Dr. Kevin F. Downing
and
Dr. Jennifer Holtz
DePaul University (Chicago)
Contact: kdowning@depaul.edu

Part I.
Online Science Learning: General Enrollment Growth
Trends
 Current State of Online Science Learning in Higher
Education (SUDSE© Survey)


Part II.


Part III.


Best Practice Strategies and Emerging Technologies
The Cutting Edge: Promising Technologies and
Strategies for Online Science Education
Part IV.

Online Science in Virtual Schools
Online Science Learning
In the “lifelong learning”
framework, online science
learning is nested within
distance learning, elearning, and online
learning, respectively.
Other important learning
types such as blended
learning (also called hybrid
and mixed) and mobile
learning (also called mLearning) can also be used
in conjunction with online
science learning.

The domain of online science learning (Downing
& Holtz, 2008).

What do we know about enrollment growth
trends for college-level online learning and the
growth of online science learning?

According to the Sloan Consortium (Staying the
Course Online Education in the United States,
2008):
Over twenty percent of higher education
students were taking at least one online course
in the fall of 2007 (3.9 million students).
The online enrollment growth rate at 12.9% far
exceeds the general higher education
enrollment growth rate at 1.2%.


Discipline
Online
Enrollment
Penetration %
(Fall 2007)
Engineering
Health & Related
Sciences
16%
33%
Liberal Arts &
Sciences, General
Studies,
Humanities
33%
Source: Sloan Consortium 2008

Generally, the
penetration % for online
courses is higher for
larger colleges &
universities .

For Example: Universities
with student populations
>15,000 have a 42% online
enrollment penetration in
Liberal Arts & Sciences

What do the large national studies tell us about how
specific science disciplines are incorporating online
science learning?

Unfortunately… not much!

Only a modest amount is known about what is actually
going on in web-based science courses at the level of the
disciplines within Liberal Arts and Science (e.g., biology,
chemistry, physics, geology) or the corresponding course
design features (e.g. course materials, learning activities,
technological innovations, communication structures,
and learning assessment).

There has been no nation-wide benchmark study to
determine the conventional and best practices for webbased science instruction in the U.S. community colleges
and universities.

Detailed information on science course innovation is
often positioned behind secure portals, so while course
descriptions and to a lesser extent syllabi may be available
for an institution other relevant instructional design
details are obscured.

Quality examples of course-specific initiatives to develop
web-based science activities or courses are scattered in
education journals and disciplinary science journals.

In order to investigate emerging practices for online
science learning at the undergraduate level, we
conducted a pilot study.

Title: Survey of Undergraduate Distance Science
Education or SUDSE©.

Two Chief Objectives:

To benchmark current practices in web-based science
education at degree-granting institutions of higher
education

To develop a best practices, didactic model for web-based
science courses integrating the results of the benchmark
study







An extensive literature review (over 400 recent articles)
Parameters noted included types of course activities and
characteristics of the online science environment
A sample of science educators in nine Midwestern states was
identified from the College Blue Book:
These programs were surveyed to determine their use of
methods and techniques identified in the content analysis.
The survey employed was constructed using QuikData2,
software developed by DePaul University.
Each subject received an email from the investigators,
describing the purpose of the survey, explaining how the
subject was identified and asking for another contact if the
designated subject did not believe that he or she had the
requisite experience, and providing the URL of the survey
instrument.
A follow-up email was sent two weeks later and a final email
after another two weeks.
The survey was comprised of 59 questions, divided into
four sections:

Course Offerings and Format (20 questions)

Course Communication and Collaboration (7 questions)

Forms of Inquiry and Course Activities (24 questions)

Assessment of Student Learning (8 questions).
Independent variables were the five initial questions.

Level of undergraduate course (upper or lower)

Percentage of online science courses offered fully online

Percentage of online science courses offered in
blended/hybrid format


Percentage of online science courses offered in Webfacilitated format
Data were analyzed using SPSS® Exact Module® (Chicago) for
small
sample of
size
(N=23;science
35.9 response
rate).
There were no
Percentage
online
courses
delivered
asynchronously
significant
differences between the independent variables
and the categories explored, although interesting trends
emerged.
Results
Overall,
online
courses tend to be
lower level (e.g.
freshman,
sophomore) (78.3 %),
asynchronous
(83.4%), and in the
physical sciences
(33.8%).
Results
Courses are more likely in
blended/hybrid formats (83.6%),
although the fully online format is also
common (79.3%), as was Webfacilitated/Blended (78.3%). That is,
colleges and universities are using each of
the three modes of delivery.

Results
The overwhelming
majority
of courses are conceptual in
format, requiring no
laboratory or field work and
use an automated feedback
function (e.g. quizzes or
tests) for assessment.
Communication
uniformly
occurs through discussion
boards or email (100%). Only
66.5% use any sort of
synchronous
communication and even
fewer use course casting
technology (17.4%).

Although limited in scope, the SUDSE© pilot
survey documents minimal use of sophisticated,
innovative technologies in online science
learning, as well as continued reliance on
traditional assessment methods.

Among the key forms of contemporary online instructional
design and practical work approaches reviewed next are:
Online Science Collaboration
Online Science Learning Objects & Online Science
Repositories
 ‘Live’ Online Science Classrooms
 Online Science Laboratories
 Simulations
 3D Virtual Science Worlds
 Remote laboratories
 Virtual fieldtrips
 Actual Objects and Fieldtrips
 Educational games and Puzzles
 and …Virtual Museums



Innovative web
technologies are opening
up new possibilities for
knowledge sharing and
collaboration in online
science education. Social
interaction to support
collaboration occurs as
combinations between
students, instructor,
groups/teams and online
communities of practice
(OCoP).
Table 6.1 Chief Social Interactions Online
Student Instructor Team
OCoP
Student




Instructor


Team


EXAMPLE: Authentic and distributed collaborative experimentation and
student collaboration with earthquake data. From Baloian et al. (2006).
Students from each high
school are responsible for
monitoring their own
seismograph, and obtaining
and analyzing data from
frequent regional
earthquakes. The central
task is to determine the
epicenter of the earthquake,
but in order to do that
accurately, the students of
each school must
cooperatively share and
discuss their results

Our literature analysis of collaboration in online
science environments indicates its utility in 7 key areas:

1) solving complex problems,
2) understanding theory and evidence,
3) supporting interdisciplinary efforts and knowledge
acquisition,
4) conveying model-based reasoning and modeling the
real world workplace (i.e., authentic practical work),
5) discursive science and promoting hypotheticopredictive learning activities,
6) building communities of practice such as
collaboratories that extend beyond classroom space and
time, and
7) conducting group practical work.






Duval and Hodgins (2003) devised a LO taxonomy and
hierarchy, which they termed a content object model . We have
extended that model through the level of a disciplinary field.
Repositories
National
Science Digital
Library
Reuseable Format
(NSDL)
Learning Object Metadata Standard (IEEE LOM)
U.S. and
Canadian
(MERLOT)
European
Version
(SLOOP)
Learning Object
Sharable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM)

Science digital libraries and repositories
serve as cognition-leveraging websites for
creating, exchanging, managing, and
presenting information (in the sense of
Fulker, 2003).

Government agencies, universities and other
scientific institutions with an educational
purpose typically sponsor Science Digital
libraries

3D learning objects are digital representations of
the surface morphology of objects (real or
unreal) constructed of a mesh of polygons in
various 3D file formats (e.g., VRML) that are
viewed using 3D browsers.
The emergence of multifaceted online classroom software
such as Adobe Connect, Centra 7, Horizon Wimba Live
Classroom and Elluminate Live permit significant
synchronous interaction and collaboration between
students and the instructor akin to a face-to-face
classroom.
Software features permit a variety of knowledge transfer
modalities: 1) presentation delivery, 2) screen-sharing, 3)
webcam, 4) VoIP, 5) text chat, 6) whiteboard, 7) file
management, 8) polling, 9) attendee verification, 10)
group web launching, and so on…..
Streaming Video
Benefits of this system
for students as the
attractiveness to learner,
better interactivity, easy
information searches,
unlimited replay, and
on-demand personalized
education with no
geographical
boundaries.
The Interlabs course delivery system that employs
streaming video and presentation software from Uskov and Uskov (2004).
Example: Wimba



Source: Bloomsburg U Tailors Online Learning to the Deaf
By Linda L Briggs
11/28/07 from
http://www.campustechnology.com/Articles/2007/11/Bloomsburg-U-TailorsOnline-Learning-to-the-Deaf.aspx
Online Classroom
Technology
revitalizes the Sage
Table. 7.2. Unified Typology of Web-enabled Science Laboratories
Lab Type
Summary
Hands-on
Distance
Demonstration
Amigud (2002)
Studies
Scanlon
Trgalova (2003)
(2004)
Hands-on
Passive
Demonstration
Access to
Science
Animation
Animation
Active
Simulation
Game
Simulation
Remote
Sensing
Simple Remote
Distance
Laboratory
Ma &
Nickerson
(2006)
Active
Simulation
Game-like
Laboratories
Remote
Manipulation
Remote
Simulation
Simulation
Qualities
Nature of
Control By
Data
Learner
Real
Real
Simulation
Real or
Simulated
Simulated
Partial or
Total
None
None
Partial or
Total
Simulated
Remote
Real
Remote
Sensing
Simple Remote
Operation
Devices
Distance
Laboratory
Remote
Real
None
Real
Partial
Real
Total

Overall, the current use of web-enabled science
laboratories is uneven across science areas and
for some forms such as remote laboratories is
sparse, probably owing to the potentially high
cost of development and instrumentation.

Simulated learning settings are
a complex form of learning
object environment that model
a system such that learners can
change variables and make
hypothetic predictions.
Example: Surgical Simulation (from Dev et al., 2002).
http://www.edheads.org/activities/hip/index.htm
http://www.edheads.org/activities/brain_stimulation/
Example: The
Virtual Physics
Lab (VPLab) at
http://www.vpla
b.co.uk/
Simulation interface from the VPLab on elasticity
showing key features and tools to conduct experiments
on different wire types. (Dr. J. Nunn).
Example: Virtual Chemistry Laboratory for Schools
(Morozov et al. (2004)
Provides students with practice on laboratory techniques, learning the assembly of
laboratory apparatus, providing a safe environment, developing note taking and analysis
skills, honing manipulative skills, and working in a ‘fun’ environment
Example: The Virtual Cell interface on the topic of
photosynthesis. (by Dr. Phil E. McClean)
A significant number of science- related islands have been developed.
Example: Kansas State University has recently introduced
TerraWorld, an SL island that explores historical geology at the high
school level.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Life
Second Life’s own summary

http://www.jumpcut.com/view?id=24B05514
EE4F11DCA88E000423CF382E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ef
sSGBraUhc
Remote Experimentation
An advanced way to provide practical work experiences with high
interactivity at a distance is through remote experiments. Remote
experimentation, also known as remote access or mediated reality
experimentation, involves the actual physical manipulation of an
experiment through the web by the learner.
Example: Remote experiment system for spectroscopy form the
PEARL project (Practical Experimentation by Accessible Remote
Learning) Cooper et al. (2002). Open University- UK
Virtual Fieldtrips
The typical interface for a
virtual hike is a map with
stops hot-linked to
additional web pages with
scientific information.
For example, the
Northern Cascades
National Park virtual
fieldtrip has links to
geological information for
each stop.
http://www2.nature.np
s.gov/GEOLOGY/usgsnps/
noca/nocaft.html
Virtual Puzzles for
Learning Science

An example of a 3D
jigsaw puzzle for
learning foot
anatomy from Ritter
et al (2001 and 2002).
Advanced Educational Games
A form of advanced game
style virtual world is a
MUVE (Multi-user-virtual
environment).
In this simulation
promoting scientific
inquiry skills, students are
able to play the role of
scientists taking on
authentic tasks, scientific
procedures, and selfdesigned experiments
impractical in the real
world (e.g., Water
Sampling and analysis).
(Dede et al., 2004 and
Dieterle and Clarke, 2007.)
Standardized Kits
Stages of a Self-directed Fieldtrip
1) Instructor designs the learning objectives.
2) Instructor conveys the parameters of the
assignment and deliverables to the student.
3) Student Conducts preliminary research for a
field study area near where they live.
4) Student consults with Instructor on chosen
field area.
5) Student conducts the field study.
6) Instructor provides iterative Learning
Assessment.
Virtual Science Museums and Science Centers
•
Low-tech: Basic links to
representative
collections and
information.
High-tech: State of the
art virtual museums are
employing dynamic
interactive virtual
reality network services
and realistic objects
that can be viewed in 3D
and manipulated with
haptic control cubes
(e.g., Huang, 2005).
Are these the shadows of
things that Will be, or
are they shadows of
things that May be,
only?
- Ebenezer Scrooge, A
Christmas Carol
Virtual Studio teaching
environment from
Dolgovesov et al. (2003).
Mobile Learning Objects
Mobile Interactive
Learning Objects
(MILOs) which are
rendered through
the Mobile
Learning Engine
(MLE), a
multimedia-based
application for cell
phones.
Holzinger et al., (2005)
Collaborative Remote
Visualization
a) Demonstration of
different types of
mobile devices
participating in
collaborative remote
visualization session.
b) A PDA receiving a
reduced pixel image.
(From Lamberti and
Sanna, 2007).
Complex Visualization
A wormhole model
based on General
Relativity theory by
Weiskopf et al.,
(2006).
In this example
students can visually
explore spacetime
characteristics near a
wormhole between a
city (i.e., Tübingen)
and the surface of
Mars.
Molecular Visualization
The molecular
visualization
interface MOLVIS for
studying the
chemical and
physical properties of
molecules. From
Bender et al. (2000).
4-Dimensional
Simulation
Teaches students
about the
interrelationships of
soils, landscapes and
hydrologic patterns.
The 3D simulations
draw on authentic
data from soil profiles
and are modeled after
water tables values of
actual well data and
can form 4-D (i.e.,
space-time)
visualizations.
Ramasundaram et al.,
(2005)
Computer Generated Holography
An example of
computer-generated
holography (CGH) from
Slinger et al., 2005.
This is accomplished by
taking a laser-produced
wavefront, forming a
computer-calculated
holographic fringe
pattern, and sending
this pattern through a
spatial light modulator
(SLM) which in turn
diffracts the light into an
interactive 3D image
Haptic Design
Virtual and remote experiments with
haptic design permit the online
learner to have a tactile experience by
adding a simulated response, such as
pressure to a hand.
Molecular visualization using the
Reachin 3D system with haptic
capability. From Davies et al., 2006.
An example of an inexpensive haptic
device for home use called the Falcon.
Novint Technologies,
http://www.novint.com/falcon.htm
Virtual Instructors
and Tutors
Teacherless learning systems,
such as those involving
intelligent tutors or virtual
instructors, can be made to work
with an individual learner or as a
part of a collaborative team.
The key roles of an intelligent
tutor (i.e., agent) on a virtual
team are outlined by Marin et
al. (2005) as:
 an interrogator who poses
problems,
 a reviewer who can assess,
compare, and contrast
results of team members
and guide revisions,
 a monitor/administrator
who keep records for team
activities, and

an instructor who coaches
team members in
underperforming areas.
Virtual School
Science
The schools ain't
what they used to
be and never was.
-Will Rogers

As universities have rapidly
increased their online science
activities and course offerings, a
comparable pattern of web-based
science instruction is occurring
in K-12 learning environments.

The emerging school science
curriculum is one increasingly
integrated with multimedia
simulations (e.g., Hennessy et
al., 2006) and other web-based
learning objects representative
of subject matter from chemistry,
physics, biology and earth
science (e.g., Wang and Reeves,
2006; Kay and Knaack, 2007).
What is a Virtual
School?

Virtual Schools in the U.S. (a.k.a.
eSchools or cyberschools) are state,
district or privately sponsored
education entities that provide
individual courses, blended courses,
or a fully online curriculum to
supplement or replace traditional
schools.

In 1997, there were modest numbers
of students involved with online
learning and only five states with
designated virtual schools (New
Students, 2006).

Now, approximately 700,000 K-12
students enroll in one or more
online-facilitated courses (Damast,
2007).

Enrollment growth is estimated near
30% (Sturgeon, 2007).
Virtual School Controversy: Advanced Placement Science
No Test Tubes?
Debate on Virtual
Science Classes
By SAM DILLON
Published: October
20, 2006
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/20
/education/20online.html
EXAMPLE: K12
K12 enrolls about 40,800 students in 21 states and
the District of Columbia.


K12 manages virtual public schools.
Source: Virtual schools, real profit
Online educator K12 Inc. is growing, despite mounting competition
Veronica Dagher, Financial Post Published: Thursday, October 30, 2008
http://www.nationalpost.com/related/topics/story.html?id=917746
The Chicago Virtual Charter School model employs a
blended format (e.g., 1 onsite session each week).
Example: K12 Life Sciences 5th grade
http://v7.k12.com/curriculum/subjects/sample_lessons/life_science/lesson
_holder.html?main.swf?Title=EarthScience&lessonFile=content_lesson_128
53.txt&previewMode=1&subjectID=2&uiType=33
Parallel Learning Strategies:
Virtual Schools and Universities

Our exploration of the
recently published
approaches to online science
learning for schools reveals
that there is considerable
convergence in best practices
and technologies between the
virtual school and online
science efforts at universities.
Category
Simulations:
Educational Games
Simulations:
Virtual Labs And
Fieldtrips
Authentic
Experimentation
Examples of Contemporary Approaches to Online School Science
Example
Summary
Online Games
To foster scientific habits of the
mind by the way they parallel
model-based reasoning
Author
Steinkuehler & Chmiel,
2006
Digital simulation games for physics Develops student understanding of
abstract physics concepts
(electromagnetism)
Squire et al., 2004
Interactive Virtual Reality Fieldtrip
Middle and high school students
interact with scientists on topics
such as the wildlife and geography
of
Cruz-Niera and Lindahl,
2000
Direct manipulation modeling using
Haptic features for Physics
Haptic learning assisted environment Chan, 2006
to improve mental modeling of
Newtonian mechanics by middle
school students
Physics and Chemistry Simulation
Simulations of electric circuits and
temperature effects on enzymes
using software packages
Hands-on Chemistry: Kitchen
Science Investigators
Students learn the scientific
Clegg et al., 2006
principles behind successful cooking
in hands-on informal environments.
Remote Experimentation: Particle
Physics
In cooperation with research labs
and facilitated with internet
connections, High school students
evaluate muon activity.
Hennessey et al., 2006
Dias et al, 2006
Digital Libraries
Digital Library for K-12
A digital library created for use by
K-12 students using a metadata
standard and the resources from the
Exploratorium
Fait & His, 2005
IdeaKeeper Notepads
Scaffolded work environment for
scientific inquiry incorporating
information from digital libraries
Quintana & Zhang,
2004
Course Websites
Chemical Bonding
Assesses student attitudes about
chemistry and tests knowledge of
subject matter.
Frailich et al., 2007
Assessment
Online Assessment
Online testing facilitates
determining high school students
understanding of genetics.
Tsui & Treagust, 2007
Our appraisal of contemporary
approaches to online science learning
at schools indicates they closely
parallel those in university settings and
should be considered a part of the same
whole as well as harmonized that way.
Advances in communication and information technologies suggest the
following about the possible future of learning science online.
 Learning systems will have vastly expanded capacity and speed
supporting the inclusion of copious media-rich resources, diverse
interactivity options, sophisticated visualizations, realistic/immersive
virtual environments, and learning objects with multiple layers of detail
(i.e., scaffolding).
 Science students will have expanded opportunities to learn anytimeanywhere through mobile learning technologies with mobile learning
engines capable of delivering complex 3D learning objects based around
science themes.
 A science student’s learning may be supplemented and personalized
using intelligent tutors and/or virtual instructors, constructed via
artificial intelligence systems that will be available to answer questions
anytime and anywhere.
 Student collaboration will be supported by social software
such as multi-user environments that may be virtual, as in a
scientific learning game, or real, as in the case of a virtual
classroom.
 It is possible that long-established affordances of a face-to-face
classroom will be used more frequently as technologies for virtual
classrooms and webcasting becomes more available.
 Science students will have expanded opportunities to use and
share institutional resources online such as remote experiments
and rich disciplinary data from virtual museums.
 Lastly, learning at a distance may be increasingly tactile,
employing haptic technologies to engage students in the
simulated manipulation of online science learning objects.
Dr. Kevin F. Downing
and
Dr. Jennifer Holtz
DePaul University (Chicago)
Contact: kdowning@depaul.edu