The Development and Use of Opportunity to Learn (OTL) in the Collaborative Problem Solving: Evidence from Chinese Secondary Mathematics  Classroom

This study explored learners’ development and use of Opportunity to Learn (OTL)Opportunity to Learn in the collaborative problem-solving context. We used commognitive approach to analyse interactions within student groups in a collaborative problem-solving math class. Two students Opportunity to Learn who failed to use OTL and two groups they belonged to were selected for an in-depth exploration. We analysed the discourse used by and interaction made among these two groups to investigate how OTLOpportunity to Learn develops from collaborative problem-solving and how students use them. The result shows that students who used less mathematical language and made fewer inter-personal interactions are hard to engage in the group discussion would miss OTL from collaborative problem-solvingOpportunity to Learn. Additionally, a mismatch in the discourse style with leader students in the group and a lack of interest in participation could also lead to students’ failure in seizing OTL in collaborationOpportunity to Learn.