Learners' reflections in technological learning environments: Why to promote and how to evaluate (original) (raw)
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The Computer as a Tool for Learning through Reflection
A unique aspect of computers is that they not only represent process, but they also naturally keep track of the actions used to carry out a given task, so that the process and its trace can become an object of study in its own right. One effect of this can be seen vividly in the sciences where computers and computational languages have improved our ability to develop and test process theories of complex natural phenomena. Before powerful computers became readily available as scientific tools, process models were expressed in mathematical languages, such as differential equations-languages primarily effective in capturing a static snapshop of a process. Computation provided formal languages that are more flexible than mathematics, but just as precise. In part because computation is itself dynamic, it provides an ideal medium for representing and testing richer, more varied, and more detailed theories of process. The use of this medium for process modelling has radically changed the nature of many current theories in both the physical and social sciences. Particularly in the arena of the cognitive sciences, computational techniques have proved to be powerful tools for both experimental and theoretical investigations of mind.
The Role of a Reflection Tool in Enhancing Students’ Reflection
INTED2016 Proceedings, 2016
Reflection is a cognitive process that can help students understand and learn from their learning experiences. This implies thinking back about the course of learning processes in order to enable better behaviour and actions in the future. Reflection is more efficient if it is supported by technological tools. These tools offer the ability to present detailed information about learning processes (e.g., use of time during a specific learning process) and the ability to provide guidance, for example in the form of questions that support reflection. In this paper we present the results of a study carried out with 9 th grade students (mean age 15.0 years, n=59) to clarify the role of a Reflection Tool to support students' reflection. The Reflection Tool in this study is a web-based application that was tailored for a chemistry-based Inquiry Learning Space (ILS) called "What does pH measure?". The ILS and Reflection Tool were developed as part of the EU funded project called Go-Lab (see www.go-labproject.eu). Students were divided into two conditions. In experimental condition the Reflection Tool was used and in the control condition it was not. Furthermore, two types of devices were used to implement the Reflection Tool: tablets and personal computers. Assessment of the Reflection Tool was based on coding the response to open-ended questions that support reflection. Two aspects were assessed in students' reflections: content (technical, situational and sensitising) and reflection level (description, justification, critique, dialogue and transfer). A qualitative analysis and a non-parametric Mann-Whitney U-test were used to detect to what extent the Reflection Tool helps identify students' reflection content and levels. Although, there was no statistically significant difference in favour of the Reflection Tool, the results still showed that the Reflection Tool enabled to identify students' reflection content and levels. In this paper we discuss the possible interpretations of these results.
STUDENTS'LEARNING AND COMPUTERS AS METACOGNITIVE TOOLS
adlunap.ro, 2007
The theme of this article represents a challenging topic: enhancing learning through computers as metacognitive tools. Many researchers are interested on how technologies can be used to foster the metacognitive knowledge and skills development in the classrooms, as students engage in collaborative inquiry and reflective learning. Given the strong interest in the technologies for teaching and learning, the specialists have used in their researches different frameworks, methodologies (qualitative and quantitative), creating a new issue: computers as metacognitive tools for improving students’ learning. The concept of metacognition includes some important dimensions: knowledge and procedures (evaluative and generative). These components facilitate the explanation how do students monitor their ongoing performance to detect and correct the possible or inherent errors and how students learn for those instances through reflection.
Procedia Computer Science, 2011
The paper explores the practical educational implications of the school intentions for insuring the metacognitive facilitation of students learning, and for facilitating their metacognitive development. Self-reflection was considered here as a mediator of selfregulated learning and consequently, of effective learning. The experimental approach we articulated and implemented integrated the project based learning and metacognitive reflection as the main methodological poles of the metacognitive training programme initiated. We started form the hypothesis that creating moments of systematic on-line reflection on the cognitive actions initiated for task solving may activate and support effective use of metacognition and metacognitive regulation. One of the bases of our experimental design was that exposing students at cognitive complex and ill structured learning tasks implies active metacognitive control and regulation.
The Influence of Reflective Tools on Teaching Strategies and Subject Design
This paper discusses the impact of student use of electronic thinking tools on teaching and learning strategies, depth of student reflection, staffing requirements and technological fluency of staff and students in a fourth year subject for pre-service primary teachers focusing on technology education. The theoretical underpinning of this subject is firmly based in a constructivist approach to learning, and employs a mindtool (Jonassen, 1996) to support deep student reflection and sharing of the design, make and appraise process. The construction of a process journal is an important aid to student reflection and self-analysis of recent learning experiences. Use of multimedia construction tools to enhance the journal writing process has evolved in the Design, Make and Appraise elective over a period of six years. The physical nature and pedagogical impact of the journal have changed due to the development of simple yet sophisticated multimedia construction tools. The change from scri...
This study aims to examine reflective capacity among students when learning about computers in education. The study involved 35 e-portfolios written by first-year students who enrolled on the Computers in Education course in the Faculty of Education, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. All the students taking this course were required to publish “reflections” based on their weekly learning activities via individual e-portfolios. Thematic analysis was done using Nvivo 10 software to categorize the content of the students’ reflections. The analysis reveals that a large percentage of the “reflections” were non-reflective rather than reflective actions. This finding has implications for the way the course is designed, requiring a supportive environment, mentoring and group discussions, as reflective thinking is not spontaneous, but should be deliberately stimulated by the educational context.
Promoting metacognitive reflection: a work proposal
Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Higher Education Advances, 2016
The metacognition as a self-regulatory strategy presents itself as an essential element in the whole process of learning. Lead students to reflect on their way of learning and their strategies, promotes in them this self-awareness and this ability of self-regulation that are very important to help them become "expert learners". It was with this aim that we structured a course prior to the start of students' academic activities, entering for the first time in a degree at university. This work seeks to describe the aims, the structure, and the development of this same course entitled "learn how to learn", as well as with some thoughts on how it took place.
Transforming challenges into reflections: Enabling metacognitive development
2014 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE) Proceedings, 2014
A capacity for self-directed learning (SDL) and lifelong learning is widely recognized as an important outcome for today's engineering graduates. Key to SDL is the development of self-reflection abilities, which enable students to critically evaluate learning tasks and contexts, to adjust and adapt their self-regulatory processes to new environments, and to maintain motivation and persistence in the face of difficulties. The purpose of this study is to explore how undergraduate engineering students engage with self-directed learning during their first two years of college. Grounded theory is used to analyze responses of 10 students to 12 surveys administered across two institutions over two years. Data reveal that student reflection on self-directed learning experiences is prompted by different factors. Moreover, we find that one of the more important factors in eliciting various levels of reflective practice is a set of challenges students face in learning environments. Specifically, the three types of challenges emerging from the data are those associated with (1) lack of cognitive freedom in course content, (2) perceived poor performance on traditional assessment, and (3) specific learning environments. Further analysis reveals that students reflect at different cognitive and metacognitive levels in different learning contexts. We argue that with proper pedagogical support, reflective practice can be encouraged in all educational contexts facilitating students' cognitive development.
Supporting reflection in technology-enhanced learning
Reflection has been regarded as a process that leads to deeper learning and a more complex and integrated knowledge structure. Various studies argue that reflection is more effective when given specific support. Technology-enhanced learning environments are recognised as effective facilitators that support students' learning. This study reviews the reflection support that research papers from the past six years (2007)(2008)(2009)(2010)(2011)(2012) have introduced in the context of technology-enhanced learning. Three support types are distinguished: technical tools, technical tools with predefined guidance, and technical tools with human interaction guidance. Most of the analysed articles relied on empirical evidence about the effectiveness of reflection support. Some articles gave only argumentative discussion to justify how reflection should be supported. It was showed that all these types of support could have a positive effect on reflection; however, not all the studies found positive effect.