Designing networked learning environments to support intercultural communication and collaboration in science learning (original) (raw)

An approach to distributed collaborative science learning in a multicultural setting

2003

There is growing interest among educators in studying communities of learning and practice, particularly those supporting a social construction of knowledge through collaboration assisted by information technologies. We are currently investigating one such community in the context of high-school science. Researchers, graduate students and high-school teachers and their students, from schools and universities in Canada and Mexico, set out in fall 2000 to work on the general topic of integrating concepts in science school subjects. Once a “prototype” community is established, it becomes a “terrain” where different aspects can be studied: how do collaborative technologies work, what knowledge production and representation processes occur, what do the products of knowledge construction show and, very importantly, what characteristics of the community can be generalised for the establishment of other, self-sustaining (as opposed to externally supported) communities. The set up of the pro...

Fostering Distributed Science Learning Through Collaborative Technologies

Journal of Science Education and Technology, 2004

TACTICS (French and Spanish acronym standing for Collaborative Work and Learning in Science with Information and Communications Technologies) is an ongoing project aimed at investigating a distributed community of learning and practice in which information and communications technologies (ICT) take the role of collaborative tools to support social construction of knowledge. This community is composed of researchers, graduate students, and high-school teachers and their students, from six schools and four universities in Canada and Mexico. It set out in fall 2000 to develop a community around the general topic of integrating concepts in science school subjects. Once a "prototype" community is established, it can become a "terrain" where different aspects could be studied. Subsequently, researchers could gradually take a "back seat" allowing as well as ensuring the autonomy of the school members involved and, thereby, the viability of the learning community. The set up of the proposed "prototype" distributed science learning community was therefore an essential yet far from trivial first step. This paper discusses the process of setting up the community and the lessons learned.

An Approach to Distributed Collaborative Sciencia Learning in a Multicultural Setting

A study involving communities of learning and practice supporting a social construction of knowledge through collaboration assisted by information technologies. Researchers, graduate students and high-school teachers and their students, from schools and universities in Canada and Mexico. set out in fall 2000 to work on the general topic of integrating concepts in science school subjects. Once a prototype community is established, it becomes a terrain where different aspects can be studied. The researchers efforts are focused on aspects of motivation toward science, sientific careers and IT; science process skills; cultural factors influencing performance on this kind of distributed collaborative approach; and teacher appropiation of the approach.

Networked Environments that Create Hybrid Spaces for Learning Science

E-Learning and Digital Media, 2014

Networked learning environments that embed the essence of the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework utilise pedagogies that encourage dialogic practices. This can be of significance for classroom teaching across all curriculum areas. In science education, networked environments are thought to support student investigations of scientific problems, including the collection and processing of data, and construction of explanations and conclusions. Student engagement that involves thinking about and questioning key scientific processes and ideas is argued to address the challenges of making school science more relevant. In this article, examples from two studies are presented where New Zealand teachers employed networked technologies, including Moodle (a learning management system) and Wallwisher (an online notice board). These examples illustrate how face-to-face classroom teaching practices can be complemented with online learning practices. The CoI framework was used to examine how the social, cognitive and teaching dimensions of online student communities were similar and yet distinct to the face-to-face communities they belonged to. Findings showed that the CoI framework helped to unpack how networked environments created hybrid spaces where classroom interaction possibilities were extended, and new layers of knowledge construction added in support of students' growing authority and accountability for their learning. "

Collaborative Visualization Project: shared-technology learning environments for science learning

Enabling Technologies for High-Bandwidth Applications, 1993

Project-enhanced science learning (PESL) provides students with opportunities for "cognitive apprenticeships" in authentic scienhfic inquiry using computers for data-collection and analysis. Student teams work on projects with teacher guidance to develop and apply their understanding of science concepts and skills. We are applying advanced computing and communications technologies to augment and transform PESL at-a-distance (beyond the boundaries of the individual school), which is limited today to asynchronous, text-only networking and unsuitable for collaborative science learning involving shared access to multimedia resources such as data, graphs, tables, pictures, and audio-video communication. Our work will create user technology (a Collaborative Science Workbench providing PESL design support and shared synchronous document views, program, and data access; a Science Learning Resource Directory for easy access to resources including two-way video links to collaborators, mentors, museum exhibits, media-rich resources such as scientific visualization graphics), and refine enabling technologies (audiovisual and shared-data telephony, networking) for this PESL niche. We characterize participation scenarios for using these resources and we discuss national networked access to science education expertise. I. BACKGROUND In K-12 science classrooms, there are shifts underway from didactic instruction focusing on a textbook-homework-recitation approach to a more project-enhanced cuniculum (Blumenfeld et al., 1991; Eylon & Linn, in press; Pea, in press; Ruopp et al., in press; Tinker, 1992). These efforts build on the demonstrated effectiveness of activity-based science education (Bredderman, 1983, Shymansky et al., 1983). In project-enhanced science learning (PESL), to make sense of the world with science, students engage in authentic and motivating tasks that extend over time, that encompass scientific and social issues, that are mediated by various artifacts and expertise, and finally, that require collaboration and communication within the classroom and, most importantly, with resources outside the classroom. The phrase "PESL" was created by the LabNet Project to acknowledge that, for now, projects have to be integrated with more standard curricular approaches (Ruopp et al., in press). These PESL conditions support a model of teaching and learning described as "copitive apprenticeship" (Brown et al., 1989; Rogoff, 1990). In cognitive apprenticeship for science learning, problem definition and problem-solving processes are supported and articulated by mentors, and learners gradually take on increasingly complex tasks. Furthermore, learners participate in inquiry, where the answers are unknown and results matter. An inquiry-driven learning process may contribute to a now-uncommon recognition by learners that science is dynamic and purposeful in nature, rather than static and archival (Linn & Songer, in press). This PESL emphasis is also conanent with various commission reports (Xational Science 'The work described here anticipates funding from the National Science Foundation, Applications of Advanced Technologies. While we are exploring the value high performance computing and communications technologies to K-12 instruction, the work itself will not be funded from the HPCC NREN funding initiative.

Co-Lab: research and development of an on-line learning environment for collaborative scientific discovery learning

Comput Hum Behav, 2005

There are many design challenges which must be addressed in the development of collaborative scientific discovery learning environments. This contribution presents an overview of how these challenges were addressed within Co-Lab, a collaborative learning environment in which groups of learners can experiment through simulations and remote laboratories, and express acquired understanding in a runnable computer model. Co-LabÕs architecture is introduced and explicated from the perspective of addressing typical problem areas for students within collaborative discovery learning. From this view the processes of collaboration, inquiry, and modeling are presented with a description of how they have been supported in the past and how they are supported within Co-LabÕs design and tools. Finally, a research agenda is proposed for collaborative discovery learning with the Co-Lab environment.

Collaborative Visualization Project: shared-technology learning environments for science learning

CO-LAB: RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF AN ONLINE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR COLLABORATIVE DISCOVERY LEARNING

2004

There are many design challenges which must be addressed in the development of collab-13 orative scientific discovery learning environments. This contribution presents an overview of 14 how these challenges were addressed within Co-Lab, a collaborative learning environment 15 in which groups of learners can experiment through simulations and remote laboratories, 16 and express acquired understanding in a runnable computer model. Co-LabÕs architecture is 17 introduced and explicated from the perspective of addressing typical problem areas for stu-18 dents within collaborative discovery learning. From this view the processes of collaboration, 19 inquiry, and modeling are presented with a description of how they have been supported in the 20 past and how they are supported within Co-LabÕs design and tools. Finally, a research agenda 21 is proposed for collaborative discovery learning with the Co-Lab environment. 22

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