Abstract:

We will present data about an activity of the project MelArete concerning the use of grounded theory method with children using their thoughts on friendship. MelArete is a research project on ethical education carried out in two primary schools of the south of Italy (about 40 children). The project is still ongoing. We followed a naturalistic inquiry approach [1] according to which it is necessary investigate phenomena in the context in that they appear thus our research is carried out in schools, where children are used to live ethical experiences and relationships.

Primary school children worked with their own definitions of friendship, developed during an individual activity carried out at the end of a previous meeting with researchers, with the aim to construct categories (conceptual coding). Children were involved in a shared reflection process to build together a definition of friendship that was of the entire class.

The conversations analysis allows to understand how children’s thinking is constructed during these activities. In particular, the transcripts of the conversations were analyzed with the aim of identifying which discursive acts emerged from them. From the first results it emerges how the children started to think in an articulated and complex way, through the succession of co-constructive acts, developmental acts and problematizing acts.

References:
[1] Y.S. Lincoln & E.G. Guba, Naturalistic inquiry. Newbury Park (CA): Sage, 1985.

Keywords:

Primary school, grounded theory, research project, ethical education, conversation analysis.