Collaborative learning with multi-touch technology: Developing adaptive expertise

Abstract

a b s t r a c tDeveloping fluency and flexibility in mathematics is a key goal of upper primary schooling, however, while fluency can be developed with practice, designing activities that support the development of flexibility is more difficult. Drawing on concepts of adaptive expertise, we developed a task for a multitouch classroom, NumberNet, that aimed to support both fluency and flexibility. Results from a quasiexperimental study of 86 students (44 using NumberNet, 42 using a paper-based comparison activity) indicated that all students increased in fluency after completing these activities, while students who used NumberNet also increased in flexibility. Video analysis of the NumberNet groups indicate that the opportunity to collaborate, and learn from other groups' expressions, may have supported this increase in flexibility. The final phase of the task suggests future possibilities for engaging students in mathematical discourse to further support the development of mathematical adaptive expertise.

Evaluation of a Voluntary Tutoring Program in Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics for First-year Undergraduates at Universidad Andres Bello, Chile

“…In addition, the fact that tutoring modalities change according to the specific needs of a particular group of students is a favorable condition for learning, particularly for the most academically challenged undergraduates. Finally, the collaborative work during tutoring sessions can also be considered as a positive factor for learning in chemistry, physics and mathematics, since as students work together and confront their ideas with their peers' points of view, they might understand the concepts at a deeper level (Mercier & Higgins, 2013). Data was retrieved from the official university system report for the chemistry, physics and mathematics courses that registered participant and non-participants students during the academic period under study.…”

“…As students work together and listen to each other's ideas, as is found in a tutoring setting, group members are encouraged to reflect upon their own thoughts and reconsider their points of view. In doing so, students might understand the concepts at a deeper level (Mercier & Higgins, 2013).…”

“…During sessions, students are required to solve problems and encouraged to discuss their results and provide justification for their decision making. In this context, collaboration between pairs and tutors can help students to understand concepts at a deeper level, and to reflect upon their own thoughts and reconsider their points of view while listening to each other's ideas (Mercier & Higgins, 2013). A major challenge in dealing with these students is to promote the transition from routine expertise to adaptive expertise, which requires the ability to face new conceptual situations and even create new procedures for solving problems (Hatano & Inagaki, 1986).…”

Personal Learning Environments and Open Educational Resources in Higher Education

“…To effectively perform all these functions PLEs must be able to also support mobile communication devices (Drexler, 2010;Mercier, & Higgins, 2013) and integrate various digital resources than can be developed in community and available for all learners. A network of PLEs is a learning network.…”

Touch Arithmetic: A process-based Computer-Aided Assessment approach for capture of problem solving steps in the context of elementary mathematics

“…First, multi-touch can be an intuitive and a more expressive way of using touch interactions with computers (Moscovich, 2007), reflecting how children explore physical objects with their hands. Studies have shown the multi-touch environment removes abstraction from the interaction process (Moscovich, 2007), is engaging (Heinrich, 2011), permits performance of complex tasks in a reduced time (Jiao, Deng, & Wang, 2010), supports bi-manual interactions (Bailly, Müller, & Lecolinet, 2012) and aids collaboration (Mercier & Higgins, 2013).…”