Identifying pivotal contributions for group progressive inquiry in a multimodal interaction environment

This chapter adopts an interaction analysis method using the notion of uptake to investigate the development of progressive inquiry learning in a classroom setting using Group Scribbles (GS). In progressive inquiry learning, students work together on elaborating a shared object such as a research problem, products in a shared digital space like GS, or experimental practices to be reflected on and transformed. An uptake analytical framework is applied to code different facets of interactions in a small group, comprising verbal interactions (utterances and gestures), artifacts created in GS, and hands-on experimental practices, into events as coordination acts and to identify uptakes and pivotal contributions (a contribution that plays the role of shifting the direction of the subsequent events seamlessly or abruptly) from such interactions. The analysis illuminates how the pivotal contributions influenced the direction of the group progressive inquiry and led the group to develop progressive understanding of the science concepts. Copyright © 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York.