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Evelina Jaleniauskienė

PhD student of Educational Sciences, a lecturer of English, Faculty of Social Sciences, Arts

and Humanities, Kaunas University of Technology, Lithuania, evelina.jaleniauskiene@ktu.lt

Gintarė Valinevičienė

PhD student of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities,

Kaunas University of Technology, Lithuania, gintare.valineviciene@ktu.lt

Integrating Technology with

Problem-Based Learning:

The Use of Mindtools

International Conference MOOCs,

Informal Language Learning, and Mobility

20 – 21st October 2016, Milton Keynes, UK

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Background (1)

• Learning in problem-oriented environments – central in education

practice

• Problem-oriented environments/ problem-centered instruction/

learning through problem solving/ problem-based learning (PBL) =

integrating problem-solving activities

• Advantages and complexities of such learning environments

• Both knowledge construction and problem solving – complex

cognitive processes

• The major concern - the proper instructional design for such

complex learning environments

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Background (2)

• PBL – an ill-structured problem involving in the solution of ill-

structured problems (“those that we encounter in everyday life, in which one or several

aspects of the situation are not well specified, the goals are unclear, and there is insufficient information

to solve them” (Ge & Land, 2004, p. 5) and “lack clear paths to solutions” (R. J. Sternberg & K.

Stenberg, 2012, p. 447).

• PBL for learning foreign languages/ integrating problem solving

activities while learning foreign languages (e.g. Larsson, 2012; Ciuciulkiene, 2003;

Mathews-Aydinli, 2007; Anthony 2010; Anthony & Kadir, 2012; Du& Kirkebæk 2012; Doghonadze & Gorgiladze,

2008; Coffin, 2011; Coffin, 2014; Otham et al., 2013)

• Current PBL research - at the advancement stage

• Enhancement of PBL with mindtools – not about their effect on

attitudes and interest, increased motivation but on improved higher

order learning

• Mindtools/ thinking tools/ learning-with-technology paradigm/

technologies of the mind/ cognitive tools/ tools for thought

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Scaffolding for PBL

Scaffolding allows learners to achieve beyond what they may be able

to do ordinarily without support

Sources of scaffolding:

• More capable peers – ZPD (Vygotsky,

1978, Wood et al., 1976)

• Peers that think differently – IDZ

(Mercer, 2009)

• Mindtools – computer-based tools and

learning environments (Jonassen, 1996)

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Research question and methodology

Research question:

Which and how can technologies serve as mindtools or thinking tools for the

use in PBL?

Methodology:

A literature review

The range of papers also included the ones that dealt with processes of solving ill-

structured problems because these are the types of problems students solve in PBL-

based environments.

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Mindtools (thinking tools)

• computer-based tools and learning environments that have been

adapted or developed to function as intellectual partners with the learner in

order to engage and facilitate critical thinking and higher order training

… [they] are extensions of humans [that can] extend cognitive

functioning during learning … while constructing knowledge to engage

learners in cognitive operations they would not otherwise have been capable.

(Jonassen, 1996)

• … learning with the computer, not from it. Computers become

intellectual partners… by helping learners to articulate and represent what

they know (not what the teacher knows) and for reflecting on what they have

learned and how they came to know. (Jonassen, 2011)

• not productivity tools; instead, they support cognition by extending

learner thinking beyond what they may be able to do ordinarily without

support.

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Mindtools

Source: http://cursa.ihmc.us/rid=1107306695380_482118658_1113/Mindtools.cmap?rid=1107306695380_482118658_1113&partName=htmljpeg

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Classes of mindtools

Classes of mindtools Explanation Examples of tools

Semantic organization tools Help to represent semantic

relationships among ideas

Spreadsheets and semantic

networking (concept

mapping) tools

Dynamic modeling tools Help to represent dynamic

relationships among ideas

Spreadsheets, expert systems,

systems modeling tools,

microworlds

Information interpretation

tools

Help to process and assess

information

Visualization tools

Knowledge construction tools Help learners work as

designers and construct

knowledge

Hypermedia

Conversation and

collaboration tools

Facilitate learning by socially

negotiating meaning

Online videoconferencing,

live conversations,

asynchronous discussions

Multipurpose tools or

technology systems

Not limited to one particular

purpose

Dashboards, web-based

learning environments

(Source: adapted from Jonassen, 2006)

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Results and discussion (mindtools from 28? papers) Mindtools Their benefits

Concept mapping,

mindmapping,

cognitive mapping

tools

For visual construction of the problem space: listing the key points, identifying variables, their

relationships and the goal state of the problem; collectively constructed maps establish and maintain

shared understanding, reduce miscommunication; engage in more time and effort; can be

remembered and aid for problem-solving transfer; reduce mental efforts while thinking (Hung, 2013;

Everling et al. 2011; Jonassen, 2011; Wu et al., 2016)

Causal influence

diagrams

For better understanding of the dynamic problem space, problem variables, their interdependence

and effects of it (Jonassen, 2011; Eseryel et al., 2013; Hung, 2013; Spector, 2003)

Systems modelling

tools

For conceptualization of a problem at a more complex level by considering additional variables

where concept maps and influence diagrams are insufficient (Hung, 2013; Jonassen, 2011)

Question prompts/

Problem-solving

rubrics

(Added to LMSs) To prompt students to identify personal skills and knowledge; direct attention to

important aspects of problem solving; provide procedural assistance for ill-structured problem-

solving processes; for formative assessment, peer reviews, reflexive learning (Hack, 2013; Ge, 2010;

Ge & Land, 2004; Ge et al., 2010)

Social networks,

blogs, wikis

(webpages

produced by a

group)

For effective collaboration and communication; making thinking public; learning to take appropriate

actions to solve problems; establishing and maintaining team organization; supporting social

knowledge construction, for distribution of expertise and cognitive workload; for reflection on

actions; extending learning beyond the four walls of the class and cells of the timetable; for easier

monitoring of group communication and application of learning analytics (Hack, 2013; Kirschner &

Wopereis, 2013; Chhabra & Sharma, 2013; Drohan & Widger, 2008; Ng et al., 2010; Quek & Wang, 2013)

Instructional

dashboards

To enhance and support collaborative learning; for asynchronous communication; for facilitators to

support many groups (Kazamitebar et al., 2016; Chen et al. 2016; Mitchel et al., 2012)

Dialogue mapping For creating a shared map of a meeting discussion to capture the key questions and ideas; to serve as

a group memory and a focus for the members to think, discuss, argue, share, decide and plan (Ng,

2008)

Virtual worlds

For providing physical-world experience within a safe and controlled environment free from the

consequences associated with real physical-world experiences; for allowing the student to be at the

centre of, and in relative control of their own learning experience (Parson & Bignell, 2011; Hack, 2013)

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Scaffolding PBL processes with mindtools

SCAFFOLDING LEARNERS IN PBL

PROCESSES (externalized support to facilitate

both cognitive and metacognitive processes)

The process of solving ill-structured

problems (problem representation, generating

solutions, making justifications, and

monitoring and evaluation)

Self-directed learning

Reporting of the results and reflection

WITH MINDTOOLS (or thinking

tools – technology systems or tools

functioning as intelectual partners)

Collaborative learning

Knowledge construction

Concept mapping, mindmapping,

cognitive mapping tools

Causal influence diagrams

Systems modelling tools

Question prompts/ Problem-solving

scoring rubrics added on wikis/

social networking sites/ learning

management systems

Social networks, blogs, wikis

Instructional dashboards

Dialogue mapping

Virtual worlds, augmented reality

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Example of use 1: Instructional dashboard to support PBL

(to support instructional decision-making in online learning context; help others with

argumentation and reasoning; for asynchronous communication that allows additional

time to develop more substantial arguments before sharing)

(Chen et al., 2016, as cited in Wang et al., 2016, p. 9)

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Example of use 2: Problem-solving question prompts

(to scaffold ill-structured problem-solving) (Ge et al., 2010, p. 55)

1. Identify the problematic situation.

• What facts from this case suggest a problem?

• Is there a standard for comparing these facts? If so, what is (are) the standard(s)?

• Are the facts out of line? Why or why not?

2. Define the problem.

• What do you already know about the problem?

• Do you need additional facts to define the cause(s) of the problem?

• What is (are) the probable cause(s) of the problem?

3. List and evaluate alternative solutions.

• List at least two alternatives to solve the problem.

• Evaluate each alternative by describing its advantages and

disadvantages, including relevant patient and provider perspectives.

4. Choose, justify, and implement a plan.

• Which option will you implement as a plan?

• Why is this plan the best choice?

• How will you implement this plan?

5. Evaluate the plan.

• How and when will you monitor the implementation of the plan?

• How will you know if the problem is solved, alleviated, or is getting worse?

• What secondary problems should you watch out for, and how would

you do that?

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Example of use 3: Weblogs as mindtools

(for reflection on action; for modelling experience)

( Kirschner & Wopereis, 2013, as cited in Spector et al., 2013, p. 99)

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Example of use 4: Concept maps as mindtools

(for visual external representation of problems, to understand the inter-casual

relationships among the variables in the problem, to facilitate problem-

conceptualization processes by reducing cognitive processing load)

(Hung and Lin, 2015, p. 7)

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Example of use 5: : Influence diagrams as mindtools

(for conceptualization of complex inter-casual relationships in a problem

or a system)

(Spector, 2003, p. 370)

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Example of use 7: Techniques, tools and ideas for PBL from

Design Thinking

(for encouraging and facilitating creative thinking in your students and yourself; to

use both imaginative and analytical abilities)

(Jackson & Buining, 2013, p. 169)

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Example of use 7: Techniques, tools and ideas for PBL from

Design Thinking

(for encouraging and facilitating creative thinking in your students and yourself; to

use both imaginative and analytical abilities)

(Jackson & Buining, 2013)

Can be added to any LMS, wiki, blog, social networking site; you can use:

https://www.tuzzit.com/en/canvas/six_thinking_hats

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Conclusion

A great variety of mindtools could help to refine PBL phases by

affecting these end products/ by making:

• The process of.

• Ensuring the presence of intermental thinking.

• Extend Problem solving, analogizing, modeling, reasoning

causality, and arguing are the most powerful forms of thinking that

lead to the most meaningful learning.

A great variety of mindtools could help to refine PBL by:

•Making the process of ill-structured problem-solving easier (most important)

•Ensuring more effective communication and intermental thinking

•Extending learners’ problem solving and critical reasoning abilities

•Improving higher order learning (not just have a positive effect on learner attitudes and

interests and contribute to improved motivation)

•Making any learning environment more diverse

•Allowing for digital world and face-to-face reality to coexist (Generation Z prefers this)

•Ensuring more meaningful learning

•Increasing learning beyond the four walls of the classroom and cells of the timetable

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Future directions…

? New futuristic mindtools involving AI

Technological affordances + learners’ minds

Technological affordances + learners’ minds + AI

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Thank you for your attention!