Integrating Pedagogical models and Digital technologies – Synthesis of WISE, MYWORLD, JASPER and CHEMLAND
Technology Enhanced Learning Environment – WISE, MYWORLD, JASPER and CHEMLAND
Strengthening pedagogical structures
The National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (NCETM) in their 2010 report and in the 2011 report by the Joint Mathematical Council of the United Kingdom report that expected increases in enhanced learning using digital technologies have not been realised. Both highlighted potential problems in the pedagogy, a lack of opportunities for meaningful interaction, and too few opportunities for the use and application of concepts across subject areas. Sutherland et al. (2011) elaborate this point to define a major need for student-led mathematical models with high problem solving content using computer programming and digital technologies that are widely used in society and the workplace. The use of pedagogy and models that are centred on presentation and exercises were also highlighted as weaknesses.
Four substantive projects with foundational technology-enhanced learning environments (WISE, MYWorld, Jasper and Chemland) were explored, compared and contrasted for learning goals and theory and found to include elements designed to create a deeper relationship/integration of pedagogy and technology with the hope of increasing the perceived benefits on technology integration.
Below is a synopsis of each project, their learning goals and learning theories, a comparison of each and the potential for inclusion/impact teaching, learning and integration of technology within the mathematics and science classroom.
Learning Goals and Theories
WISE
WISE is a web delivered project designed based on the principle of Scaffolded Knowledge Integration and to support the design of curriculum projects in which students investigate problems, critique solutions and debate with their peers (Slotta & Linn, 2009). The Web delivery mechanism means there is no software, all content and functionality can be accessed within the Web browser. The interface and working space are designed for and promote collaboration for students and teachers to work on combined lessons and projects. Teachers can create, share and modify lessons using WISE software online.
WISE looks at knowledge integration on three levels: i) understanding content, ii) knowledge and development of skills within the course (scientific inquiry skills) and iii) epistemic knowledge (understanding the nature of the course) based on learning theories of: Scaffolding (content delivery and tools to support learning including embedded hints, guides and reflection activities) and Distributed congnition (online discussions).
The key difference in WISE is the Knowledge integration on all levels in one learning environment using technology, web delivery (Snyder et al., 2002). In this way WISE differs from all other processes as it is all web based which creates limitations for use if there is not internet access. However, pedagogical approaches and theoretical frameworks could still be employed.
MyWorld
MyWorld is a GIS software integrated in Life Sciences explorations and lesson delivery. It is based on learning goals of facilitating the integration of content studies with the inquiry process and for inquiry to play a more significant role in scientific learning. The primary theories of learning within MyWorld are based on four premises:
‘1. Learning takes place through the construction and modification of knowledge structures.
2. Knowledge construction is a goal-directed process that is guided by a combination of conscious and unconscious understanding goals.
3. The circumstances in which knowledge is constructed and subsequently used determine its accessibility for future use.
4. Knowledge must be constructed in a form that supports use before it can be applied’ p. 357
MyWorld offers the tools and support that enable students to compute necessary information, construct knowledge and to create, analyse and test data. It is interactive, customisable and allows for visualisation of data with affordances of allowing students to enter or create new data. It therefore offers independence and capabilities that are not possible without the technology such as computational skills (real scientific tools). The software is not as user friendly as the others and can be more interactive in both the input of and manipulation of data. Unlike T-Gem and Chemland and WISE elements a prior learning module and/or thought tracking and discussion are not enabled within the environment.
Jasper
Jasper is a learning series based on anchored learning in which instruction is anchored on solving a complex problem. This makes it distinctive from the other models. Instruction must be anchored and presented in small chunks. It is a constructivist approach in which students have a meaningful experience. In this experience problem setting is essential and forms the basis of that meaningful experience. Understanding how people think is an essential element to the foundation for the Jasper model (Pellegrino & Brophy, 2008). The Jasper technology is a series of interactive movies with defined problems. The technology provides anchors for the instruction, content, and defining problem, as well as provides the structure for independent and collaborative work.
The Jasper series supports:
• Scaffolding
• Practice
• Feedback
• Revision
• Reflection
• Community learning (distributive cognition)
• Divergent thinking/ instruction (The what if scenario)
• The inquiry process/discover learning.
Materials supported are context specific, activity oriented, and developed in levels, with increasing independence. It supports independent learning, all information required are presented in the question, as well as collaborative learning.
Chemland and T-Gem
Chemland is a digital software used in simulations and explorations of scientific processes in Chemistry. It was investigated here within the T-Gem methodology. The underlying learning goals and theories are the use of technology to strengthen students’ mental modes of knowledge.
TheT-gem approach has three components: Generate, Evaluate and Modify with specific teacher and student activities. Prior to the three step process the teacher provides background content. This differs from the Jasper series in that provision of background content is not a necessary precursor. The teacher’s role is to provide prompts to elicit desired outcomes within the three areas, likened to the scaffolding prompts in WISE.
Teacher’s/Designer’s use of projects
WISE
To create a WISE project teachers can create, use and/or modify an online lesson. The task should be inquiry-based with scaffolding features such as cognitive hints, embedded reflection, embedded notes and embedded assessments. These should be sequentially organised within the lesson in a step by step approach in which the progressions occur naturally through clicks (automatically goes to the next step/activity/task). The experience should promote autonomous learning and so should include: scaffolding, student self-monitoring through collaborative reflection, activities and teacher feedback. WISE software has embedded features to support each of these areas.
Software tools for activities include: Drawing, Concept mapping, Diagramming, and graphing with additives/potential affordances for interactive simulations and models. The teacher’s role is as a facilitator/guide primarily encouraging discussion.
MyWorld
The design strategies suggest a three step process: Motivation – to acquire specific skills or knowledge within a real life context or setting; Knowledge Construction – Goal directed and involves the use of and facilitation of incremental constructs organised in a way to allow for linking to memory banks and experiences (prior learning) and for making connections and Knowledge refinement – the application of knowledge and how to access that knowledge.
MyWorld offers interactive components but I did not find it very user friendly enough to enable a level of ease of use with the software that enabled students to act as independently as desired in the motivation and goal directed stages described in the LFU model. In using LFU and or a MyWorld based technology and model for mathematics I would utilise activities within the three steps as highlighted and emphasise the digital technology. However, I would make the technology more interactive in both the input of and manipulation of data and I would also include a prior learning module before the motivation stage to identify or clarify misconceptions.
Jasper
The Jasper series is based on the premise that effective learning environments are: Knowledge centred (concept of understanding rather than just mastery of skills), Learner centred (with a need to understand attitude and skills that students take to the classroom, preconceptions and misconceptions), Assessment centred ( gage where students are and develop accordingly) and Community centred (sharing and arriving at an answer etc).
The Jasper series is therefore designed to be an adventure series to provide motivation as in MyWorld but differs in that content is not taught directly but encourages students to find information. The Jasper series can therefore be used either as a motivation/ introduction to or culminating activity (application of concepts) depending on the pedagogical desires. In my programme, for example, in college mathematics with at risk learners I can use Jasper to provide context, a real world problem and creating more meaningful problems for students to solve rather than completing questions devoid of context and/or only practicing through drills and practice. The medium also caters to multiple intelligences and diverse learning styles (Gardner, 1983). Also, the SMART and STAR structures enable the tracking of thought patterns, progress and direction setting for both students and teachers (Pellegrino & Brophy, 2008). Jasper can also be used to assist students in structuring problems into manageable and separate and more approachable sections while distinguishing between relevant and not needed data (Vye et al., 2009). KWL charts can be used alongside Jasper to support metacognition and independent, self-paced learning by helping students to organise what they need to research.
A Reflective/Synthesised framework
Independent use and Exploration
I am in agreement that in instances independent use and exploration of technology may not result in significant gains in learning. But I believe it is dependent on how and when that independent learning is introduced into the lesson and the support given to reflection of that independent learning process.
The kind of independent use and exploration I refer to is that placed within scaffolding strategies where the process is demonstrated and modeled, students are guided in the process, students then attempt the process themselves, and further explored in a way that they can test their theories/concepts.
However, potential missing elements, which if included will fill gaps in independent work, are: reflection, presentation, discussion, debate and analysis.
While working independently students can reflect on their process and present how and what conclusions they arrived, this can then be discussed whether verbally or asynchronously (discussion posts or chat room). In the latter an online medium should enable viewing of results and posting comments.The above are based on my current teaching experience, my interview and my exploration with four substantive projects with foundational technology-enhanced learning environments (WISE, MYWorld, Jasper and Chemland).
Social affordances, Cognition and metacognition – Activities for success
“factors that might facilitate participation and interaction in CSCL environments are promoting alternative views for students to discuss, anchoring discussions to students’ personal experiences, option to make anonymous contributions, offering interesting and timely topics, making online discussion a part of legitimate classroom activity, and alternating face to face and electronic discussions.” Lipponen, L. et al. (2003).
Lippoen’s discourse reflects benefits seen in my practical teaching experiences. I instituted a primarily asynchronous (chats, blogs and discussion post) means of discussion set questions in two of my courses. Both offered independent learning and links to web resources that provided background content and examples. The two deliveries were slightly different in how materials and activities were organised to introduce or support discussions. The delivery model that worked better was the one that had fewer activities with one or two clear goals, with supporting materials that did not require having to use too many external links. In the latter experience also aiding success was that content was organised in one space and presented in small chunks.
Prompts suggested in Lippoen (2003) and resonated in Anderson (2004), are integral in my experience. Although some believe that the discussion environment should be a space for more student-centred and driven discussion I have found that it depends on the level as some students feel neglected and do not want to return to the discussion as much as if the teacher responds regularly to their comments (even if students are responding).
Another discussion point is that of modality of interaction (asynchronous vs synchronous means). Asynchronous means such as online discussions (blogs, chats, and posts) serve to extend discourse beyond the classroom, deepen student-to student interaction and enabling teachers to keep more abreast of individual students’ thoughts, conceptions and misconceptions. However, the latter becomes difficult to manage with large classes and if the lecturer has many classes. This gives me a greater appreciation for the metacognitive, reflection and discussion capabilities embedded within WISE. The integration of such tools was central in my delivery of Mathematics and the T-Gem methodology.
All the series we have viewed so far present instruction and anchored problems in small chunks. Jasper requires the learner to seek solutions that may require the teacher to use supported environments that simulate/ aid scaffolding activities. Of them all WISE is the most comprehensive in creating the one learning environment experience. In the Chemland experience I would have to create my learning space to include my simulations and such affordances for communication and social interaction to enable this meaningful interaction that would engage all students but I would make that learning space one such as WISE which incorporates all elements in one learning environment. A lesson from WISE is the inclusion of reflection and metacognitive elements within the tasks themselves. A lesson from Jasper is to use multimedia and presentation tools that motivate and present anchored problem solving using real experiences but also to give students enough motivation to seek out additional information. The use of Simulations as presented in MyWorld is also noteworthy in instructional design and delivery.
Regarding physical infrastructure and support I think smartphones with internet connectivity, which are increasing in prevalence, may become viable options for facilitating discussions. Also increasing is the potential for Mobile Apps for education technology alongside developments in ‘Social software and participatory learning: Pedagogical choices with technology affordances in the Web 2.0 era’ (Lee & McLoughlin, 2007). There are other programs such as the one lap top per child program that may also help with infrastructure to support digital technology integration.
Teachers can therefore support at-risk-learners by:
i) modeling the process
ii) guiding students through the process
iii) enable independent exploration through application of concepts
iv) include media for discussion of results (synchronous and asynchronous, and enable feedback)
v) structure presentations and discussions on understanding sources of misconceptions and on clarification, using collaborative structures and distributed cognition strategies.
References
Anderson, T. (2004). Toward a theory of online learning. In T. Anderson & F. Elloumi (Eds), Theory and practice of online learning (pp.33-60 ). Athabasca, AB: Athabasca University. http://cde.athabascau.ca/online_book/ch2.html Retrieved 21 February 2011
Cognition and Technology Group at Vanderbilt (1992a). The Jasper experiment: An exploration of issues in learning and instructional design. Educational Technology, Research and Development, 40(1), 65-80. http://ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/login?url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF02296707
Gobert, J., Snyder, J., & Houghton, C. (2002, April). The influence of students’ understanding of models on model-based reasoning. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association (AERA), New Orleans, Louisiana.
Retrieved Saturday, October 29, 2005 from: http://mtv.concord.org/publications/epistimology_paper.pdf
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%3C355::AID-TEA1010%3E3.0.CO;2-M/abstract
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Joint Mathematical Council of the United Kingdom.(2011). A report from a working group of the Joint Mathematical Council of the United Kingdom. Chaired by Professor Rosamund Sutherland. Edited by Dr Alison Clark-Wilson, Professor Adrian Oldknow and Professor Rosamund Sutherland
Khan, S. (2007). Model-based inquiries in chemistry. Science Education, 91(6), 877-905.
Lee and C. McLoughlin. (2007) ‘Social software and participatory learning: Pedagogical choices with technology affordances in the Web 2.0 era’ http://www.ascilite.org.au/conferences/singapore07/procs/mcloughlin.pdf Retrieved 29 February 2012
Linn, M., Clark, D., & Slotta, J. (2003). Wise design for knowledge integration. Science Education, 87(4), 517-538. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/sce.10086/abstract
Lipponen, L. et al. (2003).Patterns of participation and discourse in elementary students’ computer-supported collaborative learning. Learning and Instruction. 13 (5), 487-509.
National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (NCETM). Mathematics and Digital Technologies -New Beginnings. A report Date: September 2010. https://www.ncetm.org.uk/public/files/3399763/NCETMDigitTechReport2010.pdf , Retrieved February 23, 2012
http://cme.open.ac.uk/cme/JMC/Digital%20Technologies%20files/JMC_Digital_Technologies_Report_2011.pdf, Retrieved February 22, 2012
One laptop per child program http://one.laptop.org/ Retrieved 29 February 2012
Pellegrino, J.W. & Brophy, S. (2008). From cognitive theory to instructional practice: Technology and the evolution of anchored instruction. In Ifenthaler, Pirney-Dunner, & J.M. Spector (Eds.) Understanding models for learning and instruction, New York: Springer Science + Business Media, pp. 277-303. http://ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/login?url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-76898-4_14
Vye, Nancy J.; Goldman, Susan R.; Voss, James F.; Hmelo, Cindy; Williams, Susan (1997). Complex Mathematical Problem Solving by Individuals and Dyads. Cognition and Instruction, 15(4), 435-450. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1207/s1532690xci1504_1