We conducted a semester-long ethnographic study of group work in a physics class that implemented the investigative science learning environment approach. Students’ conversations were videotaped while they were engaged in group learning activities. Our primary research goal was to better understand what factors made some groups more effective than others. We developed a coding scheme that uses particular modality markers such as hedging and upward inflection to identify how students position themselves in these group conversations. Additionally we quantified group effectiveness by how many key ideas in a particular activity a group negotiated and resolved through the course of their conversation. This research builds on theories of social positioning that posit that groups are more effective when their discussion is more equitable. Our exploratory study indicates that groups whose participants position themselves in a more equitable way, are more effective at completing challenging physics activities and resolving areas of confusion that arise.

中文翻译：

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研究性学习环境物理课中小组互动中的社会定位

我们对一门物理课程的小组学习进行了为期一学期的民族志研究，该研究实施了调查性科学学习环境方法。在参加小组学习活动时，将学生的对话录下来。我们的主要研究目标是更好地了解哪些因素使某些小组比另一些小组更有效。我们开发了一种编码方案，该方案使用特殊的方式标记（例如套期保值和向上拐弯）来识别学生的位置自己在这些小组对话中。此外，我们通过小组在对话过程中协商和解决的特定活动中的几个关键思想来量化小组的有效性。这项研究建立在社会定位理论的基础之上，该理论认为，当他们的讨论更加公平时，群体会更加有效。我们的探索性研究表明，参加者以更加公平的方式定位自己的小组，在完成具有挑战性的物理活动和解决出现的混乱领域方面更为有效。