An Analysis of the Verbal Interaction Patterns of Science-Gifted Students in Science Inquiry Activity

Abstract

This study analyzes the verbal interaction patterns used in a social network activity analysis that appeared in a science inquiry activity of 31 small groups of science-gifted students consisting of 5 members each. The results of this study are as follows: The interaction patterns showed eight types. The most prevalent interaction pattern, type 1, is triangle-shaped, interacting with 3 members out of 5 without a central member. Type 2 is wye form, interacting with 4 members and with one alienated member. Type 3 is diamond-shaped, interacting with 4 members. Type 4 is ray form, interacting with 5 around a central member. Type 5 has an alienated member and interacts with 4 members around the central member. Type 6 is triangle-branched, 4 members linked to the central member. Type 7 is wye form linked all around the central member. Type 8 is wye form with a more complex link than type 7. These can be classified in two. One is the participation-type where the rest of the 4 members are linked to the central member. The other is the alienation-type where a member/members is/are alienated without a central member. The participation-type appeared in 9 groups (29%), type 4, type 6, type 7, and type 8. The alienation-type showed in 22 groups (71%), type 1, type 2, type 3, and type 5. On the basis of this study, we propose that the best number of members in a group is three. It helps prevent a free-riding effect or isolation of members. Also, we deem it more fruitful if there is a member playing a central role in a group.

Analysis of Stability in Verbal Interaction Types of Science-gifted Students

“…Out of these, the changing interaction type was further divided into four subcases. Based on the criteria of dividing the type of interactions into alienated and participative type in a previous study (Kim & Kim, 2015), the changes of interactions in a small group were named as follows: the case in which the interactions did not change and the alienated member remained was named "alienation retaining type," and the four cases where the interactions changed were named "alienation expansion type," "alienation expansion returning type," "alienation participation expanding type," and "alienation participation switching type. "…”

“…The social network analysis method has been used in studies on interaction; however, they showed very limitation of study. For example, previous studies (Kim & Kim, 2015) analyzed the types of interactions that appeared in the inquiry activities using SNA. This study analyzed eight interaction types that appeared in inquiry activities.…”

Verbal Interaction Types in Science Inquiry Activities by Group Size

“…It helps in intuitively determining if any member plays a central role in the group or if there is an alienated member, and who the central or alienated member is . Kim and Kim (2015) analyzed the types of interactions occurring in inquiry activities through social network analysis. The study…”

“…The previous study analyzed only small groups of five students and found that some students could not join the interaction. Based on this result, they suggested the research questions on the sample size which allows all students to join the interaction (Kim & Kim, 2015). Therefore, this study sought to analyze the characteristics of the interaction patterns of small groups of general students by adjusting the size of such groups.…”

“…The type-5E interaction structure appeared in 9 of the 31 groups in the research conducted on five-member groups . Such research claimed that this type of interaction structure appears when no members encourage the alienated members to participate in the inquiry activity or lead them in a positive direction (Kim & Kim, 2015).…”