Scaffolding learners in authentic, problem based e-learning environments: The Geography Challenge

Abstract

The affordances of online learning technologies have enabled more widespread development of learning environments that facilitate the exploration and solving of complex and realistic problems. In this paper, we describe the design of a real world geography problem, embedded within a web environment that is facilitated by an onsite excursion for data collection. The learning environment has been designed to deliberately address known problems associated with the problem solving approach, specifically in regard to three issues, and uses scaffolding prompts and supports embedded within the environment to facilitate student learning.The paper describes the theoretical foundations for the approach, the design of the learning task, and specific scaff~lding approaches used in the environment. Ill-structured problems in school learningComplex problems lie at the heart of most experiential and student centred learning environments (Hmelo-Silver, 2002;Jonassen, 2000;2006). The design of complex and authentic problems has been the focus of much research and development activity over the past two decades, as teachers and designers seek to adopt more meaningful and engaging approaches to their learning environments. However, the design of a meaningful problem can be difficult if it is to enable students to learn not only content knowledge but also higher order thinking and problem solving skills (Hmelo-Silver, 2002). Such problems are not commonly found in most educational contexts, as Jonassen (2000) noted:Virtually everyone, in their everyday and professional lives, regularly solves problems .. , Unfortunately, students are rarely, if ever, required to solve meaningful problems as part of their curricl,l.ia. The few problems that students do encounter are normally well-structured (story) problems, which are inconsistent with the nature of the problems they will need to learn to solve in their everyday lives. (p. 63) 532Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 2006, 22(4) Others have argued that most set problems lack the complexity required to help students learn to use the knowledge they have acquired in appropriate and adaptive ways (e.g. Cognition and Technology Group at Vanderbilt, 1993). In dealing with simple, or well-structured problems, Collins (1988) has argued that students often invoke 'suboptimal schemes' for remembering information solely to pass tests, rather than to address the genuine demands of a real problem. 'For example, arithmetic students might conclude that any word problems including the word left (How many did she have left?) are subtraction problems ... such knowledge is less likely to be stored in a form that is useable when applied to novel situations' (pp. 2-3). In these contexts, knowledge itself is seen by learners as the final product of education rather than a tool to be used dynamically to solve problems (Cole, 1990). Sternberg, Wagner and Okagaki (1993) analysed the differences between the kinds of problems learners face in academic situations and practical, real world applica...

Authentic Learning Supported by Technology: Ten suggestions and cases of integration in classrooms

“…Its school education program incorporates an authentic context for the study of Year 10 geography. In a learning challenge designed to enable students to learn key geography skills (described in detail in Brickell & Herrington, 2006), an authentic context is provided in the form of a brief animation (Figure 1). The park is experiencing problems with mosquitos, smelly ponds and rats attracted by food scraps and other rubbish left by visitors.…”

Case problems for problem-based pedagogical approaches: A comparative analysis

“…However selecting or generating problems to promote the kinds of problem solving that Jonassen is advocating is a complex process and has been the focus of much research over the past two decades (Brickell & Herrington, 2006;Hmelo-Silver, 2002). Jonassen (1997Jonassen ( , 2000Jonassen ( , 2011a and others (e.g., Collins, 1991;CTGV, 1993;Hmelo-Silver, 2004;Lundeberg, Levin, & Harrington, 1999;Spiro & Jehng, 1990) have consistently noted that the few problems students encounter in educational contexts are well structured and lack the complexity needed to help students transfer learning to real world problem solving.…”

“…While there are several guidelines or frameworks for developing ill-structured problems (e.g., Barrows, 1985;Brickell & Herrington, 2006;Dabbagh & Bannan-Ritland, 2005;Duffy & Cunningham, 1996;Hmelo-Silver, 2002;Jonassen, 1997Jonassen, , 2000Jonassen, , 2011aLesh et al, 2000;Reeves et al, 2002;Schmidt, 1994), research has revealed a high degree of variability across problems used in PBLEs ranging from highly structured problems where context is of secondary concern and the focus is on optimal solutions, to highly ill-structured problems where context is critical and the problem solving process is valued more than the problem solution (Jonassen, 2000;Walker & Leary, 2009). Hence, this study sought to examine the specific characteristics of problems used in PBLEs in order to better inform the selection and generation of ill-structured problems for teaching and learning contexts.…”

An information-summarising instruction strategy for improving the web-based problem solving abilities of students

“…If students are equipped with the ability to grasp the key points of the problems, they may be able to seek efficiently what they need from the Internet with appropriate keywords, and then extract content effectively from the searched results. On the contrary, if they fail to identify the key points of the problem, the whole problem solving process is likely to be inefficient (Pharo & Jarvelin, 2004;Wormeli, 2005;Brickell & Herrington, 2006;Tu, Shih & Tsai, 2008;Susar & Akkaya, 2009;Antiqueira, Oliveira, Costa & Nunes, 2009;Veletsianos & Doering, 2010). Hence, this study attempts to employ an information summarising instruction strategy to enhance the information comprehension and summarising abilities of the students; hopefully, their web-based problem solving ability can be improved as well.…”