Lecture Notes in Computer Science- P85 ppt

The Design and Implement of Knowledge Building Classroom Based on Web2.0 409 communities and hosted services (such as social-networking sites, wikis, blogs, and folksonomies) which aim to facilitate creativity, collaboration, and sharing between users. It is a knowledge-oriented environment where human interactions generate content that is published, managed and used through network applications in a ser- vice-oriented architecture. Web2.0 technology has its innate characteristics for build- ing the web-based interactive learning environment. The main Web2.0 representation approaches of this system are as follows: 1. The system introduces AJAX technology to improve the interactivity between students and interface. It provides functionality for interactive activities. The learning environment inter- face should be combined with the correlation theories of aesthetics and educational psychology. For example, the color should complement each other and the alternative response speed should be fast. If it takes a long time to wait for the reaction after clicking the mouse, the students may be tired of learning, which will have a negative impact on learning interest and effect. At the times of Web 1.0, web-based learning environment’s development adopted traditional Web development technology, the interaction between the users and the web page demanded the entire page to refresh, even if there is only a small part of the page was changed. Therefore, regular screen blinking and waiting always happened. However, AJAX in Web2.0 technology solves the problem: AJAX technology takes asynchronous date by using XML HttpRequest Object. It is able to retrieve date from the server according to the requirement. When small part of the page needs to be updated, users could just submit that small part to the server instead of the entire page. Therefore, the condition of screen blinking and refreshing does not exist. 2. This system uses Wiki to provide interactional functions among the members of the community. In the process of web-based learning, the human-computer interaction is of great significance, while the interpersonal interaction is also important. Web-based learning is a learning approach which separates the teachers and the students in time and space. Therefore, the interpersonal interaction which is common in traditional education is hard to realize. Nevertheless, the learners’ affective interaction in learning environ- ment has an important role in the learning process. The interpersonal interaction in traditional internet education was principally realized by the use of BBS, E-Mail, Chat Room, etc. In the Web2.0 era, a number of interactive software appears which have three ideal characteristics: humanization, identity and society. Such software provides diversified, humanized and socialized interaction which could be either real- time or non-real-time. It is very powerful to the development of web-based learning. Wiki is a collaborative tool in Web2.0 technology. It provides learners with collabora- tive learning platform in which learners can both discuss and share their knowledge. This system integrates Wiki inside to be a Knowledge Building Classroom in the e-Learning environment. 4 The Application of the Knowledge Building Classroom Knowledge Building Classroom has been used by the course named “Laboratory Inquiry” since 2006, in Tsinghua University. This course introduces the experiment 410 X. Zhang and Z. Wang environment and scientific projects of laboratories in the university. Its objective is to make orientation for freshmen to get to know experiments and research environment so that students would be clearer about their prospect directions. This is helpful for students to be objective-oriented and construct their own knowledge architectures. This course introduces 72 laboratories from 31 departments, formed by 72 units, among which students could select 8 interested ones. At first, the teacher introduces equipments and approaches for experiments, and the related research projects. The next step of the teacher is to make demonstration, and then provide abundant learning resources in Knowledge Building Classroom, based on which the students could choose their interested units, looking for and reading materials, discussing and inquir- ing. Students will generate new learning resources and add them into Eco-Classroom so that every member in the community could both create individual knowledge struc- ture and share more knowledge. In the analysis of application effectiveness, we conduct an extensive questionnaire survey to the students. The questionnaire contains two parts: 1. the design assessment of the interface and the guide of the Eco-Classroom; 2. the assessment of the students’ atti- tudes towards the time, frequency, interaction and course module. The author adopts the organizational survey. He sends the questionnaires of the date of one month before the end of the semester. Among the 200 distributed questionnaires, 182 (88.2%) were re- turned. 121 male students and 61 female students participate in the survey. 150(56.7%) students have personal computers and 163(63.3%) always surf online. Table 2. The design assessment of the interface and the guide of the Eco-Classroom Interpretation of Results: (32.04%+43.01%) of the students consider that the inter- face design is intuitive, good-looking and attractive. (8.6%+2.28%) of the students consider that the interface design has excessive colors and seems disorder. From the results of the survey, the design of the e-Learning is successful, since we introduce both domestic and international e-Learning environments, and follow the e-Learning visual designing principles. The fact shows that we should follow the visual designing principles in the e-Learning environmental interface design process below: The Design and Implement of Knowledge Building Classroom Based on Web2.0 411 1. Give prominence to teaching subject in order that the learners can learn and master the content. 2. Unify the content and form in order that the learners can be easily, quickly and cozily use e-Learning. 3. Combine the unity of whole style with the variable layout in order to add learn- ing sentiment to e-Learning. 4. Adopt new techniques in order to make a vivid virtual environment for the learners. Table 3. The assessment of the students’ attitudes towards the time, frequency, interaction and course module Interpretation of Results: Nearly half of the students(21.32%+25.43%) said that they exchanged their ideas with others more frequently, and more than a half of the students preferred to consult with others for opinions. From the analysis, we can draw a conclusion that the method of applying the KBC idea into Knowledge Building Classroom helps the learners improve several abilities, as listed below: 1. Improve ability of acquiring and utilizing information; 2. Improve ability of expression and communication; 3. Inspire creativity; 4. Improve ability of meta-cognition and reasoning. 5 Conclusion and Future Work Lacking support of Knowledge Building in learner community is the disadvantage of many current e-Learning environments. The idea that this paper presents –Knowledge 412 X. Zhang and Z. Wang Building Classroom based on Web2.0 – could specifically solve this problem. Ac- cording to this idea, we design and implement Knowledge Building Classroom, which has been successfully used in the course “Laboratory Inquiry” in Tsinghua University. The Knowledge Building Classroom based on based on Web2.0 has several promo- tion effects, such as improving the interpersonal interaction of web-based learning, increasing the teaching design and teaching strategy and optimizing knowledge build- ing. We will develop components for knowledge management and construction mod- ules in Knowledge Building Classroom References 1. Scardamalia, M., Bereiter, C.: Knowledge building. In: Encyclopedia of education, 2nd edn., Macmillan Reference, New York (2002) 2. Zhang, J.: On Web-based Learning Community. Distance Education in China, Special Issue, 52–54 (2001) 3. Bereiter, C., Scardamalia, M.: Learning to work creatively with knowledge. In: De Corte, E., Verschaffel, L., Entwistle, N., van Merriënboer, J. (eds.) Unravelling basic components and dimensions of powerful learning environments. EARLI Advances in Learning and In- struction Series, 4. Chen, Q., Zhang, J.: A Model of Integrated Learning in the Information Era. Peking Univer- sity Education Review 1(3), 90–96 (2003) 5. Scardamalia, M.: CSILE/Knowledge Forum®. In: Education and technology: An encyclo- pedia. ABC-CLIO, Santa Barbara (2004) 6. Russell, A.: The role of epistemic agency and knowledge building discourse to foster inter- professional practice in a Canadian hospital. In: Hall, B. (Chair) (eds.) The value and valid- ity of knowledge building pedagogy and technology to foster professional development: Symposium conducted at the American Educational Research Association Annual Confer- ence, New Orleans (2002) 7. Nonaka, I.: The knowledge creating Company-How Japanese Companies Create the Dy- namics of Innovation. Oxford University Press, Oxford (1995) 8. Young, M., Nastasi, B., Braunhardt, L.: Implementing Jasper Immersion: A Case of Con- ceptual Change. In: Wilson, B. (ed.) Constructivist learning environments: Case studies in instructional design, pp. 121–133. Educational Technology Publications, New Jersey (1996) 9. What is web2.0, http://61.153.241.53/xxzywy/ycjytz.htm F. Li et al. (Eds.): ICWL 2008, LNCS 5145, pp. 413 – 423, 2008. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2008 An Online Theme-Based Collaborative Learning System Yonggu Wang 1 and Kedong Li 2 1 College of Education Science and Technology, Zhejiang University of Technology, China wyglxj@yahoo.com.cn 2 College of Educational Information Technology, South China Normal University, China likd@263.net Abstract. In this paper, an online theme-based collaborative learning model (OTBCL model) is proposed. Unlike the current approaches, the model takes into account the two aspects in learning: interpersonal socialization and mental internalization, and joins them with learning portfolios in learning activities of themes. Then, the architecture, user interfaces and learning portfolio module of OTBCL system are elaborately presented, some useful principles are summa- rized which guide the process of developing learning systems. Finally, a case study was introduced, which explains how to intuitively analyze the participa- tion in group lifecycle with statistical diagrams automatically generated by the system. Keywords: Online learning system, CSCL, Thematic Learning, Participation Assessment. 1 Introduction Thematic learning is based on the idea that people acquire knowledge best when learning in the context of a coherent "whole" [1]. In this learning paradigm, learning themes becomes the critical thinking binder that helps bring different and seemingly unrelated information together into a unified whole, and students are encouraged to think around a subject and seek relationships between information and facts from various sources inside and outside of the classroom [2]. Therefore, if a curriculum is organized by a number of learning themes, that is, the unit of a curriculum is a theme, not a chapter; students will construct new intensive and practical knowledge. In addition, learning is also a social cognition process. Researchers report that, re- gardless of the subject matter, students working in small groups tend to learn more of what is taught and retain it longer than when the same content is presented in other instructional formats [3]. Therefore, over the past decade, many researchers explored the theories on computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL). Tuckmann pointed out that once groups have been formed they often go through five stages as members work towards a common goal. The five stages include forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning [4]. In each stage, the participation and interaction of members have particular characteristics in their different learning activities. Gun- awardena proposed an interaction analysis model which can evaluate the levels of knowledge construction in the online collaborative learning environment [5]. . "whole" [1]. In this learning paradigm, learning themes becomes the critical thinking binder that helps bring different and seemingly unrelated information together into a unified whole,. stages include forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning [4]. In each stage, the participation and interaction of members have particular characteristics in their different learning. Unravelling basic components and dimensions of powerful learning environments. EARLI Advances in Learning and In- struction Series, 4. Chen, Q., Zhang, J.: A Model of Integrated Learning in the Information