Understanding understanding as an instructional matter

This paper takes up the unremarkable organizations of understanding-in-interaction that underwrite the sequential production of classroom instruction. These are the understandings that are prior to education's identifying interests in learning, knowledge and cognition. Out of view of its author...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of pragmatics 2011-01, Vol.43 (2), p.438-451
Main Author: Macbeth, Douglas
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Common understanding
Ethnomethodology
Instruction
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Summary:This paper takes up the unremarkable organizations of understanding-in-interaction that underwrite the sequential production of classroom instruction. These are the understandings that are prior to education's identifying interests in learning, knowledge and cognition. Out of view of its authorized topics and conceptualizations, the educational research literature tends to take no notice of them. Its eyes are fixed on the ceiling, never imagining the work of the walls. A collection of classroom materials exhibits the argument. 2 2 The metaphor of the ceiling and the walls was heard as a story from Harold Garfinkel. It went something like this: A homeowner became worried 1 day that his ceiling might simply fall in. What, after all, kept it up? Consultants were called in to assess the situation. They took measurements and soon returned with a first report: Though not yet sure just exactly how the ceiling keeps its place, of this they were certain: To fully understand the ceiling and its mysteries, they would first have to get these walls out of the way (See Garfinkel, 1967:22).
ISSN:0378-2166
1879-1387
DOI:10.1016/j.pragma.2008.12.006