Title: The Role of Students' Epistemologies in Learning with Models
PIs: Janice Gobert, Concord Consortium; Christina Schwarz, Independent Consultant
Other collaborating institutions: University of Maryland; Texas A&M University; Concord Middle School; University of Massachusetts, Boston; University of Missouri, Kansas City; McNeese State University; Caltech Precollege Science Initiative; University of Georgia; University of Washington; University of Michigan
The purpose of this work was to draw together a group of colleagues interested in studying the relationship between epistemology and modeling. Specifically, our goals for this group include (1) developing a common understanding about the nature of students' epistemologies of science and how they may relate to modeling, (2) sharing data we have about the role of epistemologies in modeling from our empirical work and rubrics for assessing epistemology, (3) developing principles for how to better foster learning from models based on our data and our discussions, and (4) addressing issues of equity as they relate to epistemology and modeling.
Our work produced online discussions about epistemologies and modeling, a brief meeting at AERA, a one-day workshop in June, and an AERA proposal. In analysis of our notes and audiotapes of the workshop, we found several themes that emerged from our workshop discussion. The following include some of the main themes from the discussion:
(1) The forms of epistemologies. Are epistemologies more coherent and generalizable or non-generalizable and piece-like?
(2) Assessment of epistemologies. Are we addressing articulated or inarticulated epistemologies?
(3) Is there evidence that improving epistemologies aids science content knowledge acquisition?
(4) Is teaching about philosophy of science (and specifically epistemologies of modeling) independent or contributory to learning science content?
(5) What are some principles to foster productive epistemologies?
Finally, we created and submitted an AERA 2002 proposal that addresses the themes derived from our workshop. The proposal calls for a structured poster session in which each of the participants will contribute a paper that addresses either the third or fifth themes. In this session, we expect to highlight the ways in which our work can build on each other's findings and how we can further advance knowledge in the field.
Title: Principles and Guidelines for Design of Technology Based Learning Environments: Construction of an Online Guide
PIs: Lisa Bievenue, NCSA University of Illinois; Nathan Bos, University of Michigan; Yael Kali, University of California, Berkeley
Other collaborating institutions: University of Colorado; Northwestern University; University of California, Santa Cruz; Concord Consortium; University of Washington; SG-Systems; University of Wisconsin, Madison; Cornell University; Indiana University; Vanderbilt University; Metacourse, Inc.; RiverDeep, Inc.; Mathforum; Intel
The knowledge and experience of designing technology-based learning environments (TBLEs) is distributed among a large and heterogeneous group of people. The goal of the proposed project is to synthesize some of this knowledge and write an online guide with a coherent set of design principles and guidelines for TBLEs. This guide could provide a useful framework for the community of designers in the development of new educational TBLEs, but also for researchers, teachers and students in evaluation, implementation, and use of TBLEs in the classroom.
The first step in our process was to develop a framework for identifying and presenting design principles. Participants' online discussions indicated that identifying 'principles' is not enough, because this information is usually too decontextualized to be useful. The current framework calls for principles to be connected to one or more higher-level educational goals that they address, illustrated with one or more proven examples, and accompanied by designer's observations about tradeoffs, pitfalls, appropriate contexts of use, and evidence of effectiveness. During a workshop held in June 2001, we considered many variations on this structure, and refined the framework with an iterative process of team discussion, obtaining feedback from colleagues, and attempting to analyze existing projects with draft versions of the principles. The goal was to reach a framework that 'felt right' for designers trying to articulate their principles, but would also be useful to outsiders in understanding and applying principles to new projects.
With a fairly stable framework in place, the next step was working in collaboration with CILT's year-four 'Design Principle' project led by Nathan Bos, Yael Kali, and Marcia Linn, to design and develop an online searchable database of design principles (http://wise.berkeley.edu/design/ currently in process of interface-design and content gathering). Since then, the task has been to aggregate and synthesize educational goals, connect them to design principles and to example features from many different projects, feed them into the database, and find connections between ideas thought of and implemented by the different designers.
In collaboration with the CILT year-five 'Design Principles' project, we will:
1. Continue the ongoing work of designing the interface of the database, and accommodating it with more interconnected design features, principles, and goals.
2. Conduct a structured poster session at AERA 2002.
3. Conduct an interactive session at CSCL 2002.
Project Web site: http://wise.berkeley.edu/design/