Developing a case-based reasoning knowledge repository to support a learning community—An example from the technology integration community

People have long relied on storytelling for communicating ideas, transferring knowledge, and consequently making decisions. This paper describes the design and development of a case-based reasoning (CBR) knowledge repository including its case library and the search engine to support the technology integration community. CBR assumes that community knowledge can be captured in the form of stories (cases) so that the community members learn and solve problems by applying the lessons preserved in the stories to the current situation. The process and results of formative evaluation following the concept of participatory design are reported to set the context for further research and development.     

Designing computer learning environments for engineering and computer science: The scaffolded knowledge integration framework

Designing effective curricula for complex topics and incorporating technological tools is an evolving process. One important way to foster effective design is to synthesize successful practices. This paper describes a framework called scaffolded knowledge integration and illustrates how it guided the design of two successful course enhancements in the field of computer science and engineering. One course enhancement, the LISP Knowledge Integration Environment, improved learning and resulted in more gender-equitable outcomes. The second course enhancement, the spatial reasoning environment, addressed spatial reasoning in an introductory engineering course. This enhancement minimized the importance of prior knowledge of spatial reasoning and helped students develop a more comprehensive repertoire of spatial reasoning strategies. Taken together, the instructional research programs reinforce the value of the scaffolded knowledge integration framework and suggest directions for future curriculum reformers.Portions of this paper were presented at the American Psychological Association Meeting, Ontario, Canada, August 22, 1993. under the title of Cognition and instruction in higher education: Applications of advanced technologies. The title of the symposium was New Fellows in Educational Psychology-The Implications of Their Work for University-Level Instruction. This material is based upon research supported by the National Science Foundation under grant MDR-8954753. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors and not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.     

Exploratory learning with a computer simulation for control theory: Learning processes and instructional support

Computer simulations create a context that is well fitted for exploratory or discovery learning. The aim of the present two studies was to gain deeper insight into what constitutes exploratory learning and to assess the effects of a number of instructional support measures. The domain involved was control theory at the university level. In the first study we made an inventory of exploratory learning processes by observing 17 students working with a computer simulation and analyzing students' thinking-aloud protocols. Subjects received a structured assignment with hints as an instructional support measure. In the second study, 91 students received an open-ended assignment with instructional support that consisted of an information sheet and a set of fill-in forms. On both sheets and forms, six cells were presented. A cell was given for each of the following six learning processes: identifying variables and parameters, generating hypotheses, designing an experiment, predicting, interpreting data, and drawing of conclusions. Information sheets were either of a domain specific or of a general nature. The set of fill-in forms were either free or had the cell HYPOTHESIS already filled in. The statements of the students on the fill-in forms were analyzed in a stepwise order. Twenty-two detailed learning processes were identified and classified. Two of the main classes of processes are transformative and regulative. Both studies showed that students were reluctant to apply learning processes that are considered characteristic for exploratory learning. Furthermore, students had problems with the exploratory learning processes, especially with the processes of generating hypotheses, interpreting data, and drawing conclusions. Effects of the instructional support measures were not conclusive. Hints did not result in significant improvements of the study process. Supporting learning processes with information sheets appeared to help students in performing learning processes, but no different effects of domain specific and general information could be found. Students who were provided with hypotheses showed a higher global activity level and higher scores in domain correctness of their learning processes.     

The effects of representational format on learning combinatorics from an interactive computer simulation

The current study investigated the effects of different external representational formats on learning combinatorics and probability theory in an inquiry based learning environment. Five conditions were compared in a pre-test post-test design: three conditions each using a single external representational format (Diagram, Arithmetic, or Text), and two conditions using multiple representations (Text + Arithmetic or Diagram + Arithmetic). The major finding of the study is that a format that combines text and arithmetics was most beneficial for learning, in particular with regard to procedural knowledge, that is the ability to execute action sequences to solve problems. Diagrams were found to negatively affect learning and to increase cognitive load. Combining diagrams with arithmetical representations reduced cognitive load, but did not improve learning outcomes.     

Motivation for learning statistics: An example from fishery and aquaculture science

Teaching statistics to generalist students oriented toward a profession, rather than academic merits, may be challenging. As statistics courses also tend to have a low student appeal, tailoring a course toward this type of audience is demanding. Framed within the theory of statistical thinking and literacy, this article shows how an investigative process, using domain data and real-life examples, may facilitate meaningful learning and motivate students. Describing and reflecting upon the methods used, both in teaching and assessment, the article contributes to the practice of teaching statistics.     

Schooling and the development of central conceptual structures: An example from the domain of children's narrative

A neo-Piagetian model is presented, and used as a framework for interpreting the developmental changes that take place in children's narrative compositions, between 4 and 10 years of age. An instructional program is then described, which is aimed at producing an increase in the developmental level of children's narratives. The program is shown to have an impact not just on the level of stories children generate, but on the extent of their story-recall as well, and on their level of understanding of a wide variety of social interactions. It is suggested: (a) that the reason for the broad transfer is that the program led to the development of a central conceptual structure; and (b) that the method that was used in designing the problem may serve as a model for designing similar programs in other content domains, where the development of such structures is considered a worthwhile objective.     

School learning support for teacher technology integration from a self-determination theory perspective

Teacher technology integration research on persistence is needed. Teachers’ persistence is strongly associated with their autonomous motivation, as defined by self-determination theory (SDT); however, most SDT-based studies have focused on teachers’ support and students’ motivation and well-being. SDT founders also recently suggested that future studies should include teacher motivation towards the use of technology. Accordingly, this experimental and longitudinal study aimed to investigate how the proposed support encouraged and sustained the low- and high- quality teachers’ integration practices. It proposed a school learning support intervention with three dimensions—leader, expert, and peer support—to meet teachers’ basic needs and thereby increase their motivation for and persistence in classroom technology integration. It had a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design, involved 122 school teachers and lasted for 22 months. Pre-, post- and delay- questionnaires and two arounds of interviews were used to collect the teachers perceptions on needs satisfaction and technology integration practices. The results suggest that the support increased the extent to which the teachers’ needs were met, resulting in more high-quality (student-centered) but not low-quality (lecturing) integration practices. However, the intervention sustained both types of integration practices. The findings offer three major empirical implications, makes two theoretical contributions, and offers four practical suggestions for researchers and practitioners.

     

浅谈物理与音乐之交融

物理作为自然科学的重要学科,为社会发展做出了巨大的贡献。而音乐是人类精神迸发出的高尚火花,是智慧的结晶。二者在许多方面是相通的,物理的理性思维给音乐发展良好促进,音乐又以其独有力量回馈于科学研究。我们期待物理与音乐更多更好的融合。     

Aids to computer-based multimedia learning: a comparison of human tutoring and computer support

Learners are usually provided with support devices because they find it difficult to learn from multimedia presentations. A key question, with no clear answer so far, is how best to present these support devices. One possibility is to insert them intothe multimedia presentation (canned support), while another is to have a human agent provide them (human tutoring). Human tutoring poses potential advantages: it uses spoken modality, displays non-verbal cues and implies social interaction. However, there is mixed evidence regarding these supposed advantages, and prior research comparing human and computer support presents problems. Our goal was to explore whether the advantages of human tutoring actually exist while avoiding the problems of prior research. In one experiment, participants learned Geology from a multimedia presentation including one of three forms of support: human tutoring, canned support or no support. After viewing the presentation, participants solved retention and transfer tests. Results revealed that participants in the human tutoring condition outperformed those in the other two conditions, who did not differ from each other. This means that human tutoring is advantageous, a fact that has implications in the design of support devices in multimedia learning.     

An example of evaluation in the development of a tertiary physics programme

Conclusion As stated in the introduction, an integral part of the philosophy of school or institutional based curriculum development is that staff involvement in ongoing evaluation will lead to programme improvement. In this case, the results outlined above were used by the staff as a basis for discussing the future structure of first year Physics courses at MSC. The outcome was that the rationale, design and implementation of the new course was adopted for the entire first year course. Development of the course continues.     

CAI与中学物理教学的整合

教育手段的改进和提高，是有效创设教学环境、增强师生互动、提高教学质量的关键。本文探讨了CAI与中学物理教学的整合，并提出了在教学中应注重的问题。     

霍尔效应与中学物理的整合

当通有电流的导体或半导体置于与电流方向垂直的磁场中时，在垂直于电流和磁场的方向，物体两侧之间会产生一横向电势差，这种现象称为霍尔效应，是1879年美国的霍尔(E．H．Hall)对铜箔做实验时发现的．一百年过去之后，诺贝尔物理学奖两度垂青霍尔效应．高中物理教材中的“磁流体发电机”和“电磁流量计”就是霍尔效应的实际应用，在高考理科综合能力测试卷和物理奥赛中多次出现有关霍尔效应的问题，本文试图就霍尔效应与中学物理的联系加以整合，希望能对认识和深入理解霍尔效应时有所帮助．     

Classification of learning outcomes: evidence from the computer games literature

Following up on an earlier issue of The Curriculum Journal (Vol. 16, No. 1), this article focuses on learning outcomes in the context of video games. Learning outcomes are viewed from two theoretical frameworks: Kirkpatrick's levels of evaluation and the CRESST model of learning. These are used to analyse the outcomes claimed in journal articles that report empirical work, indicating the usefulness of the frameworks, and the necessity to consider the role of affective learning. The article ends with some comments on the relationship of instructional design to effective games and learning outcomes.     

整合电脑音乐与音乐教学

现代信息技术的不断发展与进步,使得教育教学的方式发生了重大而深刻的变化,其中的音乐教学也获得了极大的发展便利,改变了传统的音乐教学模式中的很多弊端和缺点,使得音乐教师具有了一种全新的教学理念,可以使用现代化的教学手段来及时调整并不断更新音乐教学内容和方法。本文将探讨电脑音乐如何与音乐教学相互整合的论题,以期把现代化的信息技术更好的应用到音乐教学当中去,从而推动音乐教学水平的提高。     

Implementing individual and small group learning structures with a computer simulation

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of implementing individual and small group learning structures with a computer simulation in accounting. College students used one of three learning structures with the simulation: (a) an individual structure, (b) a small group structure with extensive interaction, or (c) a small group structure with occasional interaction. Results indicated that performance scores were high regardless of learning structure. However, students who worked alone expressed significantly more continuing motivation for their learning structure than students who worked with a partner. Responses to student interviews revealed somewhat mixed feelings for the small group structures. Observation data indicated that students who used the extensive small group structure exhibited significantly more discussion and provided more answers to their partners' questions than students who used the occasional group structure. Implications for implementing small group structures with computer-based instruction are provided.     

The integration of pupils with learning difficulties: the results of research into the effects of integration

ABSTRACT

The authors present the outcomes of an empirical study, effected in integrative and segregative models of schooling in German speaking Switzerland. The following questions have been analysed: a) the changes in performances of pupils with learning difficulties under different conditions of schooling; b) the development of social factors; c) the development of emotional characteristics. With regard to academic achievements, integrative measures proved to be more effective than instruction in self‐contained special classes. The findings concerning the development of social and emotional characteristics do not allow to draw clear conclusions either in favour of or against integration. Still, the outcomes of this study encourage to carry on experiments with integrative forms of schooling.