to analyze and…

In this study, we examine how inservice secondary mathematics teachers working together on a contextualized problem negotiate issues arising from the ill-structured nature of the problem such as what assumptions one may make, what real-world considerations should be taken into account, and what constitutes a satisfactory solution. We conceptualize…

This naturalistic case study investigates the problem posing patterns that emerge as four small groups of 12 year old students in Western Canada work collectively on a structured mathematics task. A method of data analysis is introduced that blurs the data to create transcript "tapestries" providing visual evidence of collective patterns…

One of the most valuable skills in group decision making is the ability to make trustworthy judgments about group performance. It follows from the "inferential model" of social cognition (Pavitt, 1989; Pavitt & Hight, 1986), that there are three types of judgments relevant to the group context: (1) behavioral (what the group did);…

What do principals discuss when they get together to "talk shop?" This paper offers some answers and discusses implications for the preparation and professional development of school leaders. The activities reported in the paper were undertaken as part of the Cognitive Approaches to School Leadership (CASL) Project. In the broadest terms…

This research report examines how two groups of bilingual algebra students made connections among representations while solving a non-routine generalization problem. Using a socio-cultural orientation to mathematics learning, together with a semiotic lens on students' joint mathematical activity, this report details the type of connections among…

In teaching students to write extended definitions it is essential for writing instructors to teach students the concept of criteria. Without such a concept students will never be able to write effective definitions on their own. The criteria they establish for a particular definition allow them to judge which items support their positions on an…

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects and the effectiveness of the use of an on-line community to support preservice teacher and new teacher interaction and development. Mathematics, Science, and Technology (MaSTech) was designed to connect middle grade mathematics preservice teachers and beginning teachers with their peers as well…

Research on gender differences in group performance suggests that males excel at brainstorming while females excel at human relations and integration. To investigate the relations among gender, interaction style, and task performance, 264 college students (130 female, 134 male) worked in three person same sex groups on a production task which…

This study examined the effects of a cross-age training program on the interpersonal conceptions of the students serving as trainers. A total of 24 sixth graders participated in the study, 12 in the training group and 12 in the control group which received no training. The training group met twice a week, once to lead dilemma discussion groups…

This paper reports on a pilot study of 34 sixth-grade students engaged in mathematical explorations that was carried out in the context of a national Logo project in Costa Rica. Students worked in pairs investigating a mathematical microworld written in Logo. The investigation had three phases: (1) open exploration of the microworld, during which…

Four problem-based tutorial groups (n=23 students, n=4 faculty) in Harvard University Medical School's New Pathway track were studied to determine what interactions characterized student-directed discussion. It was found that students selected most topics discussed, that tutors questioned infrequently, provided limited information, and tolerated…

This study aimed to catalog the nature of written message exchanges on a network computer bulletin board, HSJOURN, which caters mainly to high school journalism teachers and publications advisers. The study analyzed the content of messages between December 1993 and January 1995 and cataloged them in the following categories: announcements;…