Paper Info
Title
Developing an effective support system for inquiry learning in a Web-based environment
Abstract
Sixty-five teams of basic and secondary school students solved problem-solving tasks during a virtual hike in a Web-based inquiry-learning simulation 'Hiking Across Estonia'. This environment provided learners with all necessary background information for problem-solving and tools for carrying out experiments. There were 25 tasks in certain order about ecological and environmental issues. The teams were clustered according to the data about participants, the results of the pre- and post-test, and their achievement in problem-solving tasks of the virtual hike. Only two out of five clusters were regarded as effective in solving problems and analysing tables, graphs, figures, and photos. The others had difficulties in forming contextual or task and process awareness. A support system for increasing the effectiveness of inquiry learning and enhancing their development of analytical skills was developed on the basis of the strategies that the members of five clusters had used in solving the problems, their achievement in solving the tasks during the virtual hike and in the pre- and post-test, and the personal data about the teams. The support system contained different notes before solving the problems and changed sequence of the tasks on the virtual hike for some clusters. The usage of this system was evaluated in a second study with 60 teams. The comparison of two studies demonstrated significant effectiveness of the support system to both general problem-solving ability and analytical skills. The characteristics of each cluster and the influence of the support system are discussed in this paper.
Year
DOI
Venue
2006
10.1111/j.1365-2729.2006.00159.x
JOURNAL OF COMPUTER ASSISTED LEARNING
Keywords
Field
DocType
inquiry learning,inquiry skills,problem solving,support system,situation awareness,Web-based simulation
Graph,Computer science,Support system,Situation awareness,Knowledge management,Cluster grouping,Pedagogy,Analytical skill,Web application,Web-based simulation,Cognition
Journal
Volume
Issue
ISSN
22
1
0266-4909
Citations 
PageRank 
References 
13
0.88
8
Authors
2
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
M. Pedaste17115.89
Tago Sarapuu2385.22