Tallinn Pedagogical University

Department of informatics

Designing educational software to use computers in student research work (project writing) and for social

research projects

Maidu Varik

Multimedia and learning systems

magistriõpe II k.

Tallinn 2003

Teaduskond

Matemaatika- loodusteaduskond

Osakond

Informaatika

Töö pealkiri: Designing educational software to use computers in student research work

(project writing) and for social research projects.

Taotletav kraad

Magister

Kuu ja aasta Lehekülgede arv

AbstractTo use information technology to improve learning process, the pedagogical assumptions underlying the design of information technology for educational purposes must be understood. Prevalence of computer-supported learning generate a need for special teaching material and software.Educational software can help to solve one of the problems of Estonian school curriculum- lack of integration between different subjects. To help teachers and students in writing research projects in civics integrated with computer-based learning- is the main practical goal of this work.As in social- and humanitarian subjects the communication between human beings is playing important role, and then also computer-based learning in those subjects must offer more possibilities for collaboration.In the social science field, two types of educational software dominate: so-called drill-and-practice and tutorial programs.The main goals for this work are:

To analyze theoretical material about integrating computer-based learning to school curriculum and into the civics program.

To find best recommendations how to build computer-assisted software to help write a research project

To make some example working models of educational software what is usable for teaching students to make a better research project

To make a practical guide for project writing.To achieve those goals the next tasks have been fixed:

a) find software that is usable in student research area;b) evaluate existing educational software in civics area;c) new software models- made by recommendation(based on D.Jonassen) for

constructivist design model- testing;d) to make a model-plan how to integrate computer-assisted software into the framework

for learning in school, how to use and integrate the software with curriculum materials.

Key words: educational technology, student research work, educational software, computer-

based learning and computer-assisted software in civics

Töö autor: allkiri:

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INTRODUCTION

Success of implementation of ICT in school education depends on several factors,

including access to computers and communication tools, professional skills of

teachers, and perception of students. Access to computers and Internet has been

dramatically improved in many countries thanks to the national programs supporting

ICT use in education. ICT has taken very important role in our everyday-life. One of

the keywords for information society is “knowledge media”. E-learning should be a

part of normal teaching practice in each subject.

According to the all-Estonian research “Tiiger Luubis” (2000) in comparing with all

subjects in history and civics lessons computers are used occasionally and not so often

as in other subjects. And from other hand- on of the greatest hardships of Estonian

school curriculum is lack of integration between subjects.

During last years student research works (projects) are coming a part of Estonian

school curriculum. First experiences in scientific work by making research projects

are very useful for students to get more skills for project-work on next levels (in

universities). Research projects can be used as integrative work for lot of different

subjects- and one part of this is using computer and internet to make better projects.

For history and civics teachers are student research work especially good way to make

learning process more attractive.

The situation with education software in Estonia is not good: we have some special

programs for language learning, for science and for some other subjects. It’s difficult

to adopt (language barrier for students) available learning software in English,

Russian or Finnish, or those can be used halfway or selectively. The main problem for

this kind of software is that this is not straightly connected with pedagogical goals of

school curriculum or this can be used only for edutainment.

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For this paper the main problem was: how can civics teachers integrate computer-

based learning and student research work with school curriculum.

The main goals for this work are:

To analyze theoretical material about integrating computer-based learning to

school curriculum and into the civics program.

To find best recommendations how to build computer-assisted software to

help write a research project

To make some example working models of educational software what is

usable for teaching students to make a better research project

To make a practical guide for project writing.

To achieve those goals next tasks have been fixed :

a) to find software that is usable in research area.

The term “computer-based learning” has several meanings: from old fashion “drill

and control”-type training systems with linearly ordered exercises controlled by

teacher to interactive text-books and opened multimedia learning environments where

students and tutors are in different forms of cooperation and communication through

interactive media (so called edutainment).

Since computers have come on the scene of education, an increasing number of

software has been released for different subjects. At present, a lot of educational

resources are available at school and, thereby, it appears to be rather difficult for

educators and curriculum experts to choose a certain item of software which meets

educational needs the best.

b) to evaluate existing educational software from the viewpoint of this work.

Six basic areas to be considered are: programme content, its operation, instructor use,

student use, curriculum content, and publisher information.

D. Jonassen offered (1994) in article „Thinking Technology: Toward a Constructivist

Design Model“ three whales for constructive learning environment model: 1)

authentic and meaningful context with problems from real life; 2) learner-side active

and reflective construction with mental models; 3) active collaboration with co-

students and with teacher who are in role of mentor. Software examples for this work

are based on Jonassen’s recommendations, but also it is expected that some other

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model of learning can be used (not only the constructivist), what haved thoroughly

described by Leidner and Jarvenpaa (1995) ;

c) testing of software models: useful software is built on objectives, created on its

initial model, then evaluated, and after that evaluated and modified.

d) to make a model-plan how to integrate computer-assisted software into the

framework for learning in school, how to use and integrate the software with

curriculum materials.

Potential methods:

a) resource analyzing;

b) questionnaire for civics teachers about their attitudes about computer-based

teaching;

c) testing software made for this work by students and teachers.

This work is divided into two main chapters:

1) “Computer-based learning in civics” where the theoretical material about

instructional system design and special learning software for civics have been

observed, also possibilities how to use computers in lessons;

2) “Example models of software to use computers in student research work and for

social research projects in gymnasium level”- where have described the results of

questionnaire for civics teachers about their attitudes about computer-based teaching

and described the results of testing of software models.

Civics teachers can use software models, made during this work, after all remarks

made during testing have completed. Their importance is that this is first Estonian

language software especially for civics and this will help integrate the learning

process at whole. For next discussions will stay a question is the constructivist

learning environment the best for computer-based learning, how can we make

interaction in learning environments more effective, what kind of supporting system

we need for educational software.

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Computer-based learning in civics1.1. Instructional system design and educational software

Social development brings also changes in educational system. Several forms studies

have assumed that computers are useful and help with teaching. We must not

overestimate the importance of the computers because they are only the means of

assistance in teaching and not for creating radical changes in educational system. E-

schools and e- schoolings are going to immerge by the side of normal schools.

With every new boom in educational media there are hopes for qualitative jump in

learning, but as Richard Clark (1994) has shown in “Media Will Never Influence the

Learning” the results of learning didn’t depend what kind of media was used during

learning. Also T.Russell (1999) has find so called “No Significant Difference

Phenomenon”- that using any kind of new media don’t give any marked effect and

that educators must focus attention on effective learning and not technology.

Computer-based learning needs special software and one valuable asset for this kind

of software is interactivity: learner can read and look learning material on screen,

solve exercises based on this, compare and analyse different ways of problems

solving, test her/his knowledges and skills.

Prevalence of computer-supported learning generate a need for special teaching

material and software. It’s important to have learningware for every subject and on

each school level. Different kind of interactive learning-ware is possible to create

without special programming software. It’s possible to make learning software where

the theoretical material in Word files is connected by hyperlinks with interactive

workbooks (in Excel format for example).

All learning programs we can divide into 4 groups:

1) drill and practise-program

2) problem-solving programs with case or problem

3) real world simulations

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4) tutoring programs with step by step moving

1.2. Computer-based learning and computer-assisted software in

civics

As in social- and humanitarsubjects the communication between human beings is

playing the big role, then also computer-based learning in those subjects must offer

more possibilities for cooperation.

Steinberg (1991) notes that computer use in classroom instruction gets students to

work more efficiently, collaboratively and motivates them to keep learning. Steinberg

writes that six predominant factors of computer-assisted learning are responsible for

increasing motivation.

They are: (1) challenge; (2) curiosity; (3) control; (4) fantasy; (5) interpersonal

motivation; and (6) reward. Most educational computer software implements these

elements onto students.

Steinberg's final element of intrinsic motivation is reward. Every teacher knows that

motivation is an important part of learning and that is why teachers verbally praise

students, give gold stars or stamps and high grades for good work. This component of

motivation is also embedded in educational software in the form of graphics,

animations, colour and sounds in order to recognize correct answers. These tokens for

work well done assert motivational factors which often exert as great an influence on

a student's performance as do cognitive factors. All of Steinberg's factors show that

using computers in classroom education can seriously augment motivation and

learning.

In the social science field, two types of educational software dominate this subject

area. First, there are the so-called drill-and-practice and tutorial programs. These

programs use a system of repetition and examination to convey lessons to students.

Most of these applications consist of challenging academic discovery including

animations and colourful graphics which catch and hold onto a student's attention.

Although this method of instruction has its advantages toward self-learning, it is not

the most popular computer-based instructional tool. Computerized simulations have

recently become a significant proponent of computer-assisted instruction. Simulations

are also beneficial for social studies education since they can be used to

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systematically re-create events and situations as they take--or took--place. Basically,

computer simulations are simplified versions of situations which a student could

encounter in real life. In this simplified world, students solve problems, learn

procedures, come to understand the characteristics of certain phenomena and how to

control them or learn what actions to take in differing conditions.

1.3. Teacher’s role and learning organization in computer-based

lessons

Computers will give more space for individual work, but not all can decide by

computers. Teacher must assign:

1) learner’s instructional needs (which kind of programs they will like)

2) what can be teach with computers (what will motivate them, what software

gives the best results)

3) what kind of program to choose: some of them need drill-and-practise

programs, some need simulations and tutorial programs;

4) continuously evaluate student’s results

There is always need for human-teacher, only the proportion of time will change on

computer-based learning- how much time we need for learning with computers, how

much for discussions with teacher. The good teacher must collaborate with software

designers on designing of learning software and also he must be a connecting segment

between computer and student.

When teacher has decided to use computers in lesson, the teacher must consider

(Cohen 1998):

In what capacity the computers will be used (you can start the lesson with new

material computer- presentation and after that students can practise it with

computers etc.);

The place where the lesson is occurred (in ordinary class or in computer class,

how many computers etc);

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How can students use computers (alone, by pair, by groups etc.)

Teaching material must be prepared for each group

You must have additional materials for those students who are working in fast

tempo;

Teacher must move continuously between groups;

Teacher must see signs that will show that students are not engaged with

learning (moving, speaking etc);

You must have good method to finish the lesson

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Example models of software to use computers in student research work and for social research projects in gymnasium level

According to the all-Estonian research “Tiiger Luubis” (2000) in comparing with all

subjects in history and civics lessons computers are used occasionally and not so often

as in other subjects. Traditional viewpoint of many teachers is that computers are

connected primarily with real subjects (math) or with sciences (lot of possibilities for

visual material). To make teachers comfortable with computer based teaching – the

software must be attractive, teacher must understand what he/she will win from

computer using, and the software must be made specially for this subject. It means

that computer-based learning in humanitarian subjects must offer more possibilities

for cooperation and communication. As we have described earlier technology

supported with constructivism will give the best results (Gance 2002 , Luik 2000, ).

Janicki (2002) has described design principles for effective instructional design:

contiguity, repetition, and feedback and how to operationalize concepts such as

authenticity, collaborative knowledge sharing, sense-making and viewing multiple

perspectives as they relate to the design of e-learning opportunities. Also Murphy

(2003) gives the results of the design process provide insight into ways in which

constructivist principles and concepts can be translated into practical solutions for the

provision of e-learning content. Bocij and Greasley (1999) explained methodical

approaches and construction of computer-based assessments.

Computer competency skills were taught using integration of learned skills in the

regular academic curriculum- this is a way to connect civics, project writing research

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work with computer- supported learning. Based on Trochim’s (2002)

recommendation on research process design, has made an example software program

in civics for 9th form (Figure 1). Exercises in this program are made according to

constructivist principles and the main goal was to connect civics, student research

work and computer-learning (figure 2 and 3). On figure 2 you can see an exercise

where student must use data-analyzing methods and program will help how it’s

possible to show results on chart, also student has possibilities for self-control.

To make program usable for teachers who’s computer skills are not so good, there are

exercises on different level made with different programs: from simple web-pages

and powerpoint presentations to exercises made with special software (Hot Potatoes,

Macromedia Authorware, Visual Basic etc).

Figure 1. Frontpage of civics interactive program (Exercises for 9th form)

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Figure 2. Example of interactive exercise made according to construcitivist principles

Figure 3. Example of interactive exercise made according to construcitivist principles

Discussion

Despite millions of dollars invested in hardware and software, many teachers are still very uncomfortable with the use of instructional technology in their classrooms. Administrators under pressure to improve student performance are frequently reluctant to address teacher concerns, ultimately thwarting efforts to accomplish their goals.

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The institutionalization of instructional technology in schools has not yet occurred. Administrators and trainers seeking to make technology an integral part of teaching and learning first need to provide a clear demonstration of how the use of instructional technology tools can address the personal concerns of teachers.  

Teachers must learn to identify situations, where the use of certain instructional multimedia material regularly achieves success. In such cases, it is also important to keep in mind the infra-structure or pedagogical constraints that may impede effective use of such multimedia.

The question - traditional versus resource based learning techniques- is actual all time. It’s important to find way to connect computer-based learning with school curriculum in all subjects. From other hands- computer-based learning can be an instrument to integrate different subjects and extra-curriculum activities (resarch project writing).

Constructivism can’t be the only method for computer-based learning software design, but the best results according to the nowadays-pedagogical directions have achieved with this method.

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References

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