Using T-pattern analysis to map classroom interactions: a case study of student and teacher learning-orientation

The identification of the recurrent patterns of interaction is a window to understanding the patterning of social behaviour, and as such, it is the target of many quantitative and qualitative analytic techniques. Here, we offer a reflected illustration of one of those quantitative techniques, namely, T-pattern analysis, which is a flexible technique that unveils sequences of events (behaviours) that are repeated in the data within a critical time interval. We illustrate the use of T-pattern analysis by exploring the verbal interactions between teachers and students in Dutch maths lessons. In particular, we explore the shifts between a process and a performance orientation of teachers and students, as inferred from their verbalisations. After this illustration, we discuss the affordances and limitations of T-pattern analysis to illuminate our questions regarding the dynamics of real-time classroom interaction. We conclude by inviting future users of this technique to strategically embed its application in a process of inquiry that purposefully considers iterations of inductive and deductive steps. Using the inductive power of T-pattern analysis in balance with solid disciplinary reasoning can yield exciting insights into our understanding of classroom interactions.