Assessing depth of sociocognitive processing in peer groups' science discussions

The purpose of this study was to apply the depth of cognitive processing construct to a social constructivist analysis of students' collaborative knowledge building in science. Ten sensemaking discussions of five groups of 8th grade students in five physical science classrooms were analysed. Sense-making discussions were defined by the teachers as those in which students explained thier laboratory observations, or construted, applied, and refined conceptual models of the nature of matter. Discussion diagrams were used to depict both the conceptual content and the reasoning processes within the peer groups' discussions. Depth of processing was judged by the extent to which students elaborated on and connected ideas, scrutinised and clarified propositions, constructed explanations rather than reiterated observations, and backed explanations with evidence. Two of the groups tended to process information on a surface level, while the other three groups tended to engage in deeper processing. The interplay of depth of sociocognitive processing with the motivational, cognitive, and discursive elements of groups' interactions are discussed, as is the relationship between accuracy of ideas and depth of processing. Finally, suggestions are made for how both student and teacher strategies can be enhanced to increase students' depth of sociocognitive processing when they collaboratively build knowledge with their peers.     

INDICATORS OF PERFORMANCE: SOME PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS

Universities are coming under increasing pressure to develop and implement Indicators of Performance in order to demonstrate their efficiency and to facilitate institutional planning. In this paper a number of possible indicators for monitoring individual and departmental performance in teaching and research are explored. Preliminary studies indicate that while it is possible to identify both ‘excellence’ and relatively poor performance, it is very difficult, at least in the present circumstances, to effect positive changes in the latter. A sensitive yet economical system of Indicators of Performance could ensure that the professional development of individual academics, as well as departmental and institutional planning, could proceed on a more realistic and rational basis.