In Search of Discussion in the Standards-Based Middle School Social Studies Classroom

The goal of this study was to determine what factors influence teachers in their use of discussion in the social studies classroom. I interviewed two middle school teachers and made classroom observations over a three month period. These teachers believed discussion was an important process for students to gain critical thinking and citizenship skills. These teachers believed they were conducting discussions but in fact were often conducting what Nystrand et al. (2003) termed recitation, in which students respond to questions and the teacher validates the response. The disconnect between belief and practice may be the result of a combination factors, including a lack of teacher facilitation skills, the timing of the research, and the tensions caused by the state curriculum standards.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph. D.

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Curriculum and Instruction

Department dc:contributor.department

Teaching and Learning

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

2009

Author dc:creator

• Roberts, Ann Mary

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Hicks, David

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Kelly, Patricia Proudfoot
• Triplett, Cheri F.
• Niles, Jerome A.

• Discussion
• Social Studies
• Citizenship
• Standards
• Middle School

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Dc Identifier Other

etd-04152009-150221

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/26876