Learning in Online Communities

Arguing to Learn

A History of Conceptual Change Research

enginering design based instruction

this article emphisezes the design based curriculum on students' content understanding of simple machines. engineering design method is used to teach the topic "simple machines" to fifth graders in USA. the engineering design is defined as an activity that involves the construction of a physical product which solves a human problem.during  the study, students designed some simle machines such as seesaws, food mixers,ramps and pulley and used lego materials. while students designing and building models of real simple machines, they figured out how each simpel machine works and how simple machines are different from complex machines. in the study, researchers applied pre and post test to fifth grade students to test their understanding.  it is seen that most of the students have misconseptions about simple machines and complex machines. students think that simple machines decrease the work done and sipmle machines do some of the work for us so we use less energy and complex machines are the ones that work with electricity or battery power. for students to have a conceptual understanding of simple machines, they need to know some related concepts such as work,energy, force. it is suggested in the article that teachers should give extra attention to these topics.

s1:  how do you consider the readiness of fifth grade studetns for this study?  why did you choose 5. grades in stead of 6,7 or 8?

s2: why there is no control group in the study?

cultivating model based reasoning

in this article the issue is modeling in science education. one of the advantages of designing instruction around modeling is that it enables educaters to sidestep the recurring and useless debates about the relative virtues of emphasizing science process or science content.. no one can engage in the activity of modeling without modeling something and this something is related to the question asked.. at the same time modeling is a practise, not a predigested collections of facts. beyond its value for students modeling has important advantages for teachers.because models are written and because they are publicly defended and debated, an emphasis on models tends to make students thinking highly visible to teachers.
 also, in classrooms in which the modeling is applied , students learn that the point of scientific inqury is not to find the correct answer in stead they see that answers inevitably lead to additional questions and that deeper study of phenemenon leads to deeper understanding.


Q1: if we start to modeling to reach certain objective in scince curriculum and during development period students convert to model to something else rather than our target. how to behave to this student?

Q2)  what more emphasis should be given to? the process of development a model or the product itself?

Case-Based Reasoning

This chapter focuses on the importance of learning situation . It also said that peer groups can learn from each other in a learning environment . CBR to support students' meaningful learning , especially in this section , and a program called SMILE made ​​on the basis of the application of this program are discussed. SMILE , Supporting Multi-User Interactive Learning Environment , problem-based learning , project-based learning and the design has been developed to support learning and thinking during the collaboration . Success of this program is to support small groups , their thoughts, to record their experimental work , to build solutions , to test them , to prepare reports on the results , such as education has a positive effect . Active participation is very important here . Choose topics of interest . problems should help the student to interpret . students multiple opportunities to use the skills learned to re- offer and its contents .

1 The main difference between traditional classes and classes LBD application is made ​​?
2 How to provide feedback SMILE grades activities were used ?

Project - Based Learning

Learning in Activity

Using Bridging Analogies

Please add your comments about the paper: 'Bridging Anologies'  under this post.

Constructionism

Please do add your comments about the article "Constructionism" under this post. Thanks !

Learning in Online Communities

Learning takes place especially felicitously as part of a knowledge-building community

that brings together people of all ages and diverse social roles.With the help of computer-mediated

communication, students can learn while engaged in authentic activities with real consequences.

The Internet connects groups of people, information, and institutions in new ways, creating new opportunities to realize this vision. When knowledge building is used as an approach to education, the goal is for students to learn through the process of engaging in this collaborative, critical dialog about ideas.The online community provides a ready source of peer support for learning. From this work, Bruckman found that online communities can provide students with ready access to

1)Role models,

2)Project models,

3)Technical support,

4)Emotional support, and

5)An appreciative audience

Computer-mediated communication has unique affordances that can help designers of learning communities to foster situated support for learning.Future research should explore how tomake learning communities more effective, and that research will always be guided by one or more prototypes of learning communities. The specific prototypes that the researcher chooses guide which characteristics of the learning environment are emphasized. Research will be more valuable if the

researchers are explicit about which prototypes of learning community are guiding their research

Question:

1)How to learn with hands-on learning online communities?

Learning in Online Communities

With the development of technology have made many improvements in education as well. Distance learning is not the same with that of the student, of course, the education system is a term that describes the environment. With the help of a computer, you can follow the lessons students. Distance learning, satellite, video, audio, graphics, computers, multi-media technology with the help of tools such as the training is to reach remote students.

We can list the following key features of the way of education online

1. The instructor and the student in different places in space exist a large part of the educational process
2. Educational media trainer, used to bring together students and course content,
3. The instructor, student and educational institution providing two-way communications
4. Ensuring independence of time and place,
5. Under the influence of student's learning with their prompt without the instructor.

 

 

My question : What are the negative effects that the online education

 

Learning in Online Communities

Computer-mediated communication” refers to communication between people that occurs through the medium of the computer, and includes email, instant messages, chat rooms, newsgroups, and blogs. Learning sciences researchers have made great progress in understanding how CMC can be used to connect learners together, and to allow learners to connect with society at large. Students can learn while engaged in authentic activities with real consequences. The Internet connects groups of people, information, and institutions in new ways, creating new opportunities to realize this vision.

Future research should explore how to make learning communities more effective, and that research will always be guided by one or more prototypes of learning communities. The specific prototypes that the researcher chooses guide which characteristics of the learning environment are emphasized. Research will be more valuable if the researchers are explicit about which prototypes of learning community are guiding their research.

Eventually, we will move learning in online communities beyond those prototypes that are based on existing learning communities, and new genres of online learning community will emerge that have no direct analog in anything that has come before. Understanding and learning from existing learning communities is essential to realizing this vision.

How can we check the students with this method?

Learning in Online Communities

The Internet is particularly effective at supporting the kinds of learning that learning sciences research is discovering to be most effective: project-based learning, constructionist learning, and Learning by Design. In project based learning, groups of students work collaboratively to solve the problem posed by a driving question. In constructionist learning, learners construct their own knowledge while working in communities of learners who share discoveries and build on each other’s ideas. In Learning by Design students share design ideas, ask for advice, constructively criticize other students’ solution procedures, and build on other students’ ideas in their own projects. Particularly successful examples of online learning communities based on learning sciences principles include The Math Forum, CoVis, SCOPE/KIE/WISE, CSILE/Knowledge Forum, One Sky Many Voices, and Quest Atlantis. While much of the richest work in online communities has been done in the domains of math and science, Scardamalia and Bereiter note that a knowledge-building community can be built around almost any domain we might wish students to understand. As in all area, technology gives us a lot of opportunity in education science but in my opinion we should clearly define the limits of it.

1)  How can we define the limits of using the technology in education?

2) How can we increase the role of teacher in online learning or do we need to do it?

Learning in Online Communities

Online learning communities are discussed on this section. The work can be done in the field of science and mathematics in general  online community.Successful examples of online learning communities based on learning sciences principles include The Math Forum, CoVis,COPE/KIE/WISE ,CSILE/Knowledge Forum, One Sky Many Voices, and Quest Atlantis.
These learning enviroments that emphasize the importance of co-operation and discussion. Use of technology makes more effective in students learning. For example, in writing workshops students
create a learning community surrounding creative writing; in reciprocal teaching, teams of students work together to help scaffold each other’s developing ability to understand text.

Question: 1-Is it possible to take advantage of online learning for all students?
               2-How can online learning communities be created?

Learning by online activities includes computer based learning. Online teaching provides multiple environments for teaching. Students could easily reach this environment at home, at school or somewhere like that. In addition, online activities support personal learning. With recording what students do, or when students do, or how students do, teachers determine students weaknesses about unit or theme. So that teachers could give effective feedback to students. Virtual or real- time group activities could do at these communities. Online learning provides distance education. We using online activities implement the project-based teaching. We use social software combination for online communities. Online communities should be legal, collaborative, helpful for students, and should provide positive environments for children. My question:

How can we support students who haven’t got facilities about networks or computer or software or something like that?

How can we encourage attendance at online communities?

Learning in Online Communities

This article provided information on learning online communites.John Dewey, “ Education is not preparation for life, education is life itself.” said. Virtual learning environments are the real world, there should be no break.Online learning communities and project-based learning suitability of the structuralist approach is described.Creates a collaborative environment to support learning in online learning communites.Cooperation in these environments , discussion and use of scientific skills is importnat.These learning communities,effective learning , students develop a deeper understanding.This includes learning cognitive apprenticeship education.One of the functions of rich ınternet allows you to reach a lot of people and ideas,sharing of information allows.Some scientists think that online learning communities did not reflect the real society.Some scientists reflects the real life of these communities is the place to be produced believes that the solution to the current problems. This environments offers students share their activities with each other.Compare the results with each other and learn from each other shortcomings of their activities.This environments role models to students, project models, provide technical assistance and emotional support. To isolate them from each instead of online learning brings together individuals, contrary to assumption.Learners devise their own learning environments in the future.Using the unlimited possibilities of the web designers should create deep learning environments.

Questions:

1.What is the role of the teacher in online learning environments?

2.Learning how wrong that may occur in these environments can be corrected?