[Libri] LUNCH & LECTURE April 30 - Research and Teaching Science

[Tom Murray]

"Characterizing Model-Based Learning and Peer Critique within an On-Line
Inquiry-Based Unit for Plate Tectonics"

Janice Gobert

Wednesday, April 30, Noon
CSC 333 (pizza and salads lunch)

Gobert will describe a large-scale study of 1,100 middle and high school
students from California and Massachusetts who collaborated on-line 
about
plate tectonic activity in their respective location. The students
participated in this curriculum using WISE, Web-based Inquiry Science
Environment (Linn, 1998), an integrated set of software resources 
designed
to engage students in rich inquiry activities.
	The curriculum engaged students in many inquiry-oriented,
model-based activities. For example, students were scaffolded by WISE as
they: a) drew initial models of plate tectonic phenomena in their
respective area using WISE; b) wrote explanations of their models and
shared their models and explanations with students on the opposite coast
(east vs. west); c) were scaffolded to critique their peers' models; d)
revised their models based on this feedback; and e) discussed the
differences between E and W coast geology in an on-line forum.
	Data analysis focussed on measuring content gains and
characterizing the nature of students' models and model revisions. 
Results
suggest that this curriculum was successful in fostering deep content
learning. Additionally, the task of evaluating and critiquing their 
peers'
models led to both a deeper understanding of the domain as well as 
fostered
students' epistemologies of models.

Bio:

Janice Gobert, Ph.D.  is a Cognitive Scientist and a Science Educator.
She completed her doctoral studies with Carl Bereiter at the University 
of
Toronto, and completed a post-doc in Science Education with John 
Clement at
UMAss Amherst.  Janice is Co PI on the MAC project and its Research
Director.  She has also been PI on other NSF funded projects in which 
the
focus is on Earth Science (mtv.concord.org).  Her particular interests 
are
on modeling in science and the relationship of one's epistemology of 
models
to science learning.


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Tom Murray, Senior Research Fellow
Adjunct Associate Professor of Instructional Technology
School of Cognitive Science, Hampshire College, Amherst, MA 01002
(413) 559-5433 Fax:559-5438;  Adele Simmons Hall room 220
Also: Adjunct Faculty, University of Massachusetts
tmurray at hampshire.edu  http://helios.hampshire.edu/~tjmCCS/

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