Using educational software to support collective thinking and test hypotheses in the computer science curriculum |
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| Authors: | Email author" target="_blank">Giorgos?E?PanselinasEmail author Vassilis?Komis |
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| Institution: | (1) Terma elpidos Atsalenio, 71306 Iraklio, Crete, Greece;(2) Department of Educational Sciences and Early Childhood Education, University of Patras, Greece, 26500 Rio-Patras, Greece |
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| Abstract: | This study analyses the discourse among the teacher and the students, members of three (3) small groups, who learn in the
environment of a stand-alone computer. Two educational environments are examined: the first one, a “virtual laboratory” (Virtual
scale-DELYS) and the second one, a computer modeling environment (ModelsCreator). The ‘Virtual Scale’ environment provides
users with curriculum focused feedback and in that sense it can be categorized as directive. The ModelsCreator environment
provides users merely with a representation of their own conception of curriculum concepts, so it can be categorized as an
open-ended environment. The goal of this research is to exemplify the way the two educational software environments support
(a) the development of collective thinking in peer— and teacher-led discussion and (b) students’ autonomy. The software tools
of the “Virtual scale” along with the resources provided for the problem solving created an educational framework of hypothesis
testing. This framework did not limit the students’ contributions by directing them to give short answers. Moreover, it supported
the students’ initiatives by providing tools, representations and procedures that offered educationally meaningful feedback.
Based on the above results, we discuss a new educationally important structure of software mediation and describe the way
the two software activities resourced collective thinking and students’ initiatives. Finally, for each type of software environment,
we propose certain hypotheses for future research regarding the support of collaborative problem solving. |
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