The Impact of Learner’s Prior Knowledge on Their Use of Chemistry Computer Simulations: A Case Study

It is complicated to design a computer simulation that adapts to students with different characteristics. This study documented cases that show how college students’ prior chemistry knowledge level affected their interaction with peers and their approach to solving problems with the use of computer simulations that were designed to learn electrochemistry. Students with different prior knowledge levels were found to use different approaches to solving problems with the use of computer simulations. In particular, the cases showed that students with a high level of prior knowledge tended to use the equations and formulas to accomplish the learning tasks and then use the computer simulations to confirm their predictions. Students with a low level of prior chemistry knowledge used the computer simulations as the main resources to accomplish their tasks. Considerations of individual differences and the integration of learning materials were suggested for further research on instructional use of computer simulations.     

Collaborative bibliography

A bibliography is traditionally characterized by the judgments, bounded by explicit selection criteria, made by a single compiler. Because these criteria concern the attributes ascribed to a work and the needs of readers, bibliographic work is largely conceptual even across technological eras and domains. Yet, the development of networked information services, made possible by WWW infrastructure, has enabled very large numbers of people to discover, organize, and publish information, including bibliographies. Indeed, bibliographies, or at least bibliography-like artifacts, are a common genre of website, often published by people without specialized skills in information organization who follow non-rigorous selection procedures. Nevertheless, even if the items from these lists are poorly selected and described, this publishing activity is fundamentally important because it structures information locally, creating a patchy network of secondary access points. In turn, these access points enable information discovery, the formation and development of communities of interest, the estimation of document relevance by search engines, and so on. In sum, this activity, and the enabling technical infrastructure, invites bibliographies to take on new interactive possibilities. The aim of this article is to extend the traditional view of bibliography to encompass collaborative possibilities for wide, or narrow, participation in the shaping of bibliographies and the selection of items. This is done by examining the nature of bibliography on the Web, by proposing a conceptual model that opens bibliography to participatory practices, and by discussing a case study where a team sought to develop a bibliography of electronic resources. This examination reveals splendid opportunities for expanding the notion of bibliography with participatory policies while remaining true to its ancient roots.     

Redesigning chat forum for critical thinking in a problem-based learning environment

Support is needed to promote problem-based learning (PBL) and to enhance critical thinking skills in discussion-based Internet forums. By advancing the capabilities of chat room and forum software, problem-based discussions for learning can be supported further in online learning environments. In this paper, the authors report on MALESAbrain, an intelligent learning tool. The model is built on the notions of threshold and knowledge weight from the discipline of machine learning. The model encourages learners to judge or critically evaluate the solutions posted by others before exploring further knowledge content. The system then sums up the judgment scores as its knowledge weight to pass the thresholds setup for ranking/arranging the learning issues. This constraint design, therefore, becomes a mechanism for critical thinking in a problem-based learning activity. MALESAbrain as a model helps transform the forum and chat room into rich learning discussion environments.     

Anonymity in classroom voting and debating

The advent of networked environments into the classroom is changing classroom debates in many ways. This article addresses one key attribute of these environments, namely anonymity, to explore its consequences for co-present adolescents anonymous, by virtue of the computer system, to peers not to teachers. Three studies with 16-17 year-olds used a vote-debate-vote scenario to explore in Study 1 (N = 59) anonymous, public or private voting with public oral debate; Study 2 (N = 79) anonymous, public or private voting with public written debate; and Study 3 (N = 84) anonymous or public voting and debating. Students were more likely to change their views after debate and show less convergence to group norms if voting anonymously. However, anonymous debate created an increased amount of off-task behaviour, but only at the beginning of the lesson. In general, anonymity was found to bring positive benefits to classroom argumentation.     

微机继电保护在企业供电系统中的应用及发展趋势

文章阐述了企业供电系统继电保护技术的发展历程及微机继电保护技术在企业各变电所的成功应用和存在问题,并对企业继电保护技术的发展前景提出了设想.     

CSCL中的团队反思及其支架开发

研究基于共享调节的理论视角,从过程模型构建、支架开发、案例实践等方面对CSCL中的团队反思及其支架开发进行了系统的探索。首先,剖析了共享调节中团队反思的活动过程,包括共享调节学习中团队反思与自我反思的关系,以及团体反思过程的具体构成;其次,依据团队反思的行为过程,从回顾、描述(或展示)、评价、分析和计划五个维度设计了个体和团队的过程性与总结性反思支架;最后,应用研究设计和开发的团队反思支架,针对职前教师的集体备课任务进行基于共享调节的团队反思的案例实践,案例研究表明,支架为学习者团队反思活动提供有效支持,有助于CSCL团队反思活动的开展。     

Ten years of Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning: A meta-analysis of CSCL in STEM education during 2005–2014

The goal of this paper is to report on a meta-analysis about the effects of Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) in STEM education. The analysis is based on 316 outcomes from 143 studies that examined the effects of CSCL published between 2005 and 2014. Our analysis showed that the overall effect size of STEM CSCL was 0.51, a moderate but notable effect size in educational research. The effect was greatest on process outcomes, followed by knowledge outcomes, and affective outcomes. The sizes of the effects were moderated by types of technology and pedagogy, educational levels of learners, and learning domains. Moderators further interacted so that effects of technology and pedagogy varied depending on the modes of collaboration, learners' educational levels, and domains of learning. The current study demonstrates the overall advantage of CSCL in STEM education and highlights a need to understand how these variables may interact to contribute to overall CSCL effectiveness.     

Computer support for knowledge communication in science exhibitions: Novel perspectives from research on collaborative learning

In this article, the potentials of advanced technologies for learning in science exhibitions are outlined. For this purpose, we conceptualize science exhibitions as dynamic information space for knowledge building which includes three pathways of knowledge communication. This article centers on the second pathway, that is, knowledge communication among visitors. We argue that advanced technologies have specific potentials to support all forms of visitor-to-visitor knowledge communication and, furthermore, allow for new forms of knowledge communication among unacquainted visitors and beyond the actual museum visit. We discuss mechanisms of collaborative learning with regard to their relevance for visitor-to-visitor knowledge communication and present prototypical advanced media applications in science exhibitions that address these mechanisms. This article both contributes to our understanding of collaborative learning in science exhibitions and the support advanced technologies can provide for visitor-to-visitor knowledge communication in science exhibitions.