Seminar by Paul Warwick (University of Cambridge) 'Digitalised Dialogues Across the Curriculum (DiDiAC): Enhancing classroom dialogue by using Talkwall to 'Think Together''

The DiDiAC research considers how a microblogging tool might affect interactions in ‘dialogic classrooms’. Developed by the University of Oslo, Talkwall is a free micro-blogging tool for engaging students in collective classroom interaction. Using Talkwall, an individual (e.g. a teacher) formulates a question or a challenge before participants (e.g. students), individually or in groups, post messages to a shared ‘wall’ (e.g. large screen/projector). Underpinned by a Vygotskian sociocultural framework, which views learning as a social process mediated by tools, this seminar will report on research in Norwegian (n=5) and British (n=2) secondary schools investigating: i. the potential of Talkwall to enhance existing/promote new forms of classroom dialogue and provide a visualisation of ‘interthinking’ amongst students; ii. how microblog-supported classroom dialogue may contribute to the development of students’ collaboration and critical thinking skills; iii. the skills that need to be attained for students to master digitalised communicative contexts, and how teachers can support this mastery through their pedagogy. Using a design-based approach with teachers working as co-researchers, approximately 400 students are involved. Data collection includes quantitative (e.g. metadata, measuring collaboration/critical thinking, social network/semantic analysis) and qualitative (e.g. observations, video, interviews) approaches. Details of the theoretical underpinning for the research, the strategy for data collection and analysis, and latest project developments (e.g. the outcomes of several teacher-researcher workshops), will also be discussed. During the seminar, participants will have the opportunity to experience using Talkwall using their own mobile/computing devices.