Effective communication is a cornerstone of collaborative learning, particularly for middle school students navigating complex social and academic environments. Transactive communication, where students actively engage with peers’ ideas by building upon or refining them, fosters deeper subject understanding and knowledge. Embedding transactive communication training within regular classroom lessons integrates skill-building with subject content, using cooperative learning methods to encourage joint elaboration. Students receive structured guidance through videos, example dialogues, and peer feedback.
In a study involving 594 ninth-grade students across 23 German classrooms, researchers tested a lesson-integrated transactive communication training against a control group trained in presentation skills. Conducted over 2.5 school days, the experimental group practiced transactive statements while engaging with content on sustainable resource use. Pre- and post-tests measured communication behaviors, knowledge acquisition, and collaboration experiences via audio-recorded dyad discussions and questionnaires.
Results showed that the training significantly increased transactive statements and positive collaboration experiences, though it did not impact knowledge acquisition or general motivation for group work. These findings suggest that while the training enhances collaborative processes, further research is needed to explore its long-term effects on academic outcomes.
Source (Open Access): Jurkowski, S., Mundelsee, L., & Hänze, M. (2024). Strengthening collaborative learning in secondary school: Development and evaluation of a lesson-integrated training approach for transactive communication. Learning and Instruction, 92, 101934. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2024.101934