The School Class as an Interaction Order

Drawing on the works of Erving Goffman and Niklas Luhmann, it is argued that face-to-face interactions establish realities sui generis . They have a life on their own, and make demands on their own behalf. They are able to constitute their own boundaries by means of an intricate interplay of processes of reflective perception and communication. Even an organizational setting cannot determine this interaction order; it can only change the conditions within which interaction takes place. Against this theoretical background, this article analyzes the basic characteristics of the organizationally framed interaction order of classroom education. It also sketches perspectives for empirical and historical research on educational interaction in the school class. It is argued that this theoretical perspective produces a sensitive awareness of the (changing) nature of classroom interaction.