Verbal communication at a stand-alone computer

Abstract

The study this article refers to investigates pupils’ face-to-face verbal communication at a computer in a mathematics lesson. The pupils (14 years) work in single-gender pairs and each pair shares one computer. The study applies a design-based research approach and consists of two phases. The first phase is a descriptive-analytic phase and the second is an intervention phase. The data material is analyzed using several analytic loops and extensive pupil-teacher-researcher collaboration. This article reports on the first phase of the study. The pupils use spreadsheet software and work with the mathematical concepts of circumference and area. Six communication patterns are identified and discussed: 1) the level of verbal activity, 2) progressive utterances, 3) to address, 4) to speak in chorus, 5) mutual language, and 6) humor. The patterns are discussed and exemplified through the use of excerpts from the transcriptions. The study contributes to the field of micro-analytic research which describes verbal communication at stand-alone computers in education.