This paper describes a development, over approximately five years, of a highly interactive graphic set of computer based learning materials, primarily focusing on middle school and high school, and concerned with science topics, with a few mathematics issues included. The material was developed in two separate projects, one supported by the National Science Foundation, and one supported by the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education. The materials, although probably most, useful in secondary schools, are usable with a wide range of users. Thus we believe that most of these modules will be usable in adult education situations too. ..

Blum, Ruth von

Bork, Alfred

Chioccariello, Augusto

Feibel, Werner

Franklin, Stephen

Kurtz, Bary

Trowbridge, David

English

eScholarship - University of California

UC IrvineICS Technical ReportsTitleComputer based learning units for science and math for secondary schoolsPermalinkhttps://escholarship.org/uc/item/9z93n5xkAuthorsBork, AlfredFranklin, StephenTrowbridge, Davidet al.Publication Date1984-07-25 Peer reviewedeScholarship.org Powered by the California Digital LibraryUniversity of CaliforniaLIBRARYyniversity of CalifornIIRVINECOMPUTER BASED LEARNING UNITS FOR SCIENCEAND MATH FOR SECONDARY SCHOOLSAlfred Borkj Stephen Franklin, David Trowbridge,Werner FeiBel, Bary Kurtz, Ruth von Blum, andAugusto ChioccariellpTechnical Report 234Department of Information and Computer ScienceUniversity of CaliforniaIrvine, CA 92717July 25, 1984Alfred Bork - 2 -This paper describes a development, over approximately five years, ofa highly interactive graphic set of computer based learning materials,primarily focusing on middle school and high school, and concerned withscience topics, with a few mathematics issues included. The material wasdeveloped in two separate projects, one supported by the National ScienceFoundation, and one supported by the Fund for the Improvement ofPostsecondary Education. The materials, although probably most, useful insecondary schools, are usable with a wide range of users. Thus we believethat most of these modules will be usable in adult education situationstoo.The general focus is on scientific activity, and on placing studentsin environments in which they must BEHAVE LIKE SCIENTISTS. Theseenvironments are friendly and helpful and do not allow a student toflounder forever. They offer specific help for students in trouble. Thematerials generally are in a mode which might be described as a "discovery"approach, but not all sections follow this approach.While some of these materials have been previously described in papersfrom the Educational Technology Center at the University of California,Irvine, no complete description is currently in the literature. As themodules are now complete, and as we are considering the marketingpossibilities, it seems desirable to offer such a description.These interactive units are, as a group, unique. We argue that fewother examples of computer based learning materials demonstrate more fullyeffective learning use of the computer, particularly the personal computer.INTENDED ENVIRONMENTSAlfred Bork - 3 -/As already mentioned these science and mathematics learning aids,while focusing on secondary schoob, are intended for a wide range of typesof usage. The present section describes some of that usage. We have alsotested the units, particularly in formative evaluation stages followed byimprovement, in a number of these environments already. Testing in publiclibraries has been particularly helpful, enabling us to improvemotivational aspects of the materiab for a very wide audience.The individual modules are designed to be self-standing. In a sensethey are like books for learning, assuming the student has no otherlearning modes available. They do not require any previous acquaintancewith computers, any "computer literacy" background. Thus they will eventell students to press return if necessary, after entering an answer, butNOT repeat this phrase over and over for someone who b already familiarwith it, and therefore bored with hearing it.Because these materiab are selfcontained; as just indicated, they canbe used both in environments where teachers are present, such as thetypical school environment, and in environments where there are noteachers, such as public libraries or homes. They are intended to be usedwithout any external "documentation" such as student manuals, books orteacher guides. All the necessary steps to proceed are contained withinthe computer dialogs themselves.FORMATAlfred Bork - 4 -The modules are, for average student use, approximately one to twohours in length. Although some variation occurs, many of the modules willtake most students about one and one half hours. Individual students,because of their own different rate of progress, will move faster or slowerthrough the material.The major learning units are broken up into smaller submodules,usually lasting about 10-15 minutes. The programs totally contain about 20hours of highly interactive graphic computer based learning material. Asindicated several projects were involved, funded by the National ScienceFoundation and by the Fund for the Improvement for Post Seconday Education.Total funding was about $400,000. Some of this funding was, however,involved in building up the necessary underlying software, and so shouldnot be attributed directly to the development of the dialogs themselves.The materials are coded in Pascal, using underlying software developedat the Educational Technology Center. This software is used in all of ourmaterials. In a typical two hour module approximately 10,000 - 15,000lines of Pascal code are involved. This figure is somewhat misleading ascompared with ordinary code figures, as computer based learning programscontain a relatively high proportion of textual material. Strategies usedfor this and other products from the Educational Technology Center aredescribed in our literature. Full references are available upon request.The remainder of this paper consists of brief descriptions of each ofthe modules involved. These modules are all available for inspection. Westress that we are not describing hypothetical material here, but we areAlfred Bork - 5 -describing developed and tested modules.DESCRIPTION OF MODULESBatteries and BulbsThe student conducts an empirical investigation of electric circuitsusing batteries, bulbs and wires simulated on the computer. Concepts ofcurrent, circuit, resistance, and parallel and series arrangements aredeveloped in a qualitative fashion. Technical terminology is notintroduced until after the student has developed some intuition into thebehavior of current electricity.Truth About TribblesBased on Conway's game of Life, this module emphasizes the developmentof rules from experimental data. The student is the chief scientist on aspace expedition and observes changing patterns on the surface of a strangeplanet. The goal is to develop rules for the appearance and disappearanceof the patterns based on careful observations of evolving patterns.Tribbles FamiliesIn this module, the student, behaving like a scientist, performsexperiments, collecting evidence and building a simple (Mendelian) model ofgenetic inheritence. The extra-terrestrial creatures are studied todetermine their attributes, how to predict whether they will mate with eachother, and what rules govern the characteristics of their oflfspring.DistanceAlfred Bork - 6 -The module emphasizes the role of measurement in science. The initialactivity involves simple measurements of distances by students. Conceptsof experimental error, averages, scaling and measurement spread aredeveloped from the data obtained by measurements. Alternative methods formeasuring distance, such as timing the sound of voices or thunder, areillustrated using simulations.SpeedA rich environment, containing balls projected from spring launchers,tunnels to partially hide the motions, scales of position, and digitalclocks are used to develop conceptual understanding of velocity in bothphysical and mathematical terms. Students observe, compare and predictthe motion of objects. The first three activities are qualitative,focusing on discrimination among the variables of position, distance, time,duration and speed. The next two activities involve quantitativemeasurements, and calculation of the ratio distance/time.Space LabThis module provides a "laboratory" for measuring properties such asmass, volume and density of sonie mysterious crystals obtained during aspace mission. The student performs simulated experiments to obtain dataon the crystals. The goal is to identify three crystals which consist ofthe same material. A major objective is to develop an understanding of theratio mass/volume. A second objective is to develop the ability todiscriminate between observations and inferences.GraphingAlfred Bork - 7 -The Graphing module introduces elementary concepts of drawing andreading graphs with one and two coordinate axes. The programs providehighly interactive tools for constructing graphs. Students use arrow keyson the keyboard to point to objects on the screen, and move them toappropriate points on axes of histograms and graphs. All activities beginwith concrete activities and then develop more abstract notions of graphicrepresentation. The concept^^of slope for straight line graphs isintroduced and properties of non-linear graphs are touched upon.TrianglesThis module begins with classification of objects according to theirattributes. The next activities introduce properties of triangles and leadstudents to a definition of a triangle as a closed figure having exactlythree straight side. Later activities allow students to explore therelationships between sides and angles in triangles using simple animation.The terms right, acute, obtuse, scalene, isosceles and equilateral areintroduced.Whirly BirdThe Whirly Bird program is designed to be used along with a piece ofphysical equipment, the Whirly Bird of the SCIS elementary school sciencecurriculum. The student is required to put together the devices, performsome experiments, and enter data into the computer. The program conducts adialog with students, encouraging them to develop skills of identifying andcontrolling variables, and to construct a model system to meet a givenspecification.Alfred Bork - 8 •AreaThe student moves from an intuitive notion of area to a preciseoperational definition, the number of squares which cover a given figure.Extensive practice is available for those students having trouble applyingthe concept; students who grasp the idea more quickly go through thematerial more directly. Later activities connect the idea of countingsquares with the common formulae for parallelograms and trinagles.HeatThe student is engaged in a number of thought experiments aboutfamiliar experiences with heat (reading thermometers, observing temperaturechanges, mixing hot and cold water, melting ice, and boiling water). Theseexercises guide the student towards an understanding of the differencebetween the concepts of heat and temperature. The program has aconversational tone and allows free and unconstrained input.OpticsSimple animation provides the student with a moveable flashlight, aplane mirror, an obstructing wall, and a target. The task is to strike thetarget with a beam of light by bouncing it off a mirror. The program guidesthe student step by step through acquiring evidence, consideringalternative explanations, and constructing and refining hypotheses toexplain the observations. Data obtained from variants of this task areAlfred Bork - 9 -used to either support or refute various models of reflection which areproposed.

Computer based learning units for science and math for secondary schools

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Computer based learning units for science and math for secondary schools

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