Collaboration modality, cognitive load, and science inquiry learning in virtual inquiry environments

Educational multi-user virtual environments (MUVEs) have been shown to be effective platforms for situated science inquiry curricula. While researchers find MUVEs to be supportive of collaborative scientific inquiry processes, the complex mix of multi-modal messages present in MUVEs can lead to cognitive overload, with learners unable to effectively process the rich information encountered in virtual space. In this study, we investigated the effect of communication modality on cognitive load and science inquiry learning in students completing a science inquiry curriculum in an educational MUVE. Seventy-eight undergraduate education majors from a large southwestern university participated in this control-treatment study. Significant positive results were found for reducing cognitive load for participants communicating through voice-based chat, although this reduction was not found to influence learning outcomes. We conclude that use of voice-based communication can successfully reduce cognitive load in MUVE-based inquiry curricula.     

Teaching and learning in digital environments: The resurgence of resource-based learning

The digital age has not simply changed the nature of resources and information; it has transformed several basic social and economic enterprises. Contemporary society—the settings where we live, work, and learn—has likewise changed dramatically. Both the amount of information and access to it have grown exponentially; a significant potential for using varied resources in numerous ways for instruction and learning has emerged. However, several issues related to the educational uses of varied resources (e.g., people, place, things, ideas) must be addressed if we are successfully to implement resource-based learning environments. In this paper, we trace the changing nature of resources and perspectives in their use for learning in the digital age, describe the overarching structures of resource-based learning environments, and identify key challenges to be addressed.     

Multimedia learning environments: Issues of learner control and navigation

Using schema theory as a framework, we view learning as an active, constructive process. It is affected not only by learners' internal knowledge structures, but by the external constraints of the learning environment as well (Kozma, 1991). This article examines how different internal learner characteristics (e.g., prior knowledge, self efficacy and interest) and different external constraints (e.g., learner control, instructional design and level of control) influence the learning process. Specifically, we address learning from a variety of multimedia environments such as video, hypertexts, kiosks and other hypermedia within a schema theoretic approach that incorporates a constructivist view.     

Interactions in virtual learning environments: new roles for digital technology

For the last 10 years, online pre-service teacher distance education has increased significantly in Brazil. As a result, research on this educational modality has also increased, in particular, research investigating the different roles students and teachers play in these courses. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the role of digital technologies in two specific contexts: how teachers, tutors, and students play a role in producing interactive digital didactic material and how digital technologies themselves can play a role in teaching distance learning courses. But for these roles to emerge, we point to the need for participants of online courses to interact collaboratively. To identify these roles, grounded theory, a branch of qualitative research, was used as the two roles were articulated. Data were produced from virtual observations in virtual learning environments and virtual interviews. The results stress that both highlighted roles are related. They transform teacher and student roles and participation in the virtual classroom, and an “agency of media” emerges in online mathematics education.     

BTI口译教学中的研究性学习和研究性教学

随着翻译学科的发展和"翻译专业本科教学质量国家标准"的出台,翻译本科专业人才培养的目标进一步明确。这对教师的教和学生的学都提出了新要求。本文以BTI的口译课程实践为研究对象,探讨把研究性学习和研究性教学方法引入口译课程之中,以期改变传统教学中以知识传授为主的教和学的方式,调动学生的主观能动性,依托学生的实践,使其理解口译工作的过程特点,提高学生口译能力。     

探究性学习研究

探索性学习是我国教育改革大力提倡的一种学习方式,探究性学习的实施与开发需要一定的社会基础和心理基础。在实施的过程中,教师与指导者需要掌握探究性学习的界定、类型;同时,也需要掌握探究性学习开发的具体模式,从而为这种学习方式在基础教育领域开发奠定一定的基础。     

浅谈研究性学习中的评价问题

综合实践活动是一门探索性课程,其中的研究性学习强调学生在教师指导下走出教室,通过实践活动以获得直接体验,增强探究和创新意识,培养科学探究的精神,发展综合能力,它以活动性、开放性、系统性以及充分体现学生的主体性为特征。学生在开展研究性学习时教师应如何进行评价呢?为     

研究性学习法在EXCEL电子表格教学中的应用

旨在探索实践计算机教学方法,通过“研究性学习法”在EXCEL电子表格中的应用,培养学生使用计算机分析数据,处理信息的综合能力。     

生物学科研究性学习的实践探索

在生物学科实施研究性学习旨在倡导建构的学习 ,改变传统的接受性学习方式 ,使学生主动参与、乐于探究、勤于动手、合作交流 ,促进学生有意义学习的可持发展及创新精神的培养和实践能力的提高。这要求教师的教育观念和教学行为必须发生转变 ,教师不再只是知识的传播者 ,应同时成为学生学习的组织者、参与者、指导者和促进者。1　选题方向生物学教学中可供研究性学习选题的内容十分丰富 ,归纳起来选题的方向可以有以下八个方面。1.1　生物学的基本概念和规律　生物学基本概念和规律 ,是生物科学探究的主要内容 ,也是学生学习生物学的基础。因…     

研究性学习实践与思考

研究性学习对于学生的学习方式有深远的意义,已作为一门课程在普通高中开设了几年时间。就目前的情况来看,无论是高中学生还是授课教师普遍缺乏有关课题研究的经验与方法,在实际操作中往往会出现各种问题,因此应该加强指导。     

生物学教学中如何引导学生探究

“研究性学习是学生在教师指导下,从自然、社会和生活中选择和确定专题进行研究,并在研究过程中主动地获取知识、应用知识、解决问题的学习活动”(《“普通高中”研究性学习实施指南》)。目前研究性学习大多采用课外兴趣小组的形式进行活动,从学生生活和社会现实中确定课题开展研究。课堂是提高学生科学素质的主战场,生物学作为自然科学中的一门     

Understanding collaborative learning processes in new learning environments

Trying to understand the complexity of computer-mediated problem-based learning environments is not easy. Sociocultural theory provides a theoretical framework for understanding such environments because it emphasizes the socially situated nature of learning and the critical role of tools in mediating learning. To examine how different aspects of discourse relate to each other, as well as to the tools being used in the collaborative learning process, it is important to understand how collaborative knowledge building unfolds and how these processes are mediated. This requires going beyond coding individual speech acts. The use of Chronologically-Ordered Representations of Discourse and Tool-Related Activity (CORDTRA) diagrams is one way of achieving this understanding. We use this to study contrasting cases of more and less successful groups using the STELLAR learning environment. STELLAR is an integrated online PBL environment for preservice teachers, containing a learning sciences hypermedia, a library of videocases, and online personal and collaborative spaces. Our analyses suggest that an important locus of differences is how students use resources and engage in different kinds of metacognitive talk and knowledge transforming activities, sometimes to the group’s detriment. Frequency analyses provided an easily interpreted snapshot of each group’s activity. The CORDTRA analyses provide a more dynamic view that helps researchers and teachers better understand how collaborative learning unfolds. Such analyses have implications for understanding new learning environments as well as helping identify where interventions might be needed.     

如何认识探究学习与研究性学习的关系

开设研究性学习课程是我国本次课程改革的一个重要措施。然而 ,这一课程又同时被理解为一种学习方式 ,从而使人们对研究性学习与探究学习的关系产生了种种模糊认识。一些人认为 ,这两种学习方式是完全一样的 ,只是名称不同 ;而另一些人认为 ,研究性学习是比探究学习更加“高级”的学习方式 ,它应该包含探究学习。本文提出 ,应该将研究性学习看成是探究学习的特殊形式 ,主要用于面向跨学科的现实问题的研究性学习课程中 ;除了在研究性学习课程中促进学生探究学习以外 ,还应该在学科教学中采用灵活多样的方式促进学生开展探究学习     

本能教育、研探教育对学校教育的启示

把大教育分为本能教育、研探教育、学校教育进行比较,得到如下启示.1.教育目的和目标必须符合受教育者身心发展规律.2.教育内容必须强调基础性、生动性、多样性.3.传承教育方式不能全盘否定,单一传承模式必须改革.4.受教育者的主体地位和作用必须充分肯定.5.教育者素质直接关系教育结果.6.要建立新型师生关系.     

生物学研究性学习中合作小组的组建

小组合作研究是研究性学习中学生进行课题研究的主题组织形式。本文主要探讨生物学研究性学习合作小组的建设,包括小组合作各阶段的特点,小组成员的构成和角色搭配,有效合作的策略等。目的是为了调动每个小组成员参与课题研究的积极性,更有效地发挥小组成员的特长,激发学生的创造潜能。     

寻找数学课程中研究性学习的切入点

将一题多解、一题多思作为在数学课程中实施研究性学习的切入点 ,有利于培养学生求异思维和创新思维的发展 ,从而在此基础上进一步提升研究性学习的质量与档次