Session Information
SES F 02, Paper Session
Paper Session
Contribution
Recently a special attention has been given in educational system to students with special needs in education, particularly to those students with lower learning abilities. Often teachers consider active teaching methods as more suitable for students with higher learning abilities, because they presume that students with lower learning abilities have insufficiently developed skills in the field of metacognitive knowledge and they need more time to acquire advanced learning method techniques. However, by assuming that, they neglect a very strong motivational role of various teaching methods in everyday classroom work.
In this paper computer supported project-based learning (CSPjBL) is presented. This method enables the students to take more active role in the (learning) process and encourages them to do more collaborative work in learning as well as in teaching. CSPjBL has been introduced in the final triad of secondary school. We’ve paid special attention to students with difficulties in learning.
The paper presents in detail the structure of teaching and learning process by defining learning and teaching methods. While monitoring the quality of learning process and its results we focused predominately on how students themselves see their role in CSPjBL, on students’ interaction and group dynamics. Various similar surveys on teaching students with lower learning abilities (Koh, Tan, Wang, Ee and Chia Liu, 2007) and on computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL) have been made. Analysis by experts in socio-cultural theory and findings of other experts (Weinberger and Fischer, 2006, Sundararajan, 2009, Precel, Eshet-Alkalai and Alberton, 2009 and others), also show that this teaching method increases the quality of teaching process and positively affects development of skills and acquirement of knowledge in students.
Project based learning took place during the first term in 2009/2010 school year and was established by combining traditional and virtual learning environment. The structure of learning environment is presented in detail with special attention to establishing relations between physical and virtual learning environment. With traditional classroom work and in virtual learning environment the students acquired subject matter by learning experience, learning with the help of learning materials and computer supported learning, either individually or within a group. Learning at home was made possible with use of online-classroom, forums and chat-rooms. On the other hand, when in classroom students worked individually, completing the tasks in online-classroom. The results of this research are mostly connected to motivation in students with lower learning abilities, since new methods of teaching mean a substantial encouragement to these students.
The aim of this research has been to establish whether students with lower learning abilities understand their role in PjBL and collaborative learning, but also to research and increase the quality of their participation in CSPjBL. To encourage students with lower learning abilities to take active part in collaborative learning and show them positive effects of this method has also been the aim of this research. There is another aim we were trying to achieve and that is to find out, whether there is a difference in understanding CSPjBL with students with lower learning abilities and students with higher learning abilities and to describe interaction and group dynamics in this teaching method.
Method
Expected Outcomes
References
Hausstätter, R. S., Nordkvelle, Y. T. 2007. Perspectives on group work in distance learning. Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education-TOJDE. 8/1. Henri, F. Computer conferencing and content analysis. V: Colaborative learning through computer conferencing: the Najaden paper (ed. A. R. Kaye). 117-136. Jane E. Brindley E., Jane, Walti, C., Blaschke M., Lisa. 2009. Creating Effective Collaborative Learning Groups in an Online Environment. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning. 10/ 3. Koh, C., Tan, O. S., Wang, C. K. Y., Ee, J., Chia Liu, W. 2007. Perceptions of Low Ability Students on Group Project Work and Cooperative Learning. Asia Pacific Education Review. 8/1. 89-99. McBrien, L. J., Jones, J. 2009. Virtual Spaces: Employing a Synchronous Online Classroom to Facilitate Student Engagement in Online Learning. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning. Volume 10, Number 3. Precel, K., Eshet-Alkalai, Y., Alberton Y. 2009. Pedagogical and Design Aspects of a Blended Learning Course International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning. 10/2. Sundararajan, S. 2009. Impact of Communication Patterns, Network Positions and Social Dynamics Factors on Learning among Students in a CSCL Environment. Electronic Journal of e-Learning. 7/ 1.71-84. Yeh, H.-T., Lahman, M. 2007. Pre-Service Teachers’ Perceptions of Asynchronous Online Discussion on Blackboard. The Qualitative Report. 12/4. 680-704. Weinberger, A., Fischer, F. 2006. A framework to analyze argumentative knowledge construction in computer-supported collaborative learning. Computers & Education. 46. 71-95.
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