Analysis of Student Learning in Global Change

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Analysis of Student Learning in Global Change

• Eugene S. Takle1, Heather Moser1, and Elsebeth K.
  Sorensen2
• 1Iowa State University, Ames, IA
• 2Alborg University, Denmark

gstakle_at_iastate.edu
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Outline

• Context for Dialog
• Theoretical Background
• Dialog Implementation Strategies
• Diagnosis by Theory of Language Games
• Evaluation of student learning

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Context for Dialog

• Global Change course
• 3 credit , senior-level, on-campus or remote
• 42 GC topics (1 each MWF), 3 5-week blocks
• Online with dialog since 1995
• Currently enrolls 50 students from 23 disciplines
• Course publicly available
• http//www.meteor.iastate.edu/gccourse

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Characteristics of Structure-less Dialog

• Superficial remarks
• Off-the-cuff comments
• Personal agendas
• Religious fervor
• Cutsey comments
• Occasional glimmer of critical thinking

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The Challenge

• How do we stimulate learning in online dialog?

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Theoretical FrameworkLearning in Virtual
Environments

• Wenger (1998) true collaborative learning
  occurs through negotiation of meaning
• Sorensen and Takle (2002)
• mutual exploration of issues
• mutual examination of arguments, agreements, and
  disagreements
• mutual questioning of positions
• dynamic interaction
• weaving of ideas
• convergence of perspectives

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Genuine Collaboration

• Genuine collaboration (Salomon, 1995) is a
  condition of genuine interdependence between
  individuals that calls for
• sharing knowledge/information
• adopting complementary roles
• a pooling together of minds

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So how do we structure our virtual environment
for dialog to ensure that learning takes place?
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I. Active Participation

• Although some learning occurs in passive
  observation, active participation is essential
  for true collaborative learning
• Put requirements on minimum number of postings 6
  per block

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Table 1. A students, B comments per
student per learning unit, C comments per
student per block. _______________________________
_____________ Year A B
C ____________________________________________ 199
5 32 0.069 1.0 1996 31 0.106 1.6 1997
32 0.350 5.3 1998 33 0.390 5.9 1999
26 0.320 4.8 2000 45 0.480 7.2 2001
44 0.382 5.7 2002 46 0.528
7.6 ____________________________________________
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Result Increased volume of comments, but
content of comments was shallow and did not give
evidence of critical thinking
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II. Quality

• Define critical thinking skills (CTS), give
  examples, and demand that student dialog must
  demonstrate CTS
• Implement an online threaded dialog structure
  that requires student to state, in advance of
  posting, the CTS being used
• Ask student in end-of-block self assessment to
  defend their use of CTS

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Elements of the Virtual Portfolio
Research Paper
Research Paper
Calc
Calc
Simulation
Simulation
Quiz
Quiz
Dialog
Dialog
Student Products
Time
Disc. Sum.
Disc. Sum.
Web Search
Web Search
Hypothesis
Hypoth.
Hypothesis
Exam
Exam
Animation
Animation
Block 1
Block 2
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Elements of the Virtual Portfolio
Evaluate Product
Student Products
Time
Block 1
Block 2
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Elements of the Virtual Portfolio
Student Products
Time
Evaluate
Process
Block 1
Block 2
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Result By a subjective measure (0-10), quality
went from 4.4 (1995) to 3.2 (1997) to 5.3
(2000) It worked, but online entries became a
collection of monologs
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III. Action-Reaction

• Require students to respond to 3 other students
  per block and to elicit comments from 3 other
  students per block.
• Require one social or community-building
  comment per block.

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Table 2. Comparison of comment characteristics
when requirements for social comments were
added. ___________________________________________
2001 2002 Chg() ____________________
_______________________ Number of students 44
46 4 Required of posts/st.
15 18 20 Total number of posts
760 1,045 38 Actual
posts/student 17.3 22.7 31 actual
to required 115 126 10 Length of
post (words) 140 155
11 ______________________________________ True
collaborative learning?
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IV. Collaborative Learning Through Substantive
Interaction

• Close, but not there yet
• Not sufficient evidence we have true negotiation
  of meanings (Wenger)
• Or true interdependence (Salomon)
• Next Step
• Analyze dialog by use of the theory of language
  games

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Language Game Theory

Closes language game opened by
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Language Game Theory

• A language game must have, as a minimum, the
  following elements
• Initiation (open a new game)
• Expectation (offers that new understanding may
  emerge if response is provided)
• Clarify a misconception, resolve a conflict
• Might result in initiation of a subgame
  (requesting more information, clarifying an
  assumption, expanding the game beyond the
  initiation concept)
• Closure
• All expectations are met, conflicts resolved

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Assumption and Hypothesis
Assumption The number of completed Language
Games developed within a dialog in some way (yet
to be determined) will be proportional to the
amount of collaborative learning that takes
place. Hypothesis The amount of collaborative
learning that takes place will increased by use
of the knowledge-building process.
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Experimental Procedure and Analysis

• A random number generator was used to generate
  numbers that directed which comments would be
  selected
• 1,350 comments from 1996-2004 were selected for
  consideration
• Of these, 689 comments described a situation
  suitable for analysis
• Of these 689 comments, 356 (52) were considered
  to be candidates for initiating a language game
• Of the 356 potential games, 242 (68) were
  actually created
• Of the 242 games created, 217 (90) were closed
• Of those comments (689-356333) for which no game
  was created, only 124 (37) received follow-up
  comments

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Interpretation

• of candidate comments for
• Year which a game was completed
• 1996 17.2
• 15.7
• 24.7
• 38.1
• 36.5
• 48.8
• 35.7
• 30.1
• 31.6

Mean 19
Mean 37
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Conclusions

• Online dialog is a powerful option for promoting
  reflective thinking and use of critical thinking
  skills
• Students will respond if we tell them what we
  want them to do
• Developing online learning environments based on
  sound pedagogical principles improves likelihood
  of success
• Implementation of the knowledge-building process
  enhanced student learning

http//www.meteor.iastate.edu/gccourse gstakle_at_ias
tate.edu