| The purpose of this study was to describe the interactions between a classroom facilitator and student teachers during whole class case-based discussions. Five questions were explored. (1) What role did the facilitator play in whole class discussions? (2) How did particular cases elicit problem solving? (3) What kinds of engagement did students demonstrate in each discussion? (4) How did individuals differ in their participation during case discussions? (5) How did turn-taking between students and facilitator, change over time?;The content of the discussions was analyzed specifically looking at the aspects of problem solving, which regards problem analysis, solution analysis, knowledge resources and individualized perspectives. The interaction analyses were categorized as asking, probing, agreeing, challenging, clarifying, paraphrasing, praising, inviting, referring and elaborating. The results revealed that the facilitator was more often guiding and supporting student participation in the first three discussions. The facilitator orchestrated the discussion by sharing responsibilities for learning and teaching together. The content and the nature of the case influenced the format of the discussion. Students' personal and professional experiences affected their engagement and contribution to the discussions. This study gives some insights into how whole-class discussion works and how the facilitator and students engage in these discussions. This study reveals that interaction and content of discussions could be affected not only by students' background knowledge and previous experiences, but also by the facilitator's intentions and purposes.;The data sources were transcripts of videotaped whole-class case discussions and a semi-structured interview with the facilitator. This study analyzed, in detail, both the content of the case discussions in the framework of problem solving strategies and the interaction between the facilitator and the students during the seven whole-class discussions. |
