Effectiveness of Technology in
Different Teaching/Learning
Environments
Cooperative learning
with the use of technology
Jay Brown
Rosemont College
Focus: Literature from six different educational journals on the
effectiveness of cooperative learning with the use of technology.
1.
School
Science and
Mathematics
2.
Journal of
Economic
Education
3.
Journal of
Engineering
Education
4.
Technology
and Learning
5.
Edutopia
6.
Educational
Leadership
Aspects of education emphasized:
I.
Varying developmental levels (intellectual, social, physical)
II. Individual differences and students with special needs
III. Different learning environments
Use of technology for
science and mathematics collaborative learning
School Science and Mathematics
Varying developmental
Levels: Intellectual,
Social, Physical
Individual differences
and students with
special needs
Different learning
environments
Used in the early 1990s by
engineering and medical
schools, the Virtual
Notebook System™ (VNS)
was a “shared space” that
had hypertext capabilities
allowing information to be
cross-referenced among
pages in the same
notebook, or other student
notebooks. The VNS was
shown to help students who
were overwhelmed by the
skills possessed by other
classmates.
The VNS allowed students
at different levels to follow
the paths of those students
already engaged in higherorder scientific reasoning
and investigation.
VNS groupware enabled
multiple users to
communicate and solve
problems without being
physically in the same
classroom.
VNS information was be
organized into multiple
sensory objects such as
text, drawings, animations,
and video.
Shared pages in VNS were
set up to be modified
(read/write) and seen
simultaneously by all
students.
Note: Classroom teachers can create “shared space” on school networks and on the Web.
Active and cooperative learning
using web-based simulations
Journal of Economic Education
Associate professor of Economics at Union College, Stephen J. Schmidt made the following observations:
Varying developmental
Levels: Intellectual,
Social, Physical
Individual differences
and students with
special needs
Different learning
environments
Web-based simulations
increase student interest for
the material and lead to
active discussion which
results in more complicated
decisions by the students.
Computer simulation and
cooperative learning
assignments provide an
alternative to class lecture
and increases student
understanding of economics.
Active learning requires
students to participate. The
computer simulations require
input from users, and are not
passive.
Multi-player teams require
students to negotiate with
each other to solve
problems. Students learn to
share ideas and test
alternatives.
Clear visual organization of
information enables all team
members to engage in
higher order thinking,
problem-solving, and
decision-making activities.
Students reported that the
simulations helped them to
better understand
relationships between
politics and economic
development that have
influenced American
economic growth.
A collaborative learning methodology
for enhanced comprehension using TeamThink®
Journal of Engineering Education
Varying developmental
Levels: Intellectual,
Social, Physical
Individual differences
and students with
special needs
Different learning
environments
TeamThink® is a Webbased distance learning tool
for exploring engineering
scenarios and questions.
It was noted that students
who were not vocal in class
wrote some of the best
questions. The author
speculated that this may be
attributable to students
being more comfortable
conversing with peers
online, as well as having
more time to think about
scenarios and questions.
The instructor noted that the
online software environment
requires students to be
more concise, resulting in
improved written
communication skills, and a
deeper understanding of the
material.
The instructor is capable
accessing student work in
progress and giving
asynchronous feedback.
Students at different
developmental levels benefit
from timely feedback,
resulting in a stronger
understanding of concepts.
TeamThink® has been used
at Duke, Stanford, Parsons,
and Tufts, as well as Cisco
Systems, and the US Army
Research Institute.
Collaborative learning with technology
Technology and Learning
Varying developmental Individual differences
Levels: Intellectual,
and students with
Social, Physical
special needs
Different learning
environments
Decisions Decisions –
Tom Snyder, Inc.
The computer simulation
provides visual cues based
on specific decisions made
by individual students.
Team members use
computer simulation
software to work on
problem-solving scenarios.
Group discussion provides
further clarification of
problem scenarios for
students who struggle with
text-based learning.
Students review
alternatives, make
decisions, select choices
from the simulation that
usually requires further
problem solving due to the
consequences of their
decisions.
Students in small groups of
2-3 assume specific roles
based on a computer
simulation and work
together to solve social
problems.
Note: For more information about Decision Decisions, go to Tom Snyder’s Web site at:
http://www.tomsnyder.com and click the social studies tab to get a 45 day free trial.
New skills for a new century
Edutopia
Varying developmental Individual differences
Levels: Intellectual,
and students with
Social, Physical
special needs
Different learning
environments
New Technology H.S. –
Napa, California
Students become selfdirected learners when they
utilize web-based material
for projects.
Project-based learning
(PBL) engages students
with complex problems
requiring teamwork to
produce unique solutions.
Content standards:
Include collaboration;
critical thinking; oral
communication; career
prep; citizenship & ethics;
and technology literacy.
PBL is stronger when units
fully integrate two or more
subjects such as language
arts and social studies, or
math and science. This
provides multiple
opportunities for team
members with different
learning backgrounds and
interests.
Units may require student
teams to work outside of
the classroom.
It takes dedicated teachers
to design effective PBL with
Password protected online the proper scaffolding,
grade book keeps students, activities, benchmarks,
parents and teachers
rubrics, products and
aware of progress.
events.
Technology and achievement: The bottom line
Educational Leadership
Varying developmental
Levels: Intellectual,
Social, Physical
Individual differences
and students with
special needs
Different learning
environments
Results from a National
Assessment of Educational
Progress (NAEP) study of 4th
and 8th graders in math,
science, and reading indicated
that the quality of computer
work produced was more
important that the quantity of
computer work often attained
through individual “drill and kill”
programs.
Using computers to help
small groups of students
work through complex
problems allowed individual
students to engage in
higher-order thinking skills.
Reality check: Teachers do
not typically use computers
in the most effective ways.
For example, fewer than
30% of students reported
that their teachers used
computers to teach higherorder thinking skills.
The challenge for teachers
is to use computers to
help students work
together to solve
problems in the areas of
math, science and language
arts.
NOTE:
National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers – Performance Profile #7 – Technology & grouping strategies.
References
Castellanos, J. & Miller, L. M. (1996). Use of technology for science and mathematics collaborative
learning. School Science and Mathematics, 96, 2; 58-63. (ProQuest document ID: 9291359).
Dornbush, C, Loomis, C. & Panetta, K. (2002). A collaborative learning methodology for enhanced
comprehension using TeamThink®. Journal of Engineering Education. 91, 2; 223-300. (ProQuest
document ID: 906533881).
International Society for Technology in Education (2005). National Educational Technology Standards
for Teachers. http://cnets.iste.org/teachers/t_profile-first.html. Available: August 2006.
Pearlman, B. (2006). New skills for a new century. The George Lucas Foundation: Edutopia, 2, 4; 5153.
Schmidt, S. J. (2003). Active and cooperative learning using web-based simulations. Journal of
Economic Education, 34, 2; 151. (ProQuest document ID: 342750041).
Solomon, G. (1999). Collaborative learning with technology. Technology & Learning,19, 5; 51.
(ProQuest document ID: 38143436).
Wenglinsky, H. (2005). Technology and achievement: The bottom line. Association for Supervision and
Curriculum Development: Educational Leadership, 63, 4; 29-32.