Design of web-based collaborative learning environments. Translating the pedagogical learning principles to human computer interface

Collaborative Inquiry Learning: Models, tools, and challenges

“…Progressive questioning can be supported, for example, by using the Computer-Supported Intentional Learning Environment (CSILE) or its successor Knowledge Forum (Scardamalia & Bereiter, 1991;Rahikainen, Lallimo & Hakkarainen, 2001;Scardamalia, 2004), or software with similar options like Synergeia and FLE3 (Rubens, Emans, Leinonen, Gomez-Skarmeta & Simons, 2005). They offer a knowledge building tool that enables learners to add their own notes to a communal database.…”

“…After all, it is acceptance and effectiveness that decide on using a tool in the classroom. -arouse interest, motivation (Jorde et al, 2003;CTG at Vanderbilt, 1993, 1997 -focus attention (Hmelo & Day, 1999) -construct joint problem space (Cohen, 1995;Scardamalia, 2002Scardamalia, , 2004 -enable progressive questioning (Rahikainen et al, 2001) hypothesis generation (Miller et al, 1993;Webb, 1994) -everyday objects facilitate first modelling steps (Avouris et al, 2003;Papadimitriou et al, 2006;Metcalf et al, 2000) -graphical modelling makes abstract concepts accessible (Miller et al, 1993;Niedderer et al, 1991) -mapping helps construct and retrieve integrated knowledge (Novak, 1990) -content-specific support is needed (Li et al, 2006;Manlove et al, 2007) -enable flexible sharing of learning objects (Rubens et al, 2005) -provide overview of work results for students and teacher (Jorde et al, 2003;Slotta, 2004) -deepen and extend understanding (Mork, 2005;Slotta, 2004;Tabak et al, 1999) -prompts for reflection are needed (White & Frederiksen, 1998) -unbiased communication (Gobert & Tinker, 2004) -logging and assessment (Jorde et al, 2003) -structured and reflective knowledge building (Scardamalia, 2002(Scardamalia, , 2004Veermans & Cesareni, 2005;Kollar et al, 2007) -progressive inquiry (Rahikainen et al, 2001) -benefits of graphical/structural representation of concepts (Suthers et al, 2008;Cañas et al 2003) Figure 4: Evaluative activities in the WISE project on airbags. Activity ...…”

“…It is possible to guide learners by defining requirements for the communicative process. The environment CSILE, its commercial successor Knowledge Forum (Scardamalia & Bereiter, 1991;Scardamalia, 2004) as well as Synergeia and FLE3 (Rubens et al, 2005) require students to label the type of the message they enter into the forum. This has the potential to yield deeper reflection on the rationale of the ongoing inquiry, but seems to need sufficient practice to be successful (Veermans & Cesareni, 2005).…”

“…This function is provided by the Co-Lab repository, where students' graphical models and experimental datasets can be saved and retrieved . In the FLE3 environment, students use the WebTop tool to store different items (documents, web links, knowledge building notes, artefacts) and publish them to (parts of) the learning community (Rubens, et al, 2005). Several environments, for example the ThinkerTools, employ reflective tasks to make students evaluate and reflect more deeply and generally (White & Frederiksen, 1998).…”

“…(Miller et al, 1993;Niedderer et al, 1991); it can be supported in different ways. Several environments like Synergeia, Cool Modes, and Co-Lab provide a whiteboard function useful for students in developing first ideas for problem solution (Rubens et al, 2005;Lingnau et al, 2003;van Joolingen et al, 2005): Learners may draw sketches and attach annotations in order to represent the problem at a very concrete level. Environments like WISE and Cool Modes include mapping tools, similar to the MindManager or the CMap Tools, which are specialised at constructing and analysing logical structures of terms (concepts).…”