Teaching science through online, peer discussions: SpeakEasy in the Knowledge Integration Environment (original) (raw)
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Journal of The Learning Sciences, 2002
Epistemic dialogues, involving explanation and argumentation, have been recognized as potential vehicles for conceptual understanding. Although the role of dialogue in learning has received much attention, the problem of creating situations in which students engage in epistemic dialogue has only begun to be addressed. This article highlights the set of factors that must be taken into account in designing a computer-supported collaborative learning situation that encourages students to discuss scientific notions. These factors include the choice of the domain issue, the activities proposed to students, and the role of technology. We describe the design of CON-NECT, an integrated environment and task sequence for the collaborative confrontation, negotiation, and construction of text. Results are then presented from a study in which students individually wrote an interpretation of a sound phenomenon, were matched in dyads so as to maximize semantic differences between their texts, and then collaboratively discussed and wrote common texts across the network using CONNECT. We show how careful engineering of the CONNECT environment favors the occurrence of epistemic dialogue and creates opportunities for conceptual understanding. The discussion centers on why these opportunities might be missed, as well as on the conditions required for students to exploit them.
Promoting scientific understanding through electronic discourse
Asia Pacific Education Review, 2001
Technology has changed current education in many ways. For example, computer-mediated-communication among students, teachers, and scientists has provided alternatives to traditional discourse patterns. Even though more and more telecommunication tools and projects are being introduced in the classroom, our understanding of their value and the effect is presently limited. For example, studies on how electronic discourse is different or similar to traditional classroom discourse and what features of electronic discourse are necessary to serve as a better learning environment are needed. To this end, this paper illustrates on-going efforts of a technology-rich science program called "Kids as Global Scientists" to take full advantage of emerging technology for better learning and teaching practice. "Kids as Global Scientists" (KGS) provides over 10,000 students from all over the world with an opportunity to communicate with on-line scientists and their peers while they study natural weather phenomena using both scientific data and first-hand experiences of participants. Through various scientific inquiry processes (i.e., collecting and analyzing data, synthesizing and communicating ideas), participation of the on-line scientists, and appreciation of first-hand experiences, KGS students are encouraged to engage in sustained and productive discussions on the Message Board. In this paper we analyze on-line communication between students and scientists that took place on the Message Board and the development of students' scientific understanding through such electronic communication. In particular, this paper attempts to answer the following three questions:
The lifespan and impact of ideas shared during classroom science inquiry
13th Annual International Conference for Computer Supported Collaborative Learning., 2019
Sharing ideas can strengthen students’ science explanations. Yet, how to guide uses of peers’ ideas, and what the impacts of those ideas are on students’ learning, are open questions. We implemented a web-based cell biology unit with 116 grade 7 students, and explored how peers’ ideas are used during explanation building, and how prompts to draw on peers to either diversify or reinforce existing ideas impacted the quality of students’ written explanations. Among other findings, exchanging ideas with peers led to all students improving their explanation quality upon revision; and students prompted to diversify their ideas showed greater learning gains by the end of the unit, while students prompted to reinforce ideas, who used more peer-generated ideas in preparation to write their explanations, produced higher quality explanations. This study builds our understanding of the influence of peer ideas on learning, and offers insight into supporting students in engaging effectively with peers’ ideas.
Research in Science Education, 1997
This article discusses the relation and patterns of intra-and inter-group discourse as middle school students explain particular phenomena. We present a framework of the dynamic process involved in generating collaborative knowledge. Our focus is on connecting students' thinking and experience with science concepts and explanations. Using the perspective of learning as a social activity, we are interested in science teaching that engages students in collaborative inquiry as a means for learning science content. Specifically, we examine the role of shared inquiry and the nature of consensusbuilding in students' development of explanations from a collaborative knowledge-building stance. Student discourse, in small (intra-group) and large (inter-group) contexts, is examined as an explicit mode of inquiry. While additional study is needed, we contend these two forms of discourse (constructive and generative; dialectic and persuasive) effectively promote progressive discourse and thereby facilitate shared coherent explanations of phenomena.
Cognitive Science, 2013
This study aims to further our understanding of the processes underlying the learning of complex science content through argumentative discourse. We report on findings from a controlled study that tested the effect of the role of human presence on learning by manipulating the belief of interaction with a human or a computerized peer agent. The effect of competitive vs. collaborative argumentative discourse style on learning from computermediated interaction with a disagreeing peer is also explored. Peer confederate's verbal behavior was tightly controlled and scripted to evoke argumentative discourse, holding content exposure constant but differing in rhetoric style according to condition. Even though previous studies have reported that the belief of interaction with a human peer benefits learning in consensual settings, we found the opposite for a settings in which the partner disagrees with and critiques the learner's own solutions: Students showed higher learning gains when they believed they interacted with a computer agent as opposed to with a human peer. Moreover, results from this study show the importance of collaborative discourse goals in learning from argumentation.
Argumentation and participation patterns in general chemistry peer-led sessions
2013
This article focuses on the use of Toulmin's argumentation scheme to investigate the characteristics of student group argumentation in Peer-Led Guided Inquiry sessions for a General Chemistry I course. A coding scheme based on Toulmin's The uses of argument. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press] argumentation model was used for identifying arguments during group work without instructor intervention. A modification of the framework developed by Erduran et al. Science Education, 88(6), 915-933] for characterizing arguments was employed that considered both the strength of the argument and whether an argument contained contributions from one or more than one student. Data were collected by video recording weekly peer-led sessions with a focus on two small groups. Analysis of this video data with the coding scheme and the framework revealed that students were mostly engaged in co-constructed arguments, with more than one student providing evidence and reasoning during group activities. Students often supported their claims with data and warrants but rarely offered backings. That is, they supported their answers with evidence and reasoning but did not often elaborate on their reasoning or further validate their explanations. However, the percentage of arguments containing backings increased when arguments contained contributions from more than one student rather than being presented by one individual. Another significant finding is that students were able to resolve wrong claims through argumentation without peer leader intervention, an indication of independent learning.
Analyzing patterns of participationand discourse in elementary students' online science discussion
The goal of the study was to analyze patterns of participation and quality of discussion in Virtual Web School (VWS) mediated interaction in one elementary class. To this end, we examined the density of the interaction within class, participants' participation rates, participants' position in the VWS mediated interaction, and the quality of their discourse. The data consisted of VWS log files and students' written productions from the VWS database. Social network analysis and qualitative content analysis were used to analyze the data. The findings showed that the density of interaction among participants was rather high, and all the participants used VWS to some extent. There were, however, substantial differences in the participants' participation activity. The results also indicated that one participant occupied a central position, and another had very isolated position in the VWS mediated interaction. The study further revealed that the VWS mediated discussion was composed of a number of short discussion threads. The culture of VWS mediated discourse and collaboration can be characterized as follows; on topic, neutral, and providing information to others' comments or questions.
The Lifespan and Impact of Students' Ideas Shared During Classroom Science Inquiry
2019
Author(s): Matuk, C; Wanjing Anya, M; Sharma, G; Linn, MC | Abstract: © ISLS. Sharing ideas can strengthen students’ science explanations. Yet, how to guide uses of peers’ ideas, and what the impacts of those ideas are on students’ learning, are open questions. We implemented a web-based cell biology unit with 116 grade 7 students, and explored how peers’ ideas are used during explanation building, and how prompts to draw on peers to either diversify or reinforce existing ideas impacted the quality of students’ written explanations. Among other findings, exchanging ideas with peers led to all students improving their explanation quality upon revision; and students prompted to diversify their ideas showed greater learning gains by the end of the unit, while students prompted to reinforce ideas, who used more peer-generated ideas in preparation to write their explanations, produced higher quality explanations. This study builds our understanding of the influence of peer ideas on learn...
Designing for Science Learning and Collaborative Discourse
A prototype Web-based environment, called the Web of Inquiry, was developed that built on previous work in science learning and technology. This new system was designed to meet constructivist- learning principles, support self-reflection, and meet specific interaction goals within the classroom environment. The system was tested it in fifth, sixth, and seventh grade (ages 10-13) classrooms. Mixed methods results suggest that the system met many of the initial design goals and also identified areas that could be improved in future iterations of the system.