Ketika Diskusi Hanya di Permukaan: Analisis Gaya Diskusi "Small Talk" dan Dampaknya terhadap Kedalaman Pemahaman Konseptual Mahasiswa
Article Sidebar
-
Conceptual Understanding, Discussion Style, Higher Education, Qualitative Study, Small Talk
Abstract
This study aims to analyze the "small talk" discussion style among university students and its impact on the depth of conceptual understanding. This qualitative research employed a phenomenological approach with data collected through participatory observation, in-depth interviews, and document analysis of discussion transcripts from two different courses. The subjects were 25 students from various study programs who actively participated in classroom discussions. The findings indicate that "small talk" discussions—characterized by superficial responses, avoidance of critical debate, repetition of opinions without elaboration, and reliance on personal anecdotes—tend to hinder the development of deeper conceptual understanding. This style often arises due to low self-confidence, fear of being wrong, lack of preparation, and a classroom culture that does not encourage critical inquiry. While "small talk" can create a comfortable atmosphere, it limits cognitive engagement and reduces opportunities for analytical and evaluative thinking. This study suggests the need for more structured and guided discussion strategies to encourage deeper intellectual engagement.
Full text article
References
Alexander, Robin. (2020). Dialogic teaching: Rethinking classroom talk. Dialogos.
Anderson, Lorin W., & Krathwohl, David R. (Eds.). (2021). A taxonomy for learning, teaching, and assessing: A revision of Bloom's taxonomy. Longman.
Archer, Anne, & Miller, Matthew. (2023). The cognitive consequences of superficial academic discourse. Journal of Higher Education Pedagogy, 15(2), 45–62. https://doi.org/10.1080/23752696.2023.2187712
Bakhtin, Mikhail M. (2022). The dialogic imagination: Four essays. University of Texas Press.
Brown, Eleanor, & Lee, Kyeong. (2020). Psychological barriers to deep classroom engagement. Educational Psychology Review, 32(4), 789–812. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-020-09535-z
Cazden, Courtney B. (2021). Classroom discourse: The language of teaching and learning (2nd ed.). Heinemann.
Chen, Li, & Wang, Yiming. (2022). Designing discussion tasks for deep learning: A framework for university classrooms. Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice, 19(3), 45–62. https://doi.org/10.53761/1.19.3.4
Cunningham, Jennifer. (2022). Designing tasks for substantive talk: A framework for university instructors. Teaching in Higher Education, 27(3), 334–350. https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2020.1716718
Darling-Hammond, Linda, Flook, Lisa, Cook-Harvey, Channa, Barron, Brigid, & Osher, David. (2020). Implications for educational practice of the science of learning and development. Applied Developmental Science, 24(2), 97–140. https://doi.org/10.1080/10888691.2018.1537791
Dewey, John. (2022). Experience and education. Simon and Schuster.
Fathi, Jalil, Ahmadpour, Mohammad, & Mohammaddokht, Fatemeh. (2023). The mediating role of teacher scaffolding in fostering productive classroom discourse. Language Teaching Research, 27(1), 112–130. https://doi.org/10.1177/13621688211066445
Freire, Paulo. (2021). Pedagogy of the oppressed (50th anniversary ed.). Bloomsbury Academic.
Hamidah, Iis, & Prasetyo, Adi. (2024). Student-centered learning challenges in Indonesian higher education: A phenomenological study. Indonesian Journal of Educational Research, 8(1), 22–38. https://doi.org/10.30998/ijer.v8i1.2456
Hattie, John. (2023). *Visible learning: A synthesis of over 800 meta-analyses relating to achievement* (2nd ed.). Routledge.
Hidayat, Deden, & Nurjanah, Siti. (2023). Cultural dimensions of classroom silence: Understanding Indonesian students' reluctance in critical discourse. Asian Journal of Educational Research, 11(2), 89–105. https://doi.org/10.2991/ajer.k.230720.001
Krathwohl, David R. (2021). A revision of Bloom's taxonomy: An overview. Theory into Practice, 41(4), 212–218. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15430421tip4104_2
Kusuma, Wahyu, & Putra, Rizki. (2024). Fostering intellectual courage in Indonesian university classrooms. Journal of Southeast Asian Education, 5(1), 55–72. https://doi.org/10.2991/jseae.v5i1.1278
Larson, Lincoln R., & Lovelace, Matthew D. (2020). Evaluating the quality of student discourse in college classrooms. Higher Education Research & Development, 39(5), 926–941. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2019.1693517
Mercer, Neil, & Dawes, Lyn. (2021). The study of talk between teachers and students, from the 1970s until the 2010s. Oxford Review of Education, 40(4), 430–445. https://doi.org/10.1080/03054985.2014.934087
Michaelsen, Larry K., & Sweet, Michael. (2021). Fundamental principles and practices of team-based learning. In Team-Based Learning in the Social Sciences and Humanities (pp. 9–34). Routledge.
Roberts, Taylor. (2022). Superficial talk in graduate seminars: A discourse analysis. Higher Education Research & Development, 41(3), 567–583. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2021.1953360
Sari, Fitri, & Wijaya, Ari. (2023). Classroom discourse patterns in Indonesian universities: A sociocultural perspective. Journal of International Education Studies, 16(1), 112–128. https://doi.org/10.5539/ies.v16n1p112
Smith, Jennifer, Brown, Kevin, & Davis, Laura. (2021). The role of the instructor in facilitating high-quality discussions. College Teaching, 69(2), 78–89. https://doi.org/10.1080/87567555.2020.1853867
Vygotsky, Lev S. (2020). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press.
Webb, Noreen M. (2022). Teacher practices that promote productive dialogue and learning in classrooms. International Journal of Educational Research, 103, 101–115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2020.101632
Wiggins, Grant, & McTighe, Jay. (2021). Understanding by design (2nd ed.). ASCD.
Zhang, Ying, & Lu, Jie. (2023). The gap between ideal and reality: A study of classroom discourse quality in Chinese universities. Asia Pacific Education Review, 24(1), 123–139. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12564-022-09816-y
Authors
Copyright (c) 2025 Elvan Putra, Laila Fitri, Ilhamni Desrina
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.