Collaborative inquiry learning in areas of science and

technology

Ton de JongUniversity of TwenteThe Netherlands

Collaborative inquiry learning in science• Inquiry learning• Collaborative learning• Situated learning

• Cognitive tools

• Science and technology

Co-Lab’s central objective

To design and create a supportive environment for collaborative, expressive, inquiry learning...

...in which learners experiment, communicate, and construct models...

…to acquire a deeper understanding of the domain and self-directed learning skills

Complex environment

Collaboration

Inquiry

Expression

Sharing elements

Discussion

Idea generation

Experimentation

Information seeking

Modeling

Control

Comparison

Instructional guidance

Multi-language

Netmeeting

News groups

Discussion boards

Concept mapping

Stella, Model-it, DMS

Sketch pads

Coach

Databases

WWW

Simulation

Remote labs

Dating

Co-Lab city

Simple and integrated

Water management

Greenhouse effect

Hall•Introduction•Assignment

Meeting room•Planning•Evaluating•Library•Reporting

Theory room•Hypothesis•Model building•Model testing

Laboratory•Experiment or,•Simulation or,•Database

Co-Lab, example of a room

Traffic light to request and pass control

Content of a room - simulation

Control display

Content of a room - graphs

RepositoryChat

Content of a room – available tools

Remote laboratories

Mechanics labTank labDesktop greenhouse

Collaborative scheduler

Co-Lab Theory room

“Traditional” System dynamics

Three ways for specifying relations• Traditional quantitative• As a graph• Qualitative

Import measurement

data in a model

Co-Lab meeting room The process coordinator

Help for planning with

a goal tree

History of actions

Collaborative report writing

Evaluation and Conclusions

Students are very much engaged are involved in real collaboration

Students encounter problems in modelling need more support from cognitive tools

Teachers need time to get used to this new approach

Co-Lab needs to be extended with more scaffolding should be more modular