1998 Conference Attendees

ProjectSymphony
ContactChris Quintana
Emailquintana@umich.edu
URLhttp://hi-ce.eecs.umich.edu
Project
description		In the Symphony project, we are looking at developing a comprehensive tool environment for high-school science students learning the process of science inquiry. The science inquiry process is a complex one for the novice learner. Science problems have characteristics of so-called "ill-structured" or “wicked” problems: the problem-solving process is an iterative, non-linear one with no fixed way of doing it. Also, there are many possible activities in the process, although only a subset of activities may be necessary to solve the problem. Thus novice learners trying to negotiate the complex inquiry process encounter several difficulties:
  • Learners do not know what set of process activities are possible.
  • Learners do not know how to perform the different activities in the process.
  • Learners do not know the rationales behind the different activities.
  • Learners need help planning the activities they need to do and tracking their completed activities.These obstacles make it difficult, if not impossible, for a novice learner to effectively engage in a complex process like that involved in science inquiry. We need to address these difficulties to “allow the doing” of a complex process by a learner.

    To this end, we are developing Symphony, a supportive integrated environment (SIE), integrating our individual science tools while offering the necessary support that learners need, tools for:

  • On-line research (UMDL-Artemis)
  • Data collection (Data Warehouse)
  • Data visualization (Viz-It, GIS)
  • Modeling and analysis (Model-It, statistical analysis)The integrated nature of a SIE provides advantages for learners, helping them manage tool products and interactions between tools. However, with Symphony, we are focusing on process scaffolding, exploring the metaphors, representations, and techniques that we can incorporate in the user interface of a SIE to support learners in “doing” the process.

    • Theoretical
    background    		(1) Human-Computer Interaction and Learner-Centered Design

    One area we can build on is that of domain-oriented or task-based interfaces, which are usable for domain experts because the interfaces reflect the familiar (for the expert) language and activities of the domain. However, many domain-oriented interfaces will not work for learners since they are domain novices. Rather, we are exploring environments whose user interface reflects the language and activities of a domain in a manner that is understood by learners.

    Second, we wish to continue to refine our work in learner-centered design (LCD), especially in better defining what we mean by LCD, and in recording and justifying design guidelines that software designers can use to design learner-centered software.

    (2) Visual Design

    Similarly, what can we learn from the visual and graphic design community about visual representations that can help learners to “visualize the process” so that they can begin to effectively negotiate that process.

    (3) Science Education and Curriculum Design.

    Looking at science content and pedagogical lessons, especially in terms of modeling and visualization, to influence and improve the design of our software.

    Challenges(1) Technical challenges:
  • Buidling Java-based software and trying to design a framework for easily integrating new software tools as needed.
  • Issues with web-based software in classrooms (servers, server loads, software speed and responsiveness, especially with Java-based software)(2) Research challenges: How do we guide novice learners through a complex process so that they can both negotiate the process and begin to gain some understanding into the process (and sub-processes)? What can we do in the user interface to help learners make sense of complex processes? What kind (and what form) of expert content about the process should we include in the software?
    • PartnershipCurrent partners include: Northwestern University, Detroit Public Schools, Community High School (Ann Arbor), Cogito Learning Media

    Needs:

  • Experience with Java and deployment of web-based software.
  • Java-based tools that we can integrate into Symphony.
  • Data sets and other sources of data that we can utilize in our Data Warehouse for student inquiry.