Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 8, 2026
07:18
Examining Gesture Production in the Presence of Communication Challenges
Published on: January 26, 2024
Meaning-Making Through Dialogic Classroom Discourse in History Classes: Multi-Perspective Case Studies From a Teacher
Miriam Moser1, Matthias Zimmermann2
1University of Freiburg, Switzerland.
Journal of Social Studies Research
|May 7, 2026
Summary
This study on teacher professional development (TPD) found that students actively shape classroom discourse, while teachers moderate. This highlights new student roles and participation dynamics in dialogic learning environments.
Area of Science:
- Education
- Classroom Discourse Analysis
- Teacher Professional Development
Background:
- Classroom discourse is crucial for student learning and engagement.
- Traditional teacher-led instruction often limits student participation.
- Promoting dialogic discourse requires effective teacher professional development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine meaning-making characteristics in classroom discourse.
- To analyze the impact of a teacher professional development program on dialogic discourse.
- To identify new student roles and interactional dynamics in student-owned discourse.
Main Methods:
- Video-based case analyses of whole-class discussions in history.
- Study involved two classes and teachers (N=46 students) post-professional development.
- Integration of multi-semiotic and content-bound analytical perspectives.
Main Results:
- Students actively shaped discourse direction, adopting leading roles.
- Teachers primarily adopted moderating stances.
- Identified tensions between ensuring student participation and disciplinary compliance.
- Revealed novel student roles and asymmetries, particularly through nonverbal cues.
Conclusions:
- Teacher professional development can foster student-led dialogic discourse.
- Understanding student-owned discourse requires attention to nonverbal interactions.
- Findings offer critical insights for designing effective teacher professional development programs.
Related Concept Videos
01:21Role-Based Identity
Role-based identities are central to understanding how individuals navigate social environments by adopting distinct self-conceptions aligned with various societal roles. These identities are not fixed traits but are constructed through personal actions and the social feedback individuals receive in context-specific interactions. Each social role, such as student, teacher, or friend, carries a set of expectations and norms that influence how people think, feel, and behave within that...
01:30Self Within Cultural Contexts
Cultural frameworks for understanding the self are often categorized into two broad orientations: individualism and collectivism. These paradigms influence how people define themselves, relate to others, and interpret their social worlds. Each orientation offers distinct perspectives on autonomy, responsibility, and the role of the individual within a community.Individualistic CulturesIn individualistic cultures like North America and Western Europe, identity is understood as autonomous and...
01:24Social Foundations of Self I: Play and Game
The development of self in children is deeply rooted in social interactions, mainly through stages of play and structured games. These stages, outlined by sociologist George Herbert Mead, illustrate how children progressively learn to understand and adopt social roles, forming a cohesive sense of self.The Play Stage: Imitation and Simple Role-TakingIn the early years of childhood, the play stage is characterized by imitative behavior, where children engage in role-playing based on familiar...
01:22Vygotsky's Cognitive Development in Cultural Context
Lev Vygotsky, a pioneering Russian psychologist, developed a theory of cognitive development that centers on the influence of social and cultural factors. Unlike Jean Piaget, who emphasized the child's direct interaction with the physical world as key to development, Vygotsky argued that cognitive growth is an interpersonal process that unfolds within a cultural context. For Vygotsky, a child's learning cannot be separated from their social environment, which includes the values, beliefs, and...
01:27Levels of Communication II: Organizational, Public, and Group Dynamics
Effective communication is the foundation of a good organization. Communication is the lifeblood of an organization that connects the group with messages. In an organization, communication occurs in upward, downward, and horizontal lines. Downward communication travels from the administrative and senior levels to the staff through official channels such as manuals, rules and regulations, and organizational charts. Staff members initiate upward communication, which is addressed to executives and...
01:22Case Studies
There are many research methods available to psychologists in their efforts to understand, describe, and explain behavior and the cognitive and biological processes that underlie it.