Discussing the Big Quesions: Using Collaborative Reasoning in Literature Sudy

Abstract

The motivation behind this research stems from a need for reform in American education. Students who are currently graduating U.S. schools are failing in many basic skills needed for the real world. Today’s classrooms are transitioning towards active participation for students, which is beneficial in some aspects, but negligent in others. Educators are calling for group work and inquiry based learning, where the students are encouraged to find the answers for themselves instead of a traditional teacher-led instruction style. This hands-on style learning is very effective theoretically, but when put into practice, students are frequently lost without the proper instructions on how to master a subject without the leadership of the classroom teacher. This study seeks to examine the effectiveness of a particular instructional strategy, Collaborative Reasoning (CR),that allows for student-centered learning in a structured way. CR is a discussion-based model that facilitates the development of argumentative skills and critical thinking. While many studies have been conducted previously on the effect of CR on argumentative skills and text comprehension, there is very little research to determine its ability to be integrated into current curriculum. This study attempts to incorporate collaborative reasoning in other educational frameworks that are already widely accepted and used across the U.S. Specifically, a venture will be made to blend the literature study framework with that of CR in a way that could be implemented effectively in the current educational practices of a 6th grade classroom.