ABSTRACT: This study investigated the role of talk and writing on learning science. The
purpose was to explore the effect of talk, writing, and talk and writing on the learning and
retention of simple and integrated knowledge, and to describe the mechanisms by which
talk and writing mediate these processes. Forty-three students were randomly assigned to
four groups, all stratified for gender and ability. At intervals during an instructional unit,
three treatment groups received problem tasks that involved constructing scientific explanations
for real-world applications of ecological concepts. A control group received simpler
descriptive tasks based on similar content. Students in the talk-only treatment group
(T) discussed the problem tasks in small peer groups. Students in the writing-only treatment
group (W) individually wrote responses for each of the tasks, but without first talking to
other students. Students in the combined talk and writing treatment group (TW) discussed
the problems in groups prior to individually writing their explanations. Dependent variables
included simple, integrated, and total knowledge scores based on multiple-choice tests,
essay questions, and concept maps obtained at three timepoints during the study: a pretest;
an immediate posttest; and a delayed posttest. Records of student talk and writing were
also analyzed to describe the mechanisms involved. The findings suggest that talk is important
for sharing, clarifying, and distributing knowledge among peers, while asking
questions, hypothesizing, explaining, and formulating ideas together are all important
mechanisms during peer discussions. Analytical writing is an important tool for transforming
rudimentary ideas into knowledge that is more coherent and structured. Furthermore,
talk combined with writing appears to enhance the retention of science learning over time.
Moreover, gender and ability may be important mediating variables that determine the
effectiveness of talk and writing for enhancing learning. 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Sci Ed 84:566–593, 2000.
ABSTRACT: This study investigated the role of talk and writing on learning science. Thepurpose was to explore the effect of talk, writing, and talk and writing on the learning andretention of simple and integrated knowledge, and to describe the mechanisms by whichtalk and writing mediate these processes. Forty-three students were randomly assigned tofour groups, all stratified for gender and ability. At intervals during an instructional unit,three treatment groups received problem tasks that involved constructing scientific explanationsfor real-world applications of ecological concepts. A control group received simplerdescriptive tasks based on similar content. Students in the talk-only treatment group(T) discussed the problem tasks in small peer groups. Students in the writing-only treatmentgroup (W) individually wrote responses for each of the tasks, but without first talking toother students. Students in the combined talk and writing treatment group (TW) discussedthe problems in groups prior to individually writing their explanations. Dependent variablesincluded simple, integrated, and total knowledge scores based on multiple-choice tests,essay questions, and concept maps obtained at three timepoints during the study: a pretest;an immediate posttest; and a delayed posttest. Records of student talk and writing werealso analyzed to describe the mechanisms involved. The findings suggest that talk is importantfor sharing, clarifying, and distributing knowledge among peers, while askingquestions, hypothesizing, explaining, and formulating ideas together are all importantmechanisms during peer discussions. Analytical writing is an important tool for transformingrudimentary ideas into knowledge that is more coherent and structured. Furthermore,talk combined with writing appears to enhance the retention of science learning over time.Moreover, gender and ability may be important mediating variables that determine theeffectiveness of talk and writing for enhancing learning. 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.Sci Ed 84:566–593, 2000.
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