From turtle in a shell to one that wins the race: noticing identities in interactive classroom learning communities

This research advances notions about how interactive learning environments that intentionally shape learners’ identities can empower students and give them agency. Our work draws on research on teacher noticing, extends it to the community level, and orients it towards identity. We provide an instrumental case study approach that examines community-identity noticing within a long term design-based research project around humanistic learning communities. We use interaction analysis methods to provide a rich, micro-analysis of community-identity noticing. Our findings show four types of community-identity noticing practices that include eliciting, elaborating, or adding to an identity narrative [PEN]; endorsing a narrative; nuanced re-authoring of a narrative (near re-authoring) [NEAR]; or suggesting an alternative narrative (far re-authoring) [FAR]. Our framework provides a way to elucidate how the authoring of learners’ identities is a joint accomplishment of the community. We discuss how these noticing practices each have a unique role, but ultimately work in tandem.