Using just-in-time information to support scientific discovery learning about geometrical optics in
Many problems that learners regularly encounter during discovery learning with computer-based simulations have been identified. A number of studies have examined different ways of support for discovery learning by facilitating the learning process. This study examines the effect of facilitating access to prior knowledge through just-in-time information. It is expected that access to just-in-time information will foster learning but will not interfere with it. To test these hypotheses, an experim
The Logic-ITA in the classroom: a medium scale experiment
This paper presents the experiment and consequent evaluation of introducing the Logic-ITA in a second year tertiary undergraduate class. The Logic-ITA is a web-based Intelligent Teaching Assistant system, aimed at alleviating some of the problems caused by large classes or distance learning. Its domain of application is the construction of formal proofs in logic. The system acts as an intermediary between teacher and students: on one hand, it provides students with an environment to practice for
A Simulated Student Can Improve Collaborative Learning
This paper describes a Simulated Student architecture designed to detect and avoid three situations that decrease the benefits of learning in collaboration. These are off-topic conversations, students with passive behaviour and problems related to studentsÂ’ learning. In order to check the efficiency of the model in a real case a Simulated Student, which has the features described in the model, was added to a collaborative, synchronous system for learning programming. This paper describes the ex
A Simulated Student Can Improve Collaborative Learning
This paper describes a Simulated Student architecture designed to detect and avoid three situations that decrease the benefits of learning in collaboration. These are off-topic conversations, students with passive behaviour and problems related to studentsÂ’ learning. In order to check the efficiency of the model in a real case a Simulated Student, which has the features described in the model, was added to a collaborative, synchronous system for learning programming. This paper describes the ex
Principles for designing Web searching instruction
Web searching is a timely topic which importance is recognized by researchers, educators and instructional designers. This paper aims to guide these practitioners in developing instructional materials for learning to search the Web. It does so by articulating ten design principles that attend to the content and presentation of Web searching instruction. These principles convey a mixture of insights gleaned from instructional theory, empirical research, and many hours of classroom experience. Tog
Minimalist instruction for learning to search the World Wide Web.
This study examined the efficacy of minimalist instruction to develop self-regulatory skills involved in Web searching. Two versions of minimalist self-regulatory skill instruction were compared to a control group that was merely taught procedural skills to operate the search engine. Acquired skills were tested on Web search tasks and search tasks in an online library catalogue. Self-regulatory skill instruction was found to increase practice time by 25%. However, it did not enhance search perfo
Exploring novice users' training needs in searching information on the World Wide Web.
Searching for information on the WWW involves locating a website and locating information on that site. A recent study implied that novice users' training needs exclusively relate to locating websites. The present case study tried to reveal the knowledge and skills that constitute these training needs. Fourteen pre-university students, classified as novice (n = 7) or experienced WWW-user (n = 7) performed three web search tasks. Their actions and verbalisations were recorded. Between-group compa
Do two heads search better than one? Effects of student collaboration on Web search behavior and sea
This study compared Pairs of students with Single students in Web search tasks. The underlying hypothesis was that peer-to-peer collaboration encourages students to articulate their thoughts, which in turn has a facilitative effect on the regulation of the search process as well as search outcomes. Both hypotheses were supported by the results. Pairs located the target information more often and in less time than Singles did. Pairs also employed a richer repertoire of search strategies and were
Une typologie des fonctions des modèles formels : l'exemple de la biologie
Une typologie des fonctions des modèles est construite à partir d’un cadre théorique (Nifle) permettant de définir le rapport entre modèle et expérience. Il est admis qu’il existe un lien entre la manière dont on modélise en tant qu’expert ou chercheur et la manière dont on apprend à modéliser en tant qu’étudiant, et que ce lien repose sur le rapport expérience/modèle. La typologie est construite pour le cas particulier des modèles formels (utilisant un formalisme mathématiqu
Quelle est la nature des expériences vécues par les étudiants en Travaux Pratiques : analyse de d
Le but de cet article est de faire le lien entre les expériences vécues par des étudiants durant les TP et les activités conçues et décrites par l’enseignant. Nous tentons donc de déduire la nature des expériences d’apprentissage vécues par les étudiants en TP, à partir du discours des enseignants sur ce qu’ils font et ce qu’ils demandent aux étudiants de faire. Nous introduisons un cadre théorique que nous utilisons pour caractériser des Travaux Pratiques : selon leurs buts et
Un dispositif web pour l'enseignement des mathématiques à l'université : quels impacts sur la per
De nombreuses universités en France ont créé des sites Web pédagogiques avec l'objectif de moderniser leur pédagogie et motiver les étudiants. Les étudiants apprennent-ils mieux avec ces dispositifs ? Sont-ils plus satisfaits et motivés pour apprendre ? Nous avons réalisé une étude expérimentale pour évaluer l'apport pédagogique d'un site Web lors de la réalisation de séances de TD en mathématiques pour les sciences de la vie. Contrairement à nos attentes, mais en accord avec d
Modélisation formelle en sciences expérimentales : problématiques de la transmission
Cette note de synthèse rédigée en vue de soutenir une habilitation à diriger des recherches (HDR) propose une relecture de mes travaux de recherche sur la modélisation en physique statistique et en écologie comportementale ayant pour but de dégager des problématiques de la modélisation en sciences expérimentales et de les traduire ensuite en problématiques de la transmission. Dans une première partie, je présente mes travaux en me plaçant du point de vue des modèles que j’ai util
Un site web pour l'enseignement interdisciplinaire des mathématiques en biologie
Depuis septembre 2001, une section pilote du DEUG Sciences de la Vie est mise en place par l’Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1. Cette section bénéficie d’une pédagogie universitaire innovante intégrant les TICE. Notre équipe pédagogique assure le cours de Mathématiques tout en mettant l’accent sur l’interdisciplinarité Mathématiques et Biologie. Nous avons mis en place un apprentissage progressif par acquisition de connaissances (cours magistraux et travaux tutorés) puis de compét
Scientific discovery learning with computer simulations of conceptual domains
Scientific discovery learning is a highly self-directed and constructivistic form of learning. A computer simulation is a type of computer-based environment that is very suited for discovery learning, the main task of the learner being to infer, through experimentation, characteristics of the model
underlying the simulation. In this article we give a review of the observed effectiveness and efficiency of discovery learning in simulation environments together with problems that learners may encou
Self-directed learning in simulation-based discovery environments
SIMQUEST1 is an authoring system for designing and creating simulation-based learn-ing environments. The special character of SIMQUEST learning environments is that they include cognitive support for learners which means that they provide learners with support in the discovery process. In SIMQUEST learning environments we try to find the balance between direct guidance of the learning process and sufficient free-dom for learners to regulate the learning process themselves. In this article we de-
The effects of graphical overviews on exploratory behaviour and knowledge acquisition in hypertext e
One of the main and recognized problems of learning with hypertexts is that learners are easily distracted and end up ‘lost in hyperspace’. As a result, they do not acquire complete and adequate knowledge. In this study, we enhanced a hypertext environment with a graphical overview that represented the basic structure of the domain and we designed the layout in such a way that learners were unobtrusively encouraged to follow a sequence of exploration that followed the domain structure. This so
Can kindergarten children be successfully involved in probabilistic tasks?
This paper describes a classroom teaching experiment, concerning the concept of probability, with children aged 5 in a kindergarten school. The teaching experiment was based on constructivist and interactionist theories about the learning of school mathematics and lasted one month. The collection of the information was based on the tape-recorded interviews with the children (each child was interviewed prior to the research program, at the end of the program and one month later) and the videotape
Can kindergarten children be successfully involved in probabilistic tasks?
This paper describes a classroom teaching experiment, concerning the concept of probability, with children aged 5 in a kindergarten school. The teaching experiment was based on constructivist and interactionist theories about the learning of school mathematics and lasted one month. The collection of the information was based on the tape-recorded interviews with the children (each child was interviewed prior to the research program, at the end of the program and one month later) and the videotape
Supporting peer interaction in online learning environments
This paper reports two studies into the efficacy of sentence openers to foster online peer-to-peer interaction. Sentence openers are pre-defined ways to start an utterance that are implemented in communication facilities as menuÂ’s or buttons. In the first study, typical opening phrases were derived from naturally occurring online dialogues. The resulting set of sentence openers was implemented in a semi-structured chat tool that allowed students to compose messages in a free-text area or via se
StudentsÂ’ adaptation to a new situation:
the design of an experimental procedure
Different studies (Arce and Betancourt, 1997; Séré, 2002) emphasize the importance of the task of experimental procedure design in a learning context. However, the required design is a difficult task for students (Séré and Beney, 1997). Consequently, students are hardly ever allowed to design their own experiment. The study by Tiberghien et al. (2001) showed that “to learn how to plan an investigation in order to address a specific question or problem” was the least frequent process object
