2016 Volume 64 Issue 4 Pages 456-476
The present study examined how collaborative learning in a whole class may facilitate individuals’ explanation construction, and the relationship of explanation construction and individuals’ conceptual understanding. Eleventh graders (2 classes; total N=66) solved mathematical problems about the relation between numerical sequences and functions in 3 stages: pre-test, during the lesson (2 conditions: collaborative learning and teacher’s explanations of the answers), and post-test. The results indicated that perceiving inconsistencies in their own ideas and creating their own ideas consistently facilitated individuals’ explanation construction when elaborating their own ideas encouraged by others, which in turn led to individuals’ conceptual understanding. These results suggest that, particularly in relation to whole-class collaborative learning, (a) producing new ideas by linking students’ own ideas and information extracted from others’ explanations along their point of view may facilitate deeper understanding, (b) mutual explanations between students may encourage other students who are listening to the explanations to make their own ideas consistent, and (c) teachers’ support appears to be necessary for effective learning, perhaps because the amount of class time is limited.
