visualization GIS – ETEC 533 E-folio

Weeks Twelve and Thirteen: Information Visualization, Course Analysis and Course Sign-Off

Information Visualization

Information visualization helps students understand processes and the meaning of data through animations, simulations and modeling. There are many existing and easily accessible science and math based visualization tools available including: Model-It, NetLogo, Geometer’s Sketchpad, WiseWeb, Illuminations applets and PHET.

Running a simulation is akin to messing about as described by researchers in education such as Finkelstein et al (2005). These authors describe messing about as “This idea of scientific play is the methodical investigation of the constraints and opportunities of a system” p5. They also state that messing about can help students organize their knowledge and align it with scientific models through this play.

Teachers and instructors could use one of the instructional frameworks discussed in this course (Anchored Instruction (AI), Scaffolded Knowledge Integration (SKI), Learning for Use (LFU) or Technology – Generation, Evaluation, Modification (T-GEM)) in combination with an information visualization tool to develop powerful lesson plans to help students conquer a challenging concept or deal with misconceptions. Even a basic tool such as Lemonade Stand teaches students that a simple business has many inputs to consider and apply to be successful.

Course Analysis

The pace of the course was fast; the instructor put the “pedal to the metal” on January 2, 2013 and did not let up throughout the course. Now it is early April and time to reflect on what I have learned and how I can apply it to my current role as the Curriculum Coordinator for the School of Business at SAIT Polytechnic.

Overall this was a tough course for me as it had me outside of my comfort zone many times, primarily as I am not a science or mathematics teacher or instructor. “Outside of my comfort zone” is a way of saying that I spent a lot of time in my “Zone of Proximal Development”; this in turn resulted in a lot of hard work and some great learning for me.

Here are some of the themes that I take away from the course

Deal with misconceptions
Encourage engagement with technology
Refer to theoretical frameworks for guidance when using technology
Embrace emerging genres of teaching, learning and technologies
Use technology where appropriate

My complete course analysis is posted in the Analysis section of this blog.

Course and Program Sign Off

This concludes my participation in this course; all postings and assignments are complete. This e-folio captures my learning throughout the course as the final Legacy in Learning assignment for this course.

It also marks my completion of the MET program; course 10 of 10 completed over the last 43 months. I can now return my life to normal, whatever normal is now. I feel that I have achieved the broad objectives that I set out to accomplish that I established over four years ago:

There is now a need for me to crystallize my experience in curriculum development and my role as a Curriculum Coordinator with a formal education in learning technologies to enhance my role and to provide learning and technology leadership to faculty and staff in my school and across SAIT.
The proposed Master’s degree will provide me with knowledge and skills, based on current best practices, and emerging trends in learning and technology that will give me the confidence to provide guidance to faculty and Academic Chairs and leadership to the School of Business in the development of proposed new programs and the redevelopment of existing programs.

My program epilogue “To here, and from here” describing my overall MET learning is posted at the end of my learning analysis component for this course.

References:

Finkelstein, N.D., Perkins, K.K., Adams, W., Kohl, P., & Podolefsky, N. (2005). When learning about the real world is better done virtually: A study of substituting computer simulations for laboratory equipment. Physics Education Research,1(1), 1-8. Retrieved April 02, 2012, from:http://phet.colorado.edu/web-pages/research.html

Weeks Eight and Nine: TELE 2 – My World and Chemland

The final two examples in the design of technology-enhanced learning experiences (TELE) section of this course are My World and Chemland.

My World is an education based geographic information system (GIS) developed by Northwestern University in Illinois. It is based on the Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) Arc/Info GIS. The initiative has been described by Edelson (2001) and Stylinski and Smith (2006). My World uses scientific visualization incorporated into inquiry-based learning to enable students to develop understandings of complex phenomena in earth and environmental sciences. It accomplishes this by constructing interactive maps and uses analysis tools to make database and geospatial inquiries.

My World incorporates learning-for use (LfU) framework (Edelson, 2001); below are the four principles:

Learning occurs through construction and modification of knowledge structures
Knowledge construction is goal oriented both conscious and unconscious
The circumstances around how the knowledge is constructed determines how it is accessed in the future
Knowledge must be constructed in a useful manor before it can be applied

My World, like the Web-based Inquiry Science Environment (WISE), is based on constructivist pedagogy where students can with the aid of the GIS, combine different provided data sets and their own data sets to discover spatial relationships. My World is geo-spatial so any science or social science concepts can be applied with this system including bringing in data sets from outside of which is provided. There are several disadvantages to MY World as it is complex and not an easy system to learn. It is probably the ultimate constructivist environment as students create new data and information by simply combining and displaying two or more datasets. The danger with this type of open environment is it is difficult to validate if what the students have created is useful or just meaningless artifacts. Without this validation and interpretation from the teacher, then it could create new unchecked misconceptions.

Chemland is a suite of chemistry simulations available for free. Khan (2007, 2010) describes how Chemland can be used with the Technology – Generate-Evaluate-Modify (T-GEM) method of scientific inquiry. There are three components of the T-GEM model:

Generate – students are provided with information and asked to generate relationships
Evaluate – students are given new information that is in conflict with their initial information – thus they must evaluate the relationships they previously generated
Modify – students must modify the relationships they generated based on the new information

This method encourages students to generate their own rules or relationships given initial information. Then they are then challenged with new, often conflicting information and asked to evaluate the rules and then modify them based on the new information. T-GEM provides the framework to support and scaffold students to make connections among various abstractions. In addition, it fosters learner conceptual understandings and the development of inquiry skills.

Chemland and T-GEM is chemistry based and allows students to explore the wonders of chemistry through many different information sources. The environment is designed to create conflict that encourages students to re-evaluate and problem-solve new solutions. Chemland consists of s series of simulations with fixed inputs and ranges so the constructivist approach is somewhat controlled.

References

Edelson, D.C. (2001). Learning-for-use: A framework for the design of technology-supported inquiry activities. Journal of Research in Science Teaching,38(3), 355-385. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/1098-2736%28200103%2938:3<355::AID-TEA1010>3.0.CO;2-M/abstract

Khan, S. (2007). Model-based inquiries in chemistry. Science Education, 91(6), 877-905.

Khan, S. (2010). New pedagogies for teaching with computer simulations. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 20(3), 215-232.

Stylinski, C. & Smith, D. (2006, August). Connecting classrooms to real-world GIS-based watershed investigations. Paper presented at the ESRI Education User Conference, San Diego, CA. Retrieved Nov 15, 2012, from: http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/educ06/abstracts/a2275.html

Learn more about My World and Chemland on the Design Page.