Speech Acts and Peer Learning in Product Development Case- Study Discussions

1 Shankaran Sitarama, University of California at Berkeley, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 6102 Etcheverry Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720 [email protected] 2 Andy dong, University of California at Berkeley, 3114 Etcheverry Hall, CA 94720 [email protected] 3 Alice M. Agogino, University of California at Berkeley, 5136 Etcheverry Hall, CA 94720 [email protected] Abstract  The case-study method of instruction is a powerful skill building exercise for engineers/ managers that works best when combined with active learning discussions of the case. Instructor mediation is instrumental in the effectiveness of the learning process and the knowledge integration in the student. This study focuses on one classroom case-study discussion and analyzes the role of the instructor and the peer learning process involved. Utterances of the students and instructors are analyzed according to the speech act theory. Some new types of speech acts classifications have been found necessary and added. The intentions of the speakers and their utterances (illocutionary and locutionary aspects of the speech act) are assessed based on the perlocutionary effect in the context of the classroom. The results are presented and discussed. Inferences drawn from this analysis gives insight into the dynamic nature of the interaction in the classroom and the learning process.