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What Affordances Do Open-Ended Real-Life Tasks Offer for Sharing Student Agency in Collaborative Problem-Solving?

Authors :
Nieminen, Juuso Henrik
Chan, Man Ching Esther
Clarke, David
Source :
Educational Studies in Mathematics. Jan 2022 109(1):115-136.
Publication Year :
2022

Abstract

The important role of student agency in collaborative problem-solving has been acknowledged in previous mathematics education research. However, what remains unknown are the processes of agency in open-ended tasks that draw on real-life contexts and demand argumentation beyond "mathematical". In this study, we analyse a video recording of two student groups (each consisting of four students) taking part in collaborative problem-solving. We draw on the framework for collaborative construction of mathematical arguments and its interplay with student agency by Mueller et al. (2012). This original framework is supplemented by (i) testing and revising it in the context of open-ended real-life tasks, with (ii) student groups rather than pairs working on the tasks, and by (iii) offering a strengthened methodological pathway for analysing student agency in such a context. Based on our findings, we suggest that the framework suits this new context with some extensions. First, we note that differences in student agency were not only identified in terms of the discourse students drew on, but in how students were able to shift between various discourses, such as between "mathematical" and "non-mathematical" discourses. We identify a novel discourse reflecting student agency, invalidation discourse, which refers to denying other students' agency by framing their contribution as invalid. Finally, we discuss the need to reframe "mathematical" arguments--and indeed student agency--while the task at hand is open-ended and concerns real-life contexts.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
0013-1954
Volume :
109
Issue :
1
Database :
ERIC
Journal :
Educational Studies in Mathematics
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
EJ1326541
Document Type :
Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10649-021-10074-9