Missed opportunities in cyberspace: Preparing preservice teachers to facilitate critical talk about literature through computer-mediated communication

Abstract

This article reports research from a qualitative case study of three preservice English teachers who participated in the Web Pen Pals project, a university—secondary telecollaborative partnership which paired preservice English teachers enrolled in the author's young adult literature course with local middle school students in online chat rooms to discuss young adult literature. The goal of the project was to help preservice teachers learn how to facilitate literature discussions from a critical literacy stance. This article reports findings from analysis of the questioning strategies one preservice teacher used to facilitate critical talk online with adolescents. Findings suggest preservice teachers can bring traditional expectations for discussion to the CMC environment that work against the goals of critical literacy. Implications for future instruction are shared.

Reference

Groenke, S. L. (2008). Missed opportunities in cyberspace: Preparing preservice teachers to facilitate critical talk about literature through computer-mediated communication. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 52(3), 224–233.

Journal

Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy

Analysis

Is this article part of a larger project or series of studies?

yes

Does this study draw on a large, preexisting data set?

Research Approach

Case study

Geographic Setting

United States

Institutional Context

University based

Certification Level

Secondary

Programatic Focus

not stated

Research Location Context

University

Preservice Participants

Undergraduates (university based program)

Preservice Sample Size

Duration of Data Collection

4 to 6 months

Data Sources

Classroom Discussion
Document Analysis
Interviews

Data Analysis Tools

Discourse analysis (conversational analysis)

Researcher Positionality

Inside (studying their own practices)

Research Questions

In what ways does the Web Pen Pals project help PTs take risks in online literature discussion and allow for the disruption of traditional classroom discourse? "The use of CMC in the English classroom may help teach-ers take risks and allow for the disruption of tradi-tional classroom discourse processes that silence some students’ voices while privileging others. The Web Pen Pals project provides a space, then, for preservice English teachers to practice such risk taking."
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? No

What kinds of questions, asked by the PT, facilitated critical understanding of literature for students ? "This analysis explored the questions the preservice teacher asked to facilitate online discussions about lit-erature with middle school students in a synchronous CMC environment and the impact of these questions on the development of critical talk" "this analysis focused on what kinds of questions Amanda asked to facilitate critical understandings about Nothing But the Truth in the Web Pen Pals CMC environment and how these questions affected the discussion."
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? Unknown

How did the PT's question impact the online literature discussion? "this analysis focused on what kinds of questions Amanda asked to facilitate critical understandings about Nothing But the Truth in the Web Pen Pals CMC environment and how these questions affected the discussion."
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? Yes