Interim Summary

The interpretations of this first episode were divergent: For Fatima (and probably Rim), the expression of disparate opinions is highly valuable. It conveys her belief about learning as an incremental process of completion of information by someone who intentionally wants this information to be integrated, and her beliefs about the role of discussions to provide opportunities to individuals to change their mind. This is not Judith’s view that collaboration (including with the moderator) leads to interesting and founded arguments. Her cynical remarkWeall agree. Is it possible? aswell as her disappointment reported in her auto-confrontation is not shared by Fatima who is enthusiastic. And Fatima’s satisfaction about Ahmad’s restraint is of course not shared by Ahmad who waited to overcome technical difficulties to intervene in order to improve the quality of the discussion throughmeaningful references to all opinions and through the co-construction of newknowledge. The divergences betweendiscussantswere not shared as discussants had different interpretations about interventions: forced silence of the moderator was interpreted as willingness to let discussants free of any guidance, Judith’s cynicism and discontentment were not perceived by some, etc.

Second episode: Ahmad tries to change the flow and the quality of the discussion

The discussion which began with ungrounded agreements between the discussants, developed into a harsh dispute (see Fig. 3): Fatima and Rim argued that the student is at the center (Turns 14, 16, 19), against Judith who argued that opposed this view and added that it is impossible to take into consideration all the variables that are relevant to the educational field (Turn 18). Initial agreement quickly turned to a harsh polemic. At this point, Ahmad succeeded to enter the discussion. At Turn 21, hewrites: Let’s make some order here, we should know on what there is an agreement. At Turn 27, he intrudes into the gist of the discussion by asking the question:What do you think about the saying according to which the student is at the center and the teacher only disturbs in his learning? However, the discussants do not change the way they discuss the issue. The map fills up with short interventions popping out at a dizzying pace. Ahmad, who tries to stop this trend by writing (in Turn 30) Please stop throwing out things without seriously referring to what is written immediately receives Rim’s reaction We don’t simply throw out (Turn 31). In Turn 33, he links Turn 31 to her contribution in Turn 11where she previously wrote In my opinion, any research on learning and teaching should take into consideration all the directions— students, teachers, parents, school, to ask (in Turn 33) U1 what about opening the idea in contribution 11. This subtle move seems to point at Rim’s incoherence, but she is not sensitive to it.