Abstract
In this thesis the theoretical framework student ownership of learning (SOL) is developed both theoretically and with qualitative research, based on studies of small-group work in physics with miniprojects and context rich problems. Ownership is finally defined as actions of choice and control, i.e. to realise opportunities to own organisation of the work. The dimension group ownership of learning (SOL-g) refers to the groups’ actions of choice and control of the management of the task: how the task is determined, performed and finally reported. The other dimension, the individual student ownership of learning (SOL-i), refers to the individual student’s own question/idea that comes from own experiences, interests, or anomalies of understanding; an idea/question that recurs several times and leads to new insights. From literature and from own data, categories are constructed for group and individual student ownership of learning, which have been iteratively sharpened in order to identify ownership in these two dimensions. As a consequence, the use of the framework student ownership of learning is a way to identify an optimal level of ownership for better learning and higher motivation in physics teaching.
The first part of the thesis gives an overview of the theoretical background to the studies made, and summarises the findings. The second part consists of five articles that report analyses of audio/video-recorded student cooperative work and student group discussions from three collections of data: 1) students working with miniprojects in teacher education, 2) upper secondary school students taking a physics course that includes both context rich problems with group discussions and miniprojects, and 3), aeronautical engineering students working with context rich problems in an introductory physics course at university.
The thesis describes in a fine-grained analysis the conversation in the groups based on Barnes discourse moves, and finds that ownership and communication are related. Group discussions are found to be an indicator for group ownership of learning and exploratory talks often promotes individual student ownership of learning.
List of papers
Paper I
Enghag, M., Gustafsson, P., Jonsson, G. (2004). Context Rich Problems in Physics for Upper Secondary School Science Education International 15(4), 2004, (293-302)
Paper II
Enghag, M., Niedderer, H. (2005). Physics learning with exploratory talks during a miniproject – a case study of four girls working with electric circuits, Journal of Baltic Science Education,1(7), (5-11)
Paper III
Enghag, M., Gustafsson, P., & Jonsson, G. (in press). From everyday life experiences to physics understanding occurring in small group work with context rich problems during introductory physics work at university Accepted for publication in Research in Science Education
Paper IV
Enghag, M., Niedderer, H. (2006). Two Dimensions of Student Ownership of Learning During Small-Group Work in Physics Accepted for publication in International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education
Paper V
Enghag, M., Gustafsson, P., Jonsson, G. (2006). Talking Physics During Small-Group Work With Context-Rich Problems Submitted to International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education
Paper VI
Enghag, M.(2006) Arbete med en egen frågeställning som ger lärande i fysik – om ”ownership of learning”. In: Bering, Dolin, Krogh, Sølberg, Sørensen och Troelsen Naturfagsdidaktikkens mange facetter. Proceedings fra Det 8. nordiske forskersymposium om undervisning i naturfag(Aalborg 2005), Køpenhavn: Danmarks pædagogiske Universitets Forlag (s.193- 200)
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