Exploring the nature and role of student-to-student talk and questioning among young children in technology and design education

Abstract Classroom conversation between students is complex and used for multiple reasons every day. Student dialogue also allows teachers insight into student's learning. This article presents findings from a qualitative study that used dialogism, a branch of sociocultural theory, to investigate in depth student to student (inter-student) questioning learning in technology in junior primary classrooms in small town in rural South Island, New Zealand. Inter-student dialogue was investigated while students from Year 0–4 undertook a technology unit to design and make props and costumes for their class item in the up-coming school production. In this study insight was gained into aspects of development of student understanding in and of technology through the recording and analysis of inter-student talk, observation, analysis of work samples and focus group interviews with the students and their teachers. It also allowed insight into students’ views of the value of talking with their peers. This study aimed to contribute specifically to the fields of classroom dialogue, student learning, formative assessment and technology education. Three key findings are reported, the first related to teachers’ views of classroom talk. Both were aware of the value of talk in the classroom but struggled to implement in-depth student dialogue for a range of reasons. The second finding focused on students’ views on talk. Initially students recognised that they used questions to ask their teacher, peers, or parents for help, however after the study the data showed that a more sophisticated understanding of dialogue emerged. The third key findings focused on the nature of students’ questions while undertaking technology practice. Findings showed that social interaction played a key role in developing participants’ understanding of technology and that they used questioning to clarify, collaborate, support and defend themselves.