PROBLEM SOLVING AND JOINT CONSTRUCTION OF KNOWLEDGE IN TALK-IN-INTERACTION IN A TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT SCENARIO

ABSTRACT

In order to substantiate what are moments of joint knowledge construction, we seek to describe here an instance of interactional problem-solving activity in a state-of-the-art technology development setting, where oftentimes, in contrast to classrooms, no one displays received knowledge. We examine an interactional segment featuring problem-solving which is representative of the set of instances identified in a 60-hour corpus of audiovisual recordings generated in a technology laboratory dedicated to the production of biomedical materials. The problem solving activity is described as an interactional instance where there is an obstacle to be overcome by all participants involved in the interaction. Faced with problems and the need to solve them, participants engage in the work of joint knowledge construction, and this construction is observable in the actions they perform for the practical purposes of resuming the activities they had been performing. We offer this situated examination of lived experience of joint knowledge production as possible reference for educational projects in active pedagogies.

Keywords:
problem solving; joint construction of knowledge; interaction