Interaction Analysis of a Biology Chat

Abstract

This is an analysis of data from initial attempts to combine (a) technology from the Virtual Math Teams (VMT) Project, (b) helping agents, (c) collaborative small groups, and (d) accountable-talk prompting in order to scaffold biology student online chats about videotaped results of a biology experiment. Analysis of the response structure of the chat log of a student group reveals characteristics of their interactions in terms of building collaborative knowledge. In particular, the mediation by the VMT technology, helping agents, and accountable-talk training is analyzed to determine their influences in promoting productive learning-oriented interaction. A design-based-research analytic perspective provides suggestions for redesign of the socio-technical approach based on the findings from the interaction analysis. Redesign in response to the analysis results in clear improvement, as seen in analysis of the response structure of a chat log from a second test cycle.

Appendices

Appendix A: Chat Log of Group C01 from Cycle One

Appendix B: Chat Log of Group F01 from Cycle Two

No.	Time	Tutor	539CN5	504CN1	550CN5
1	13.57	Hi, my name is Sage. I’ll be working with you in this activity. Take a minute to introduce yourselves
2	14.42	I won’t tell you if you’re right or wrong, but I’ll give feedback as you discuss things as a team
3	14.49			Hi dajha!
4	14.58	Let’s look at a setup which is the opposite of the one we saw earlier—the iodine is now inside and the starch is outside
5	15.24	On the whiteboard, you can see a picture of this new setup
6	15.29				Vinny<3
7	15.38	Here’s what happened in this setup over time
8	15.59	Notice how the inside and outside environments changed. Why did these changes happen?
9	16.26			The iodine left the bag
10	16.31	Okay, 504CN1—why would how we use indicators be relevant?
11	17.39				The iodine was never in the bag the iodine went into the bag
12	17.48
13	17.51			The weight is decreasing and the starch water changed colors
14	17.54	Any input from 539CN5?
15	18.59		If you look at the diagram it shows the big getting liter because the iodine left the bag
16	19.21				Agreed…
17	19.26			Agreed…
18	19.32	Okay, team—in a moment we’ll move to another set of experiments
19	19.56	For these experiments, we’ll use the same membrane, but with pure water on the outside and a glucose solution on the inside
20	20.27	Discuss the differences between glucose and starch molecules
21	20.46				Glucose molecules weigh less
22	21.19	We’ll use the tube weight as an indicator for water movement
23	21.23	We’ll also use glucose test strips to detect glucose in both environments
24	21.37	On the whiteboard, you can see what happened in this setup over time
25	22.01	The results with glucose are different than what you saw with starch—as a team, discuss and agree upon an explanation for these results
26	22.50			The weight of the glucose solution increased over the time period
27	22.59		The water has no sugar in it so the strip will stay yellow. the glucose solution has sugar so the strip will turn green
28	23.03				I think the glucose molecules left the bag and went into the water in the process of that water molecules entered the bag
29	23.41			Once again......agreed with dajha … haha backslash
30	24.00				Always a smart thing to do
31	24.41			But also i agree with vicky too
32	24.50
33	25.32		And over time glucose cane out of the bag and got into the water and that is why after 1 and 24 h the strip that was in the water started to change
34	25.38	Okay, everyone—let’s move on to the last experiment
35	26.00	In this setup we have glucose solution on the outside, pure water on the inside
36	26.23	What changes do you think you’ll see in this condition? Agree on a prediction for what you’ll observe over time, and an explanation that everyone understands
37	26.50		The water has not sugar so the strip is yellow
38	27.36		and the glucose has sugar and the strip is green
39	27.41	So is 539CN5 saying “a glucose test strip changes color when glucose is there?”
40	27.51		Yes
41	28.06			I think the glucose test strip will slowly change to a bright yellow color it is on the weighing scale. also i think the bag of distilled water will weigh more because over time of sitting in the glucose you will get some glucose molecules in the
42	28.06				I don’t think the sugar molecules will get in side the membrane i think they will be to big i think the water molecules will come out of the membrane and go into a concentrated equal environment
43	28.13	Would another way to say that be “molecules will move to the area of lower concentration if they can?”
44	28.38				Yes
45	29.41			Agreed........with dajha again!
46	29.51		I agree to
47	30.02	Make sure each of you is clear on your team’s prediction and explanation, and write it in your worksheet
48	30.09			We all agree!
49	30.45	All right, we’re wrapping up. Thanks, team!
50	30.53				Just to restate… the sugar molecules will not go into the membrane the distilled water will come out and the test strip will turn yellow