Systematic analysis of the potential contribution of communication and information tools to the design and development of research-based science curriculum

Περιέχει το πλήρες κείμενοComputer technology has received much attention as a means of reforming educational practice in Physics. It is widely believed that technology could function as a medium for bringing about the necessary reform to improve learning standards and in particular to promote the conceptual understanding and reasoning skills that so many of our students lack after traditional instruction. The Learning in Physics Group has a coordinated program combining research with the development and validation of curriculum for secondary and high school grades. We have undertaken a systematic analysis of the capabilities of a range of computer-based tools that are conducive to improving the quality of the learning and teaching of Physics. This type of analysis leads to the detailed formulation of a series of competencies relevant to Physics that could be developed with appropriate use of these tools. In this paper, we concentrate on the development of modeling skills and we outline the methodology we have developed followed by typical results. We also demonstrate how our results could be used in the design and development of innovative learning environments. Finally, we discuss the constraints to the effective use of educational technology and implications for Physics teaching as well as for the preparation of teachers and the development of curricula

The use of mind mapping software to improve primary school students’ ability to construct scientific arguments

Περιέχει το πλήρες κείμενοThe purpose of this study was to examine elementary school students’ ability to construct scientific arguments. We set out to analyze students’ arguments in aspects of structure and validity of claims, before and after instruction. Our hypothesis was that students’ knowledge of the subject domain would affect their ability to construct scientific arguments; in addition, we hypothesized that a teaching intervention that aimed to promote collaborative exchange of ideas among students, provided available and contradictory evidence about a subject and enabled graphical representation of arguments, would help students improve the structure of their scientific reasoning. The samples of the study comprised 24 5th graders of a rural public elementary school in Cyprus. Students were asked to construct arguments about a controversial issue in ecology. Should the fox vulpes vulpes be protected or hunted? The arguments constructed by students were analyzed before and after the teaching intervention. The tool used for the graphical representation of arguments was “Reason!Able”, a software package that helps the creation of simple diagrams of complex reasoning, in a way that makes discernible the building blocks of an argument. (http://www.goreason.com/). The results indicate that students used more claims to support an argument after gaining more information about the subject. The results also indicate that our teaching intervention was generally successful and that Reason!Able is an appropriate tool for argument mapping. The number of claims used in each argument was increased and the structure of arguments became more complicated. The results demonstrate conclusively that there was a general improvement in argumentation practice and give us hope that, within scaffolded environments, students can construct and improve their scientific argumentation skills

Teachers’ designs of web-based inquiry learning environments as a probe for inquiry teaching and learning frameworks

Περιέχει το πλήρες κείμενοA growing number of studies have reported that teachers face many challenges in conceptualizing and enacting inquiry–based teaching and learning. Even though teacher designed approaches are considered an important pathway that could assist teachers in dealing with important aspects of inquiry based-teaching, the development of relevant tools that can scaffold teachers in this process has not received appropriate attention. The purpose of this study was to examine how teachers designed web-based inquiry learning environments on a specific platform that allows them to structure content, and provide technology-realized scaffolding in a variety of ways. Participants in the study were ten graduate students enrolled in a science teacher preparation course. Data were collected using multiple methods and analyzed qualitatively. Our analyses show that the process of design provided a valuable vehicle for teachers’ challenges and approaches to surface and be realized. Teachers’ designs shared common characteristics, as a result of the scaffolding they received through the course; nevertheless varied in the way pedagogical and epistemological characteristics of inquiry-based learning were weaved together in inquiry sequences and tasks. The results of the study provide implications for the design of tools that will address the diverse needs of teachers and provide them with scaffolding in designing technologically enhanced inquiry-based learning environments

Open distance inter-university synergies Between Εurope, Αfrica and the middle east (odiseame)

Περιέχει το πλήρες κείμενοThe challenge facing new technologies is whether they can contribute to a qualitative step up and to education for all as a process of facilitating the development of creative people with the ability to think critically and to engage in socially relevant decision making. In this paper, we describe a project whose purpose is to develop a learning environment that takes into account current expertise in learning theory in order to facilitate productive collaboration in a way that leads to active construction of meaning

The integration of ict tools in education as an Example of the interplay between technology And society

Περιέχει το πλήρες κείμενοInformation and Communication Technologies (ICT) constitute an essential part of the infrastructure for modern societies, facilitating access, processing and storing of information and promoting communication between people within and across communities. ICT have been recognized also as important tools for enhancing teaching and learning processes. Despite this, educational practice has largely remained unaffected in most systems, with teachers mostly failing to incorporate ICT tools effectively in their teaching. This is due to a combination of several obstacles and problems such as lack of equipment, need for technical support, inadequate teacher training programs, some teachers’ technophobic attitudes, a general lack of organizational structures for change management, and ineffective policy making and program planning. On the other hand, technology, in its essence, is considered to be a complex enterprise for solving social problems and fullfilling human needs. Its role in society could be studied through five perspectives: technology as a purposeful activity, a human endeavor, a set of processes and methods, an invention framework, or a set of knowledge and practices. An approach to study the educational problem from this theoretical perspective can yield useful insights. We suggest that technology and its social practice can provide a useful context to realize a more effective design of a solution to the problem of integrating ICT tools in education

Stagecast creator and webct: an integrated use of computer programming and a virtual learning environment for developing modelling skills

Περιέχει το πλήρες κείμενοThis paper reports on an effort to use Stagecast CreatorTM as a means for developing modelling skills among undergraduate students taking an introductory course in science that took place in a virtual learning environment (WebCTTM). An inquiry-based curriculum was implemented, which guided students working in small groups to collect and study moon observations and construct a series of successive models of the moon phases using Stagecast CreatorTM. Students’ reflective journals and reports of synchronous discussions were the means for collecting data. The findings show that the WebCTTM platform supported the on-line collaboration among students in the course that was used to help them improve their models through the use of Stagecast CreatorTM. Specifically, students’ groups shared their models with other groups through WebCTTM, and provided feedback about each other’s models, indicating model limitations and suggesting possible improvements. The results also suggest that students believed that the on-line collaboration supported their learning growth as well as the process of developing modelling skills. Students found it extremely fruitful to exchange ideas with other groups, to read and make suggestions for model improvements and to collaborate with almost all students in the course – which would have been impossible without the on-line collaboration tool. Collaboration in learning situations like the one presented in this paper involves exchanging, negotiating and critiquing ideas for the purpose of building new, more refined knowledge. This collaborative process became feasible due to the fact that sharing and viewing Stagecast CreatorTM files through the Internet is fully compatible with web-browsers. We suggest that the process of model deployment was practically made possible due to the combined use of Stagecast CreatorTM and WebCTTM

The e-learning movement as a process of quality improvement in education: the case of the University of Cyprus

Περιέχει το πλήρες κείμενοQuality in education has been regognized as an issue that should guide our efforts for improvement for many years. eLearning is the latest attempt to take advantage of developments in technology to improve learning. In this paper, we discuss the possibility of establishing a theory of elearning, the value of design patterns, and the possible scenarios of implementation by higher education institutions attempting to use new technologies in their courses of study. A survey concerning the elearning paradigm that was conducted at the University of Cyprus (UCY) at the beginning of the spring semester 2003 is presented. The main purpose of this survey was to report on the views and experiences of the UCY students and faculty members regarding elearning implementation in university courses. Data collection was accomplished through a specially designed questionnaire administered to 1938 students and 46 faculty members. Ten faculty members were also interviewed for more in-depth analysis. Based on the results of the survey, we propose a series of possible actions which could form the basis for developing a vital elearning policy through continuous improvement of the university’s teaching program

Enhancing fourth graders’ ability to interpret graphical representations through the use of sensors in the context of phase transformations (melting and freezing)

Περιέχει το πλήρες κείμενοSensors constitute a powerful tool in physical science as far as the rapid collection and analysis of data is concerned. In addition to the rapid collection of data, sensors are valued for their capability in the simultaneous representation of this data in the form of a graphical plot. Previous research has shown that elementary school students encounter various difficulties in their attempt to construct and interpret graphs. This article reports on a research effort through which we aim to investigate whether the use of sensors in the specific context of phase transformations (melting and freezing) contributes to the development of fourth grade (9-10 year old) students’ ability to interpret, comment on and explain graphs. The subjects of the study were sixty five (65) 4th grade students (organized into an experimental and two control groups) studying at two technologically well-equipped public elementary schools in Larnaca and Nicosia. Data collection was accomplished through a specially designed pre-test and post-test, which were administered to the students before and after instruction, respectively. The implementation of inquiry-based (reconstructed curriculum) lessons, which incorporated the use of instructional technology in the experimental group as opposed to the application of traditional lessons in the first control group and the application of the reconstructed curriculum without the use of computer resources in the second control group, revealed a statistically significant difference between the experimental group and both control groups in students’ understanding of phase transformations as well as their ability to interpret graphs. In view of these findings we elaborate on the sequencing of instructional materials that aim to develop conceptual understanding concerning the phenomena of melting and freezing. The findings of this research suggest that there is a significant added value in employing sensors in an instructional effort to enhance students’ ability in interpreting graphs and as a tool that enhances learning in the specific context of natural sciences

Enhancing fifth graders understanding of complex ecosystems through a model-based approach utilizing stagecast creator

Περιέχει το πλήρες κείμενοWe report a study in which we designed and implemented a curriculum within the context of ecosystems aimed at fostering scientific modelling skills and enhancing conceptual understanding among fifth graders through the use of Stagecast CreatorTM. We describe how activities supported students to improve and expand their models by adding new information collected from observations and personal knowledge about real-life ecosystems. Paper-and-pencil tests were used both before and after the study to evaluate students’ modelling skills and understanding of concepts related to ecosystems. The data analysis followed both qualitative and quantitative methods. The results indicated the importance of the synergy of the study’s goals: to learn about marine ecosystems and develop modelling skills. We found significant differences between students’ pre- and post-test scores, suggesting that our approach facilitated the development of both modelling skills and enhanced conceptual understanding of marine ecosystems of fifth graders

The rationale, design, and implementation of a web-based inquiry learning environment

Περιέχει το πλήρες κείμενοIt is reported that, without appropriate support, students might face several difficulties when engaging in highlevel reasoning in science. This paper discusses the design of a software-based tool to support students’ inquiry. This scaffolding is provided through the use of STOCHASMOS, a web-based platform designed to support teachers’ authoring of inquiry-based learning environments and students’ reflective inquiry practices. In this paper, we present the theoretical background supporting the development of STOCHASMOS, present the platform and discuss findings from a classroom study. The results have wider implications for the design of webbased learning environments and for the role of self- and group-reflections in facilitating inquiry processes with scientific data