Discourse strategies that co-construct relational identities in STEM peer tutoring

This study is a discourse analysis of the transcribed talk recorded between tutors and students in a university peer tutoring program. We focus on STEM tutoring sessions, showing how tutors and students co-construct relational identities in and among the technical, highly task-oriented work of solvi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inCommunication education Vol. 68; no. 3; pp. 265 - 286
Main Authors Agne, Robert R., Muller, Heidi L.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Abingdon Routledge 03.07.2019
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Subjects
Action Implicative Discourse Analysis
College Students
Communities of practice
Discourse analysis
Grounded Practical Theory
Interpersonal Communication
Language Usage
Peer Relationship
Peer Teaching
Peer tutoring
relational identity
STEM
STEM Education
Tutoring
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Summary:This study is a discourse analysis of the transcribed talk recorded between tutors and students in a university peer tutoring program. We focus on STEM tutoring sessions, showing how tutors and students co-construct relational identities in and among the technical, highly task-oriented work of solving math and science problems. Using Grounded Practical Theory as a theoretical framework, we propose that understanding the co-creation of relational identities provides insight into an important component of STEM tutoring sessions. Through the process of Action Implicative Discourse Analysis, we describe three conversational practices with which tutors and students negotiate their relational identity-encouragement talk, sensemaking checks, and metadisciplinary talk. We discuss implications in terms of tutoring sessions' situated ideals and participants engaging in a community of practice.
ISSN:0363-4523
1479-5795
DOI:10.1080/03634523.2019.1606433