Conference Program

The aim of the communication proposal is to contribute empirical and didactic research to reflection on discussion as a teaching tool for developing critical thinking.

Classroom discussion, understood as a strategy capable of generating a space for comparison and negotiation of meanings, plays a fundamental role in processes of shared construction of knowledge (Pontecorvo et al., 2004; Lumbelli, 1982; Czerwinsky Domenis, 2000; Brookfield & Preskill, 2009; Carugati, 1988; Doise & Mugny, 1982).

Although several studies have highlighted the value of discussion as a collective knowledge processing device (Pontecorvo et al., 2004; Alexander, 2018; Mercer, 2000), within school contexts, there persists a limited diffusion of teaching activities based on this strategy and aimed at the development of critical thinking (Dewey, 1933/2019; Lipman, 1988). This could be due to a lack of training for teachers in dialogic approaches.

Because it is rooted in school contexts, discussion requires teachers to manage communication and dialogue skills (Hennessy et al., 2021; Parmigiani & Gozzi, 2017).

In light of these reflections, as part of a PhD in Educational Research at Sapienza University of Rome, a field research project was developed and is currently being implemented in the third-grade classes of a primary school in Rome. The study adopts a multilevel strategy, structured around exploratory investigation processes and divided into sequential phases of observation, design, experimentation, and reflection, a typical approach in research training (Asquini, 2018).

This approach is a way to investigate and modify discussion-centered teaching practices and involves integrating, modifying, and testing a conversation analysis device, ODIS, developed and tested in previous research (Zecca, Perucchini & Bertolini, 2025). ODIS was developed to support teachers in conducting and analyzing classroom discussions, in close connection with the educational experience (Bertolini et al., 2022).

The research-training program, aimed at promoting an intentional and reflective use of discussion, aims to achieve a shared design, with the primary focus on reworking the tool and experimenting directly with teachers. This device, based on a cyclical process of participatory use and review, allows not only the observation of communication dynamics but also the stimulation of self-assessment and professional awareness in teachers.

To this end, the study is divided into phases that include: administering pre- and post-test questionnaires (Fredella et al., 2022); implementing mixed-methods training activities; analyzing transcripts of class discussions; and moments of discussions between teachers and researchers.

The ongoing analyses aim to explore how this path can impact the intentional use of classroom discussion as a cognitive and relational mediation practice, as well as the organization of inclusive and participatory learning contexts. Therefore, the research is expected to lead to the development of a framework that supports teachers in reflecting on and improving their teaching practice and fosters a culture of participatory learning in schools.

The initial results of the research and training, which will be shared at the conference and subsequently explored through the extended contribution, will concern the observed changes in teachers' communication and reflective skills, as well as the development of an initial version of the new tool.