EcoRaft Evaluations

Combining Handhelds with a Whole-Class Display to Support the Learning of Scientific Control

Authors
Tom Moher University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
Xun Ding University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
Jennifer Wiley University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
Syeda Hussain University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
Preeti Singh University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
Vasisht Srinivasan University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
Diane Conmy Abraham Lincoln Elementary School, Oak Park, IL

http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=766048

Abstract: Third grade students used wireless handhelds and a large shared display to discover strategies for control of variables in scientific experiments. The technology suite supported activity requirements including synchronous individual control, face-to-face discourse, and instantaneous display updates. In an empirical study, students demonstrated learning in both original and transfer domains.

***

In this study, the researchers allowed their subjects to navigate through a large shared display with networked wireless handhelds to help students learn about a fundamental concept of experimental science, the control of variables (COV) strategy, and hopefully adopt this strategy easily and successfully. The researachers developed an activity called "Who's Who?" in which each student simultaneously controlled an independent variable on a projected screen of a grid consisting of "pixels." Each pixel on the grid is controlled by its own handheld PC. When a button on the handheld is pressed, the corresponding pixel changes colors. The goal for the project was to ask the group to modify the color of the pixels until it reached a final configuration state.

Before the experiment began, the subjects, a group of third-grade students, were given a written test so researchers could evaluate their existing knowledge of the COV strategy. The researchers conducted two experiments on consecutive days after the written test, with students mapped to different pixels for each experiment. After both experiments, the researchers conducted structured interviews (pre-determined questions, methods, etc.) with the subjects to assess whether or not they understood what had happened. These interviews were videotaped.

The results of the two activities were very dramatic. For the first experiment, the subjects took a little more than half an hour to complete the task. For the second experiment, the subjects took less than 4 minutes.

The researchers believe that most of the task strategy learning occurred during the first session. This is obvious since the little time was passed before the subjects completed the activity the second time. The subjects articulated a "one at a time" algorithm after each activity and their mechanism understanding increased more than 20% between the two activities.

***

I think the written test was a good way to evaluate the subjects' knowledge on a specific topic. I don't think it would be very effective for the EcoRaft Project, however, because our questions are open-ended and it would probably be more successful to conduct a semi-structured interview. However, I do think it would be important to review the subjects' improvement in learning strategies, like mechanism learning, conceptual learning, etc.

posted by Anonymous @ 5:34 PM