SPRING 2004 COURSE SYLLABUS
CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION 801: INTERACTIVE MEDIA AND COMPUTERS IN THE CURRICULUM
PROFESSOR: KURT SQUIRE,
544B TEB, 263-4672
MEETING TIME: THURSDAYS, 4:35-7PM
kdsquire@education.wisc.edu
Office hours Wednesdays 2-5 and by appointment
Over the past decade, a number research-driven educational technology projects have been demonstrating
the potential for digital technologies to support learning, using design experiment methodologies to push
forward theoretical understandings while also creating tangible products and technologies. Examples such
as The Jasper Series, The Virtual Solar System, The Knowledge Forum, Boxer, StarLogo, ThinkerTools,
GenScope, STEP, The Games-to-Teach Project, and Quest Atlantis all fit what Brown (1992) called
design experiments, educational interventions that examine learning in complex social contexts that are
engineered to produce meaningful learning. This shift in research goals has resulted in an accompanying
shift away from classic positivist research methodologies toward more holistic research approaches. The
reasons driving this shift can be linked across several movements in education, including acknowledging
the importance of context in cognition (Cole, 1996; Gee, 1992; Lave and Wenger, 1991; Salomon, 1993;
Wertsch, 1998), the socially situated and culturally-mediated nature of educational technologies (e.g.
Engeström, Miettinen & Punamäki, 1998), and the failure of traditional research methods to generate
much usable knowledge (Collins, 1990; Reigeluth & Frick, 1999).
This course uses the lens of design experiment research to examine contemporary research-driven
projects with interactive media and computers in classrooms. We will trace the theoretical and practical
concerns that gave rise to design experiments and examine several specific research programs. Tying
together this inquiry will be a special focus on methodological issues in doing design research, drawing
from recent special issues in The Journal of the Learning Sciences and Educational Researcher as well as
contemporary work in ethnography, case study research, qualitative, and quantitative research
methodologies. Research traditions and methodologies foreign to educational technology will be given
special consideration, and students will be encouraged to pursue lines of inquiry germane to their
research. Throughout the course, we will critically examine the epistemological and ontological
commitments made by design researchers, given that most design researchers seek to not only understand
but also transform learning, and research findings are validated examining the consequences of putting
the theories and ideas into use.
Available online at amazon.com or bn.com
Koschmann, T., Hall, R., & Miyake, N. (2001). Computer supported collaborative
learning (CSCL) 2.: Carrying forward the conversation. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
Rogers, E.M. (1995). Diffusion of innovations (4th ed.) New York: The Free Press.
Course pack of selected readings
Available at on-line through the course site or by arrangement with myself.
Class Format
This course will meet once per week and will be in a seminar format. There will be a mix of
open-ended discussion and student-led presentations. My goal is for the seminar to be an
opportunity for you to explore areas of interests, so the syllabus and course topics will be
adjusted in response to class needs.
Preparing for class- Readings and reaction papers
Each class will include a set of readings and may include a technology demonstration program.
Students will be expected read and to download and experiment with the weekly program/website in preparation for class. The day before class meets each student will prepare and submit a
one-page summary of their reading and experimentation. These reaction papers will be graded on
a pass/fail standard – if they show evidence that you reflected upon the material in light of the
standards and course readings, you are fine. If you merely cite parts of the readings, summarize,
or insert large sections of the phone book, then it will not be so good.
Students must complete 8 of the semester reaction papers to receive full credit. All readings
must be completed regardless of whether a reaction paper is composed. Reaction papers are to be
posted to the class discussion web-site and should be no more than one page in length. Papers
should be posted by the preceding Wednesday by 5:00 pm.
Class discussion
The typical class meeting will consist of a discussion of weekly program or web-site as well as
the required class readings. Since class discussions are vital to the success of the class, your
attendance and participation are important and will contribute to your final course grade. We
will make intermittent records of class participation. Successful class discussions also involve
tolerance and respect for the diversity of opinions expressed by your colleagues.
Course Project
The course project will involve a research paper designed to address one of the main areas of the
course discussion. We will decide on project parameters and expectations for the course project
in class. The course project will constitute 50% of the final course grade.
Full Inclusion
We seek to fully include persons with disabilities in this course. Please let us know if you need
any special accommodations in the curriculum, instruction, or assessments in this course to
enable you to fully participate. We will try to maintain the confidentiality of the information that
you share with me. Please contact us as early in the course as practicable. You may also contact
the McBurney Disability Resource Center, 905 University Avenue, Madison (263-2741) if you
have questions about campus policies and services. Questions or concerns about disability
accommodations can be brought to the attention of Associate Dean Mariamme Whatley at 2622463 or with Ken Scott, the coordinator in the Department of Educational Administration.
Grading
Grades for the course will be calculated according to the University of Wisconsin grading scale.
Class work will count in the following proportions toward your final grade:
Reaction papers .................................................................................................. 25%
Class participation and attendance ..................................................................... 25%
Class project ....................................................................................................... 50%
Potential Projects
VSS Project
Science Space
STEP Project
CSILE / Knowledge Forum
Learning By Design
Boxer
Star Logo
ThinkerTools
Jasper Project
Model-IT
Knowledge Integration Forum
MOOSE Crossing
WISE
Potential Research Themes
Assessing Learning
Learning in Situ
Video Analysis
Analysis
Reporting
Mixed methods
Theoretical Foundations
GenScope
Scaling Innovations
Course Schedule and Readings
Introduction to Design Experiments
1
Jan 22
Introduction
Brown, A. L. (1992). Design experiments
Collins (1990)
Theory and research in instructional technology / clark
kozma?
2
Jan 29
Contemporary
Perspectives
ER Articles
Collins, Joseph, Bielaczyc
Hoadley
3
Feb 5
Theoretical Issues
Barab and squire
Activity theory
Distributed / sit cog
Edelson
Projects
4
Feb 12
Case 1:
Jenkins, Squire & Tan (2004). You can’t take that game to
Supercharged:
school.
Blending methods Barnett, Squire, Higgenbotham, ICLS proposal.
Bannan-Ritland
Optional: Holland, Jenkins, & Squire (2003). Theory by
design.
5
Feb 19
Cognitively-based Scardamalia & Bereiter, 1994;
curriculum:
Hewitt, J. (2002). From a focus on tasks to a focus on
CSILE
understanding: The cultural transformation of a Toronto
classroom.
Collins, A. (2002). The balance between task focus and
understanding focus: Education as apparenticeship versus
education as research.
Hewitt, J. (2002). Response.
6
Feb 26
Project 3
7
March
4
Project 4
8
March
11
Adoption &
Usability in
Project-Based
Science
diSessa & Cobb
Linn, sci-ed.
Barab & Luehman
Squire et al.
WISE
9
March
25
Kurt at GDC
10 April 1
Last project
Potential Themes in Design Experiments
11
April
8
Capturing
Knowledge in
Roth
Situ
Cobb
Barab
12
April
15
13
April
22
AERA
Evaluation
Hickey, A New Perspective for Evaluating Innovative
Science Programs. Science of education readings.
Reigeluth & Frick, 1999.
14
April
29
Sustainability /
scalability
Fishman & Krajcik.
Dede & Sabelli,
Michigan Ed psychologist?
15
May 6 Research in social
contexts
Scientific Research in education
Kelly,
Dede
SAMPLE READINGS:
Barab, S. & Squire, K. (2004). Design-Based Research: Putting a Stake in the Ground. The Journal of the
Learning Sciences, 13(1), 1-14.
Collins, A. (1992). Toward a design science of education. In E. Scanlon&T. O’Shea (Eds.), New directions
in educational technology (pp. 15–22). New York: Springer-Verlag.
Brown, A. L. (1992). Design experiments: Theoretical and methodological challenges in creating complex
interventions in classroom settings. Journal of The Learning Sciences, 2(2), 141–178.
Cobb, P., Confrey, J. diSessa, A., Lehrer, R., Schauble, L. (2003). Design experiments in educational
research. Educational Researcher, 32(1), 9–13.
Dewey, J. (1938). Logic, the theory of inquiry. New York: H. Holt and Co.
Geertz, C. (1983). Thick description: Toward an interpretive theory of culture. In R. M. Emerson (Ed.),
Contemporary field research: A collection of readings (pp. 37–59). Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland
Press.
Laurel, B. (2004). Design-Based Research. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
Messick, S. (1992). The interplay of evidence and consequences in the validation of performance
assessments. Educational Researcher, 23(2), 13–23.
Reigeluth, C. & Frick, T. (1999). Formative research: A methodology for creating and improving design
theories. In Reigeluth, C (Ed). Instructional-design theories and models vol II. Pp. 633-652,
Mahweh, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Roth, W.-M. (2001). Situating cognition. The Journal of the Learning Sciences, 10, 27–61.
Stake, R. (1995). The art of case study research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Bereiter, C. Design research for sustained innovation. In Cognitive Studies, Bulletin of the
Japanese Cognitive Science Society, 9(3), 321-327. 2002.
http://ikit.org/fulltext/2002Design_Research.pdf
http://carbon.cudenver.edu/~bwilson/building.html
Brown, Ann L. Design Experiments: Theoretical and Methodological Challenges in Creating
Complex Interventions in Classroom Settings. In The Journal of the Learning Sciences. 2(2),
141-178 Lawrence Erlbaum Associates: 1992.
Cobb, P., Confrey, J., diSessa, A., Lehrer, R. & Schauble, L. "Design Experiments in
Educational Research". In Educational Researcher, Volume 32, No.1. 2003
http://www.aera.net/pubs/er/pdf/vol32_01/AERA320105.pdf
Collins, A.; Joseph, D. & Bielaczyc, K. Design research: Theoretical and methodological issues.
To appear in Campione, J. (Ed.) Volume in honor of Ann Brown. In press.
http://www.extension.harvard.edu/2002-03/programs/cte/ext02drt.pdf
Collins, Allan. "The changing infrastructure of education research" In Issues in Education
Research. Problems and possibilities. Edited by Ellen C Lagemann & Lee S. Shulman, San
Francisco: Jossey-Bass. 1999.
Edelson, Daniel. Design Research: What We Learn When We Engage in Design. In The journal
of the Learning Sciences. Volume 11 Number 1, Jan. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. 2002.
Greeno, James et al. "Research, reform and Aims in Education. Modes of action in search of
each other." In Issues in Education Research. Problems and possibilities. Edited by Ellen C
Lagemann & Lee S. Shulman, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. 1999.
Lobato, J. How Design Experiments Can Inform a Rethinking of Transfer and Vice Versa. In
Educational Researcher, Volume 32, No.1. 2003
http://www.aera.net/pubs/er/pdf/vol32_01/AERA320107.pdf
McCandliss, B.D., Kalchman, M. & Bryant, P. Design Experiments and Laboratory Approaches
to Learning: Steps Toward Collaborative Exchange. In Educational Researcher, Volume 32,
No.1. 2003 http://www.aera.net/pubs/er/pdf/vol32_01/AERA320106.pdf
Reeves,Thomas C. Enhancing the Worth of Instructional Technology Research through "Design
Experiments" and Other Development Research Strategies. Paper presented at the Annual
Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, New Orleans, LA, USA. 2000.
http://it.coe.uga.edu/~treeves/AERA2000Reeves.pdf
Richey, R.C., & Nelson, W.A. Developmental Research. In D. Jonassen (Ed.) Handbook of
research for educational communications and technology (pp.1213-1245) New York: Macmillan.
1996.
Schon, Donald A. The design process. In V.A. Howard (Ed.), Varieties of thinking: Essays from
Harvard's Philosophy of Education Research Center (pp.111-141). New York: Routledge &
Kegan Paul. 1990.
van den Akker, Jan. "Principles and methods of development research". In J. van den Akker, R.
M. Branch, K. Gustafson, N. Nieveen, & T. Plomp (Eds.), Design approaches and tools in
education and training (pp.1-14). Boston: Kluwer Academic. 1999.
Hoadley, 2002
Barry Fishman, Ronald W. Marx, Phyllis Blumenfeld, & Joseph Krajcik
Elliot Soloway, Creating a Framework for Research on Systemic Technology Innovations
Paper Set:
Building Sustainable Science Curriculum:
Acknowledging and Accommodating Local Adaptation
Guest Editors: Sasha Barab & April Luehmann
Postings
1. Introduction to the Paper Set: Building Sustainable Science Curriculum: Acknowledging and
Accommodating Local Adaptation (Sasha Barab & April Luehmann )
Manuscript
2. Designed Curriculum and Local Culture: Acknowledging The Primacy of Classroom Culture
(Kurt Squire, Mike Barnett, James MaKinster, April Luehmann, & Sasha Barab)
Manuscript
3. Research Towards an Expanded Understanding of Inquiry Science Beyond One Idealized
Standard (Nancy Songer, Hee Sun Lee, & Scott McDonald)
Manuscript
4. WISE Design for Knowledge Integration (Marcia Linn, Douglas Clark, & Jim Slotta)
Manuscript
5. A Pragmatic, Situative Framework for Evaluating Innovative Science Learning Environments
(Dan Hickey)
Manuscript
6. Commentary (Joe Krajcik & Barry Fishman )
Manuscript
Scardamalia, M., & Bereiter, C. (1994). Computer support for knowledge-building communities.
The Journal of the Learning Sciences, 3(3), 265-283.
Hickey, D. T., Kindfield, A. C. H., Horwitz, P., & Christie, M. A. (2003, in press). Integrating curriculum,
instruction, assessment, and evaluation in a technology-supported genetics environment. American
Educational Research Journal, 40 (3) (Fall 2003)
Hickey, D. T, & Zuiker, S. (2003). A new perspective for evaluating innovative science learning
environments. Science Education, 87, (3) 539-563
Hickey, D. T., Moore, A. L., & Pellegrino, J. W. (2001). The motivational and academic consequences of
two innovative mathematics environments: Do curricular Do curricular innovations and reforms make a
difference? American Educational Research Journal 38, (3) 611-652.