Using computer simulations to enhance conceptual change: The roles of constructivist instruction and student epistemological beliefs

Abstract

Learners enter the classroom with informal ideas (alternative conceptions) about scientific phenomena; these ideas affect how the corresponding scientific explanations are learned. In addition, students' epistemological beliefs concerning learning influence achievement. This study investigated the effects of a constructivist versus objectivist learning environment on college students' conceptual change, using a computer simulation of the human cardiovascular system as an instructional tool. This study also investigated the interaction between constructivist versus objectivist learning situations and the students' epistemological beliefs. The constructivist approach resulted in significantly greater conceptual change than the objectivist approach for 2 of 6 commonly held alternative conceptions; the other 4 of 6 areas showed no significant differences for treatment group. More important, however, the treatment interacted significantly with epistemological beliefs. Individuals with more advanced epistemological beliefs learned more with a constructivist treatment; individuals with less developmentally advanced beliefs learned more with an objectivist treatment. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 35: 145-160, 1998. This study investigated the effects of constructivist versus objectivist computer simulation environments on students' conceptual change within the setting of a college human physiology class. This study also examined the potential interaction between student epistemological belief and type of simulation environment, with regard to the development of conceptual understanding. We will discuss the general nature of alternative conceptions with a special focus on the human cardiovascular system. A brief discussion of conditions necessary for conceptual change, including emerging findings on epistemological beliefs and instructional strategies for effecting conceptual change, follows. Finally, we present a conceptual change and constructivist approach to the use of computer simulations.A note follows about the use of the term constructivism. The view that students construct their knowledge from individual and/or interpersonal experiences and from reasoning about these experiences is called "constructivism." Cobb (1994) described two distinct but complementary constructivist perspectives concerning knowledge construction. The cognitive constructivist view emphasizes the unique way knowledge is configured and evolves within the individual learner. The sociocultural constructivist view emphasizes the development of shared JOURNAL

The interplay between different forms of CAI and students' preferences of learning environment in the secondary science class

“…The results of the present study are, to a certain extent, in line with a previous study (Windschitl & Andre, 1998), which found that college student epistemological beliefs concerning learning environment influence their achievement when used a computer simulation as an instructional tool. They showed that students with more sophisticated epistemological beliefs (constructivist-oriented) learned more with a constructivist treatment and students with less developmentally advanced beliefs learned more with an objectivist treatment.…”

The interplay between different forms of CAI and students' preferences of learning environment in the secondary science class

“…The results of the present study are, to a certain extent, in line with a previous study (Windschitl & Andre, 1998), which found that college student epistemological beliefs concerning learning environment influence their achievement when used a computer simulation as an instructional tool. They showed that students with more sophisticated epistemological beliefs (constructivist-oriented) learned more with a constructivist treatment and students with less developmentally advanced beliefs learned more with an objectivist treatment.…”

An examination of the impact of learning objects in secondary school

“…Regardless of either teacher or student perceptions of the impact of learning objects, it is clear that learning performance increased markedly when learning objects were used. Although no previous research has looked at student performance in secondary schools, these results are consistent with those reported in higher education (Windschitl & Andre 1998;Rieber et al 2004;Docherty et al 2005). They also suggest that teacher analysis of learning in this study is more closely aligned to actual performance than student analysis.…”

Learning residential electrical wiring through computer simulation: The impact of computer‐based learning environments on student achievement and cognitive load

“…Learning with computer simulations helps students resolve alternative conceptions and promotes achievement in the science domain (Windschitl & Andre, 1998). Results from the present study showed that students who used computer simulations to learn knowledge, principles and applications of residential wiring performed better than those who learned in the traditional manner with lectures and demonstrations.…”

The interplay between different forms of CAI and students' preferences of learning environment in the secondary science class

“…The results of the present study are, to a certain extent, in line with a previous study (Windschitl & Andre, 1998), which found that college student epistemological beliefs concerning learning environment influence their achievement when used a computer simulation as an instructional tool. They showed that students with more sophisticated epistemological beliefs (constructivist-oriented) learned more with a constructivist treatment and students with less developmentally advanced beliefs learned more with an objectivist treatment.…”

An examination of the impact of learning objects in secondary school

“…Regardless of either teacher or student perceptions of the impact of learning objects, it is clear that learning performance increased markedly when learning objects were used. Although no previous research has looked at student performance in secondary schools, these results are consistent with those reported in higher education (Windschitl & Andre 1998;Rieber et al 2004;Docherty et al 2005). They also suggest that teacher analysis of learning in this study is more closely aligned to actual performance than student analysis.…”

Learning residential electrical wiring through computer simulation: The impact of computer‐based learning environments on student achievement and cognitive load

“…Learning with computer simulations helps students resolve alternative conceptions and promotes achievement in the science domain (Windschitl & Andre, 1998). Results from the present study showed that students who used computer simulations to learn knowledge, principles and applications of residential wiring performed better than those who learned in the traditional manner with lectures and demonstrations.…”

The interplay between different forms of CAI and students' preferences of learning environment in the secondary science class

“…The results of the present study are, to a certain extent, in line with a previous study (Windschitl & Andre, 1998), which found that college student epistemological beliefs concerning learning environment influence their achievement when used a computer simulation as an instructional tool. They showed that students with more sophisticated epistemological beliefs (constructivist-oriented) learned more with a constructivist treatment and students with less developmentally advanced beliefs learned more with an objectivist treatment.…”

An examination of the impact of learning objects in secondary school

“…Regardless of either teacher or student perceptions of the impact of learning objects, it is clear that learning performance increased markedly when learning objects were used. Although no previous research has looked at student performance in secondary schools, these results are consistent with those reported in higher education (Windschitl & Andre 1998;Rieber et al 2004;Docherty et al 2005). They also suggest that teacher analysis of learning in this study is more closely aligned to actual performance than student analysis.…”

Learning residential electrical wiring through computer simulation: The impact of computer‐based learning environments on student achievement and cognitive load

“…Learning with computer simulations helps students resolve alternative conceptions and promotes achievement in the science domain (Windschitl & Andre, 1998). Results from the present study showed that students who used computer simulations to learn knowledge, principles and applications of residential wiring performed better than those who learned in the traditional manner with lectures and demonstrations.…”