Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Hyun-Myoung Kim* and Young-Soo Kim**
Dept. of Biology Education, Seoul National University, Korea
2001. 11. 12
Application of Internet Services to Promote Interactions between the Instructor and the Students
in the Course of an Introduction to Biology Education
1) Problem of limited interactions between the teacher and the students and among students in the classroom-Much literature reported that using internet in
education could improve interactions
2) Lack of teachers with IT literacy and training program for preparing these teachers at 1997 in Korea-the importance of equipping teachers with IT literacy
Research background
To examine the effectiveness and the practicability of the course using internet to promote the interactions between the instructor and the students and among students.
For this purpose, the course using internet was implemented to the pre-service biology teachers at college of education.
Purpose
1. What effects did the course using internet have on the interaction between the instructor and the students?
2. What effects did the following four types of teaching method using internet services differently have on the interaction among students?
1) Organized issue-oriented group discussion2) Exercise for advanced-learning3) Synchronous group discussion for high-level problem-solving4) Free group discussion for collaborative learning
Research Question
1. Course of an Introduction to Biology Education • a major required subject for juniors • understanding biology education for preparing secondary b
iology teachers• for this study, the course was organized to use internet for a
ssignments• the course was run over the spring semester of 1997
2. Subjects • 29 students (pre-service biology teachers) who enrolled in t
his course (male 12, female 17). • the most students participating in this course were beginner
s of internet uses, except for only 4 students (had PC with modem at home)
Methods
3. Methods to examine the effects of the course using internet on the interactions
1) Interactions between the instructor and the students -by analyzing the contents and pattern of the messages through e-mail,
mailing-list, BBS
2) Interactions among students -by analyzing the contents and patterns of the messages on web-forum a
nd chatting
3) Questionnaire survey to find the benefits and limitations of the course
4. Construction the environments using internet
Web-forum
By Contents of messages
personal36%
internet-related40%
course-related
24%
Result (1) -Interactions between the instructor and the students through e-mail, mailing list and BBS
4 activestudents
44%
instructor& TA44%
the otherstudents
12%
By Writer of messages
Opinions of four students(actively communicated)
1) They could have good relationship with the instructor and TA through e-mail and mailing-list
2) Learning internet was very useful and interesting.
43
74
57
26
instructor& TA
students
posting reply
%
% %
%
By Response patterns
Instructor’s roles in each teaching methods
Operator and helperOrganized issue-oriented discussion
Exercise for advanced-learning
Synchronous group discussionfor high-level problem-solving
Free group discussion for collaborative learning
Feedback provider
Moderator
Adviser
1. Four types of teaching method1) Organized issue-oriented group discussion
2) Exercise for advanced-learning
3) Synchronous group discussion for high-level problem-solving
4) Free group discussion for collaborative learning
2. Students' perception of benefits and limitations about each teaching method
Result (2) -Effects of interactions among students according to different types of teaching method
1. Organized issue-oriented group discussion1) Objective
To understand the goal of science education
2) MethodStudents were divided into two group(support group and
opposition), and discussed ‘why should science be taught in secondary school’. Members in a group discussed by face-to face, and posted agreed opinion on web-forum. After the other group read posted opinion, discussed contrary views. Finally, all members submitted the conclusion through FTP.
3) ResultStudents learned how to use the web-forum, and could
asynchronous discussion through web-forum.
Organized Discussion Procedure
Virtual public hearing (2 times)
group 1(position of the Education Ministry)-support
group 2(position of a science teacher)-opposition
face-to-face discussion in a group posting agreed opinion on web-forum
group 1-explanation
group 2-reputation
group 1 & group 2-conclusion
Issue- why should science be taught in secondary school?
submit through FTP
Hitting Number of Virtual public hearing 1st & 2nd
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
hitting number
1st 2nd
At the beginning, students had spent more time to learn how to use web-forum
Student’s perception of benefits and limitations in organized issue-oriented discussion
Category benefits No. of
responses (%)
Limitations No. of
responses (%)
interaction-related
· refer to other group's opinion
· without limits of time and space
· written contents of discussion (useful to save and edit)
· collaborative work
11(40%) 7(25%) 4(15%) 1(4%)
· lack of discussion in group · difficulty in understanding other group's opinion clearly · difficulty in concluding
because of organized design · not a dynamic discussion
6(30%) 4(20%) 2(10%) 1(5%)
internet- related
· opportunity of learning internet ·promote the velocity of typing · interesting in using internet, as a new tool
2(8%) 1(4%) 1(4%)
· trouble in using web forum, as a new tool
· lack of usable computer · spend much time
4(20%) 2(10%) 1(5%)
total 27 (100%)
20 (100%)
2. Exercise for advanced-learning
1) Objectiveto describe the statements suitable for the given science
education objective on web-forum (total 10 topic)
2) MethodEach students posted their own statements on web-forum
for assignments
3) ResultStudents referred to posted statements of other students
and feedback from instructor and TA
2nd Topic: Is this objective clearly described?
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
1 2 3 4 5
hittingNo.
Sub-topic
Instructor’s Feedback on web-forum
Student’s perceptions of benefits and limitations in exercise for advanced learning
Category benefits No. of
responses (%)
Limitations No. of
responses (%)
interaction-related
· refer to other students' opinion
· feedback from the instructor and TA
· without limits of time
18(72%) 6(24%) 1(4%)
· trouble in lots of assignments
· lack of comments · able to copy other
students' opinion
8(40%) 3(15%) 3(15%)
internet- related
· bother in using web-forum · lack of usable computer
5(25%) 1(5%)
total 25
(100%) 20
(100%)
3. Synchronous group discussion for high-level problem-solving
1) Objectiveto analyze ‘what stage of Piajet's cognitive development would
be required by the given science teaching material’
2) MethodGroup members could discuss this through chatting at real time
(3 members in a group)
3) ResultsThis method enabled the students to implement collaborative pr
oject and encourage group interaction
Student’s perception of benefits and limitations in synchronous group discussion for problem solving
Category benefits No. of
responses (%)
Limitations No. of
responses (%)
interaction-related
· without limits of space · direct communication
(dynamic) · able to put together
discussed opinion · problem-solving
together · written contents of
discussion
4(21%) 4(21%) 2(11%) 1(5%) 1(5%)
· difficulty in adjusting same time
· difficulty in communicating sufficiently one's opinion because of immediate discussion
· trouble in communication of unskillful typing students
9(39%) 6(26%) 3(13%)
internet- related
· interesting · new experience using
chatting
4(21%) 3(16%)
· lack of usable computer 5(22%)
total 19
(100%) 23
(100%)
4. Free group discussion for collaborative learning
1) Objectiveto design the course that 'the learning cycle by R. Karplus' wa
s applied to
2) Method Students in a group(3 members) discussed in students’ own w
ay without any organization
3) ResultsStudents didn't discuss actively as expected. It seemed that th
e dead line was not given to complete it and students were very busy preparing for other final exams
The posting order of group members-interactions among students in a group
Group Duration
(days) Order of posting member
Member the number of posting
message 1 5 a → b → c → a → c 5 2 6 a → TA → b → a → TA → c 6 3 7 TA → a → b → a 4 4 2 a→ b → c 3 5 7 a → TA → a→ b → c 6 6 7 a → b → TA → c → other
group member 5
7 8 a → b → c → a 4 8 2 a → b → a 3 9 7 a → b → a → c → b → a → c 7
10 2 a → b 2
a: 1st poster b: 2nd poster c: 3rd poster TA: teaching assistant
Student’s perception of benefits and limitations in free group discussion for collaborative learning
Category benefits No. of
responses (%)
Limitations No. of
responses (%)
interaction-related
· without limits of time and space
· have clear concept through discussion
· voluntary discussion
12(67%) 3(17%) 1(6%)
· trouble in checking frequently
· incomplete communication because of asynchronous discussion
· consume more time than
face-to-face discussion
6(55%) 3(27%) 2(18%)
internet- related
· adaption to a new information society
2(10%)
total 18
(100%) 11
(100%)
• It made the course run more effectively
• It helped the students form personal intimacy with the instructor
• The instructor played roles as a guide, an adviser, and a system operator in the discussions on internet
• The instructor's feedback was helpful for learning
Conclusion (1)-interactions between the instructor and the students
• Group learning using internet enabled the students to do a high level of critical thinking, a problem solving, and a cooperative learning
• Through synchronous and asynchronous discussions without limits of time and space, the students could approach the problems more freely and come to their decisions easily
• Asynchronous discussion through web forum was more suitable for the lessons requiring critical thinking
• In contrast, synchronous discussion through chatting, like face-to-face discussion, was suitable for immediate problem-solving.
Conclusion (2)-interactions among students
Conclusion (3)-limitation and future prospect
• The lack of usable networked computers and the massive consumption of instructor's and students' time and efforts were the major obstacles to the successful use of internet services in education.
• Nevertheless, if the course were designed to apply suitable internet services, the using internet for improving interactions would be a successful tool.
1. It was essential to prepare the usable computer hardware and software
2. To promote students' active participation, the forcible factor that obliges students to participate in, for example, assignments, was necessary
3. In this study, internet was used for assignments in a lecture-centered course. So, these results could be applied to a similar situation
4. How to organize internet services appropriately in accordance to the course objectives was important to enhance the effectiveness of the course
Suggestions
