TY - JOUR
T1 - Fostering complex learning-task performance through scripting student use of computer supported representational tools
AU - Slof, Bert
AU - Erkens, Gijs
AU - Kirschner, Paul A.
AU - Janssen, Jeroen
AU - Phielix, Chris
N1 - DS_Description: Slof, B., Erkens, G., Kirschner, P. A., Janssen, J., & Phielix, C. (2010). Fostering complex learning-task performance through scripting student use of computer supported representational tools. Computers & Education, 55(4), 1707-1720.
PY - 2010/12
Y1 - 2010/12
N2 - This study investigated whether scripting student use of computer supported representational tools fostered students’ collaborative performance of a complex business-economics problem. Scripting the problem-solving process sequenced and made its phase-related part-task demands explicit, namely (1) determining core concepts, (2) proposing multiple solutions, and (3) coming to a final solution. The representational tools facilitated students in constructing specific representations of the domain (i.e., conceptual, causal, or mathematical) and were each suited for carrying out the part-task demands of a specific phase. Student groups in four
experimental conditions had to carry out all part-tasks in a predefined order, but differed in the representational tool(s) they received during their collaborative problem-solving process.
In three mismatch conditions, student groups received either a conceptual, causal, or
simulation representational tool which supported them in only carrying out one of the three part-tasks. In the match condition, student groups received the three representational tools in the specified order, each matching the part-task demands of a specific problem phase. The results revealed that student groups in the match condition constructed more task-appropriate
representations and had more elaborated and meaningful discussions about the domain. As a
consequence, those student groups performed better on the complex learning-task. However,
similar results were obtained by student groups who only received a representational tool for constructing causal representations for all part-tasks.
AB - This study investigated whether scripting student use of computer supported representational tools fostered students’ collaborative performance of a complex business-economics problem. Scripting the problem-solving process sequenced and made its phase-related part-task demands explicit, namely (1) determining core concepts, (2) proposing multiple solutions, and (3) coming to a final solution. The representational tools facilitated students in constructing specific representations of the domain (i.e., conceptual, causal, or mathematical) and were each suited for carrying out the part-task demands of a specific phase. Student groups in four
experimental conditions had to carry out all part-tasks in a predefined order, but differed in the representational tool(s) they received during their collaborative problem-solving process.
In three mismatch conditions, student groups received either a conceptual, causal, or
simulation representational tool which supported them in only carrying out one of the three part-tasks. In the match condition, student groups received the three representational tools in the specified order, each matching the part-task demands of a specific problem phase. The results revealed that student groups in the match condition constructed more task-appropriate
representations and had more elaborated and meaningful discussions about the domain. As a
consequence, those student groups performed better on the complex learning-task. However,
similar results were obtained by student groups who only received a representational tool for constructing causal representations for all part-tasks.
KW - Complex Learning-tasks
KW - Computer Supported Collaborative Learning-environments
KW - Collaborative Learningenvironments
KW - External Representations
KW - Pedagogical Issues
KW - Secondary Education
U2 - 10.1016/j.compedu.2010.07.016
DO - 10.1016/j.compedu.2010.07.016
M3 - Article
VL - 55
SP - 1707
EP - 1720
JO - Computers & Education
JF - Computers & Education
SN - 0360-1315
IS - 4
ER -