Vol. 17, No. 2, June 2001

Principles and practical grouping for the use of drill and practice programs

A. Jackson, P. Kutnick & A. Kington, Roehampton Institute London and University of Brighton

Email: anita.jackson@cwcom.net

A previous paper showed that young children performed better when working as individuals rather than in pairs on a drill and practice program. This paper reports an analysis of on-task behaviour and verbal interaction of individuals and single sex pairs using a computer-based drill and practice activity, which can be used to explain differences in performance. Results showed that individuals and successful children displayed significantly less, but more focused, activities than pairs and unsuccessful children. Differences were found in off-task activity, dependence on teacher/researcher and use of language. Grouping and verbal interaction are discussed in relation to the type of task/program that children are asked to undertake, and how both task and peer presence may constrain the child’s task focus and performance when reinforcing pre-existing knowledge.

Keywords: Control group; Discourse analysis; Drill and practice; Individual; Pairs; Pre-/post-test; Primary; Task type

Journal of Computer Assisted Learning (2001) 17, 2, 130-141 Accepted: 12 June 2000

Virtual reality and hypermedia in learning the use of a turning lathe

A. Antonietti, E. Imperio, C. Rasi & M. Sacco, Catholic University of Sacred Heart & National Research Council, Milano

Email: antoniet@mi.unicatt.it

A Virtual Reality environment with hypermedia has been designed to help undergraduates understand the structure and functioning of a turning lathe. Study 1 was carried out with 30 novice students and Study 2 involved 24 students attending a machining course. These studies demonstrated that the virtual lathe can foster the comprehension of some core machining concepts. Further, the studies suggest that novice students benefit most from earlier free navigation of the virtual environment whereas expert students benefit from an analysis of the hypermedia.

Keywords: Comparison; Engineering; Hypermedia; Instruction; Questionnaire; Undergraduate; Virtual reality;

Journal of Computer Assisted Learning (2001) 17, 2, 142-155 Accepted: 5 October 2000

Evolving open learning environments using hypermedia technology

A. Trikic, Edge Hill College of Higher Education

Email: atrikic@man.ac.uk

A number of features of web-based hypermedia are identified as providing a suitable medium for the design of open learning environments. The underlying object-oriented architecture of hypermedia systems accords with the need for representational diversity of pedagogic mechanisms and the ongoing re-construction that an evolutionary approach to the design of learning activity demands. A web-based prototype has been constructed to represent aspects of the National English Board curriculum in diabetes mellitus. The design and development process tries to take account of features of the environment likely to influence or be influenced by the intervention. Quantitative and qualitative methods have been employed to enable an evaluation of the hypermedia design and its environment of use.

Keywords: Activity theory; Diabetes; Hypermedia; Interview; Post-graduate; Pre/post test; World-wide web

Journal of Computer Assisted Learning (2001) 17, 2, 186-199 Accepted: 1 October 2000

An object-oriented software life cycle of an intelligent tutoring system

M. Virvou & V. Tsiriga, Department of Informatics, University of Piraeus

Email: vtsir@unipi.gr

This paper describes the application of an object-oriented model of life cycle in the development of an intelligent tutoring system for secondary students in the domain of algebraic powers. The system is called EasyMath and has been developed using the Rational Unified Process, which is an object-oriented process proposed for use with the Unified Modelling Language. The Rational Unified Process supports multiple recursions of the phases of the software life cycle. This has been enriched to include empirical studies and formative evaluations appropriate for knowledge-based educational software.

Keywords: Empirical; Formative; Intelligent tutoring; Interface; Object-oriented software; Mathematics; Questionnaire; Secondary.

Journal of Computer Assisted Learning (2001) 17, 2, 200-205 Accepted: 10 October 2000

How trainee teachers of IT approach teaching their subject

M. Hammond & S. Mumtaz, Centre for New Technologies Research in Education, Institute of Education, University of Warwick,

Email: m.hammond@warwick.ac.uk

This paper explores the nature of Information Technology (IT) as a separate subject in the secondary school curriculum. It reports on research carried out with a cohort of specialist IT post-graduate trainee teachers at a local university. The paper explores IT trainees’ approach to teaching their subject and describes their strong focus on purpose when teaching IT. Important characteristics of the purposeful approach are the use of authentic data; the transformation of data by pupils; and a focus on problem solving within a context to which pupils can relate. However in their work in schools, trainees found constraints on developing a strong focus on purpose in their lessons. They were encouraged to experiment but felt they needed more support to carry out purposeful activities with pupils. The implications of this research on teacher training and on the value of IT as a curriculum subject are discussed.

Keywords: Attitude; Interview; IT-use; Observation; Post-graduate; Professional; School; Teachers

Journal of Computer Assisted Learning (2001) 17, 2, 166-176 Accepted: 30 August 2000

Linking procedural and conceptual mathematical knowledge through CAL

Dj. Kadijevich & L. Haapasalo, Mathematical Institute, Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Belgrade and Department of Applied Education, University of Joensuu, Joensuu

Email: djkadij@turing.mi.sanu.ac.yu

Despite its high educational relevance, relatively few CAL studies have examined whether their computer-based treatments search for and/or utilise any potential link between procedural and conceptual mathematical knowledge. This paper summarises some of the findings of studies of this kind, explains how these knowledge types may be linked and proposes two constructivist CAL environments which enable a desired link.

Keywords: Computer assisted learning; Conceptual knowledge; Constructivism; Mathematics education; Procedural knowledge

Journal of Computer Assisted Learning (2001) 17, 2, 156-165 Accepted: 10 November 2000

Learning about psychological professions with the World Wide Web

J.P. Leung & K. Chamberlain, The Chinese University of Hong Kong & Massey University, NZ

Email: jpleung@cuhk.edu.hk

Teaching with the world-wide web is becoming a common practice in modern education. The web serves two main interrelated functions, namely, retrieval and publication of information. To enhance learning and motivation, the student-as-teacher (SAT) principle was adopted in the study reported in this paper. Students were given the role of teacher of high school students and the general public about the subject matter they learned on a course. To achieve this goal, the students created educational web sites featuring two selected psychological professions. Being the major assignment for the course, the web sites created by students received higher scores than the assignments of their peers who learned the same materials through traditional pedagogical approaches. Course evaluation confirmed that the web implementation of the SAT principle enhanced learning, increased motivation and provided a transfer-able skill, without compromising accomplishment of major course goals.

Keywords: Internet; Peer-tutoring; Psychological professions; Student-as-teacher; Undergraduate; Web publication; World-wide web

Journal of Computer Assisted Learning (2001) 17, 2, 177-185 Accepted: 20 November 2000

Visualisation and animation in a CAL package: anchors or misconceptions?

C.P. Lim, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

Email: cplim@nie.edu.sg

Various studies have shown that visualisation and animation in CAL packages offer students with effective ‘conceptual anchors’ to hook their thinking onto. This paper examines the role of these visual representations of a CAL package in an economics course, and argues for the design and organisation of instructional activities to exploit the cognitive opportunities and address the limitations of these representations. In other words, a holistic approach to visualisation and animation is required to serve as conceptual anchors rather than sources of misconceptions.

Keywords: Animation; Conceptual anchors; Economics; Instruction; Secondary; Visualisation

Journal of Computer Assisted Learning (2001) 17, 2, 206-216 Accepted: 10 December 2000