Small group discussions in large lecture : connections between teacher facilitation and student participation

Graduation date: 2011An investigation was made to determine teacher facilitation techniques in large lecture physics classrooms that foster small group discussion. Video recordings of an introductory calculus-based physics class were taken for the 2008-2009 academic year at Oregon State University. These videos were analyzed to determine student participation in small group discussion (active, mix, or passive) during episodes when the instructor allowed students to work together. 72 video episodes were coded independently by two researchers. 24 of the 72 video episodes were selected for a more detailed analysis, including the analysis of transcriptions of these activities. Several instructor facilitation techniques that may foster or inhibit participation in small group discussion were identified from these analyses