Nazli Yahaya, Program Pengajian Diploma, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Jalan Semarak, 54100 Kuala Lumpur, West Malaysia. nazli@utmnet.utm.my
Rio Sumarni Sharifuddin, Jabatan Multimedia Pendidikan, Fakulti Pendidikan, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM Skudai, Johor, West Malaysia. rio@fp.utm.my
This is a description of the work-in-progress design and development of an interactive multimedia learning system employing constructivist underpinnings to support conceptual change in the learning of electrical concepts. In the design of the interactive multimedia learning system, the multimedia components are selectively categorized into three conglomerated sets to conjure hierarchical cognition, namely, the low, medium and high cognitive levels, for reconceptualization. Learner activities selected become more sophisticated with increasing levels of cognition. The amount of tutor-learner interactivity concurrently increases to gradually release control of the learning to the novice learner. Active learner participation in an interactive tutor-learner setting can induce cognitive conflict and scientific concept-building is facilitated when the learner takes charge of his own learning by conducting on-screen simulations to test their newly-acquired ideas.
This paper describes the design and development of a web-based instruction to foster scientific conceptualization of voltage and current in the analysis of dc electric circuits by first-year engineering students. A preliminary study to probe the subjects' conceptual models is conducted through the administration of a diagnostic questionnaire of qualitative questions (Shipstone et al, 1988; Cohen et al, 1983) requiring reasonings from the subjects. Broadly speaking, the subjects' reasonings focussed in this study, are misunderstandings about voltage as the prime concept and the secondary consideration of current in their analysis of dc electric circuits.
The purpose of this research is to investigate if conceptual change of electrical concepts can be supported through the use of a conceptual change multimedia web-based learning system on basic concepts of electric circuits. The design and development of this web-based courseware will be based on sound pedagogical learning theories and multimedia design models.
Researchers (Sims, 1998; Harper & Hedberg, 1997) have shown that an interactive learning environment can generate effective instruction and learning. An interactive communication between computer and human can be made engaging through optimal learner-controlled events like Òactive participation in a simulation or an educational game, providing feedback, building on current knowledge and experience, learner control of pace and sequence, with the conclusion that (Sims, 1998) "effective learning requires interaction which stimulates new thinking" (Fenrich, 1997 in Sims, 1998). These interactive characteristics concur with the constructivist view of learning which encourage the learner as an active participant to construct knowledge in making sense of their real-world experiences. However, immediate learner control in the constructivistic interactive learning environment may be daunting for many ill-prepared learners, so that the cognitive apprenticeship model of scaffolding and coaching can be adopted as the alternative instructional model (Harper & Hedberg, 1997). The proposed interactive learning system in this paper is shown as follows:
Figure 1
Interactive Learning System for Conceptualization
Jonassen and Tessmer (1996/7) have proposed that courseware developers employ learning strategies which support active learners to collaboratively engage in interaction and manipulation of the exploration environments constructed with an awareness to achieve predetermined cognitive objectives, after which they can articulate what they have learned and synthesize and hypothesis their new knowledge. Dalgarno (1998) proposed a classification scheme for learner activities within a constructivist CAL environment in the light of previous classifications of learning outcomes (Bloom et al, 1956; Gagne, 1977; Gagne, Briggs, & Wager, 1992; Merrill, 1983) and learning activities (Gagne, Briggs & Wager, 1974, 1992; Sims & Hedberg, 1995; Merrill, Li & Jones, 1992; Laurillard, 1993). Dalgarno's classification scheme of learner activities within a CAL environment, consists of 14 categories, namely, attending to static information, controlling media, navigating the system, answering questions, attending to question feedback, exploring a world, measuring in a world, manipulating a world, constructing in a world, attending to world changes, articulating, processing data, attending to processed data and formatting output.
In view of the above literature, concept-building in the design and development of this learning system is based on many aspects of active learning discussed. The key factor recognized, for an effectively motivating and engaging learning system, is the design of learner activities incorporated in an interactive and constructivistic learning environment. However, it is also recognized that learners require guidance in familiarizing with the content structure, and the technological capabilities of the multimedia system. Therefore the instructional model design for this learning system defines the learning process in the form of hierarchical cognition running parallel with computer tutor-human learner interactivity.
However, this interactive multimedia web-based module is designed using models of instructions (Gagne, Briggs & Wager, 1992; Jonassen & Tessmer, 1997; Cunningham, Duffy and Knuth, 1993) involving iterative stages of constant assessing and evaluating the content, multimedia design and the development for the web. The interactive multimedia learning system has a constructivistic theoretical framework with a high-degree of expert-novice interactivity guiding learners' cognition into the proximal zone of learning to discover the pivotal concept of voltage in dc circuits analysis.
The content is sequenced to guide concept formation through a low, medium and high order of cognition. The initial sections of the instructional sequence requires low-level cognition which involves the subjects observing an animation of a scientific event, entering text to predict and explain the cause of the event and immediately receiving feedback to their responses. The slightly complex part of the instructional sequence requiring medium-level of cognition will be seen through expert guidance using text for the novice subject to carry out a simple experiment by moving objects on-screen. The subjects enter text to explain the cause of the scientific event observed through doing the experiment, and receive feedback to their responses, in order to arrive to a hypothesis about an electrical concept. The more complex part of the instruction requiring high-order cognition is the construction of knowledge where the subjects carry out independent activities on the simulation screen. The exploratory activity includes connecting electric circuits using drag-and-drop objects on a simulation screen in order to verify any newly-acquired concepts the learner activities in relation to the constructivist framework is discussed below.
The multimedia components as cognitive tools, involved in low-order learning are text, graphics, animation, text window response and feedback prompts. In this preliminary phase of learning, the instructional text guide, the response text window and the feedback act as the constructivistic knowledge scaffolder, building cognitive ability to progress gradually into the next advanced order of learning. Learner activities include reading information, looking at static diagrams or animations of phenomena reminding learners of mundane events experienced, observing effects on the experiment when feeding in single-word test data and reacting to feedback from the tutor computer, by reobserving the animations, referring to previous information, or advancing to next set of information. This is illustrated below in figure 2.
Figure 2 Learning at low cognition level
The multimedia components, as cognitive tools, involved in medium-order learning are text, graphics, animation, drag and drop objects and text window response and feedback prompts. In this middle phase of learning, the facilities of knowledge navigational scaffolders employed in the preliminary level are extended to allow on-screen simulations for small experiments to be carried out using the pointing device. The cognition is slightly increased in complexity when the learners conduct on-screen experiment. The learning activities prescribed in medium cognition are derived from the lower level and are augmented with activities such as typing in their answers to questions posed, into the text window for their descriptions of animations, and, clicking the pointing device on objects to drag from one position to another and typing in text to describe effects observed in conducting their experiments. Figure 3 below is an example of a web page employing such learner activities.
Figure 3 Learning at medium cognition level
The multimedia components involved in the high-order learning are text, graphics, animations, self-conducted on-screen simulations, response and feedback. A high degree of interactivity is involved in which the learner controls the experimental area in designing the electric circuits to test their new knowledge. Figure 4 below is an example of an experimental area for total learner control to construct an electric circuit.
Figure 4 Learning at high cognition level
The simulation screen is the central area
for circuit construction. The subjects are guided by a set of instructions
to connect on-screen, a simple circuit first, followed by the more complex
series and parallel circuit configurations. The learner brings the electrical
components into the experiment area by clicking the pointer device on each
icon and dragging each component icon to different positions to connect
them into an electric circuit, to measure voltage and current. For every
exercise, some element for dissonance is created through instructions requiring
learners to connect, remove and re-connect the electrical components at
different positions. Voltage and current readings appear on the current
and voltage-measuring component icons when learners connect different circuits
in the experiment area. E-mail responses allow tutor-learner communication
where learners will type in their responses and their new understanding
will be confirmed by messages, and guiding questions based on the results
data, will organize and consolidate their new hypotheses. The students
will receive feedback to every response they enter and any incorrect response
will allow the students to return to the earlier appropriate web pages
to clarify and reinforce their newly-acquired concepts.
The cognitive processes involved categorized
into the hierarchical orders of cognition and which are related to the
types of learner activities are shown in the table below. It can be seen
that learner control increases in complexity with increasing orders of
cognition.
|
Cognitive Processes
|
|
|
Low-order Cognition recall experiences through visual displays
of scientific mundane events;
|
reading information, looking at static diagrams or animations, observing effects on animative experiment, reacting to feedback, reobserving animations, referring to previous information, or advancing to next set of information. |
|
Medium-order Cognition reflecting on newly presented knowledge;
|
answering questions by typing into the text window for their descriptions of animations, easy on-screen simulations by clicking the pointing device on objects to drag from one position to another and typing in text to describe effects observed in conducting their experiments. |
|
High-order Cognition Rehearse new knowledge by repeating learning
tasks;
|
refer to selected, or, specific previous information, observe demos for simulation, advance to experimental area, drag-and-drop component icons to selected positions, simulate different configurations, record simulation results. |
Motivation may be inculcated in a learner
and confidence built up when the learner takes control of his own learning
through a gradual process whereby the learning transforms from being tutor-centred
to learner-centred. Full learner control may be achieved in a technology-based
learning system by creating an interactive learning environment employing
problem-based learning as an instructional strategy built upon a constructivist
framework. Learners are made aware of any misconceptions through cognitive
conflict and conceptual dissonance in an interactive tutor-learner environment
and scientific conceptions are supported when the learners have control
over manipulation and movement at the user-interface to investigate and
test their new concepts.
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Nazli Yahaya and Rio Sumarni Sharifuddin, © 2000. The author assigns to Southern Cross University and other educational and non-profit institutions a non-exclusive licence to use this document for personal use and in courses of instruction provided that the article is used in full and this copyright statement is reproduced. The author also grants a non-exclusive licence to Southern Cross University to publish this document in full on the World Wide Web and on CD-ROM and in printed form with the conference papers and for the document to be published on mirrors on the World Wide Web.
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