Current Events No.

Miha Lee

Classroom Use of Multimedia-Supported Predict Observe E plain !as"s in a Social Constructivist Learnin# Environment
$% Matthew Kearney &rom 'esearch in Science Education 3() (*+(,3- *..(.

!his research paper tal"s about the effectiveness of usin# multimedia-supported POE tas"s to facilitate small #roup learnin# conversations at the ph%sics class. !he collaborative students/ discussion is focused on to provide a peer learnin# opportunit% for students. So the research is a "ind of interpretive stud% adoptin# a social constructivist perspective to anal%0e and interpret the students/ conversations. !he researcher investi#ated students/ articulation and 1ustification of their o2n science conceptions- clarification of and critical reflection on their partners/ vie2s- and ne#otiation of ne2- shared meanin#s. 3e made a conclusion that the computer-based POE tas"s supported students/ peer learnin# conversations- particularl% durin# the predictionreasonin# and observation sta#es of the POE strate#%.

!he POE method is a teachin#-learnin# strate#% proposed b% 4hite and 5unstone 6788*92hich includes three sta#es) Prediction- Observation- and E planation. :t the Predication sta#e students ma"e predictions and 1ustifications about the e pected results of e periment that are supposed to do in the ne t sta#e. :nd then the% observe attentivel% the scientific phenomena doin# or 2atchin# e periments at the phase of Observation. ;n the third sta#e the% have to compare the their observations 2ith predictions- and the% e plain the observations 2ith their o2n "no2led#e. !he most po2erful stren#th of usin# the POE method is that if it is used as a dia#nostic tool to elicit students/ pre-instructional "no2led#e and conceptions- it helps teachers desi#n the ne t teachin# for the purpose of meetin# students/ levels. &urthermore- if active discussions amon# students are used properl% at the sta#e 2here students are tr%in# to e plain an% discrepancies bet2een predictions and observations- the POE process can be an effective teachin# strate#% to facilitate students/ understandin# of concepts. !his paper is a part of series that the author/s doctoral stud% in 2hich he investi#ated the desi#n and classroom use of computer-mediated POE tas"s. So ; feel li"e that he put a lot of efforts and time into this stud%. 3e emplo%ed various methods to collect rich <ualit% data from the conversations of students and teacher intervie2s- 2hich ma"es this research valuable in science education. ;n this paper students 2ere learnin# about force and motion focusin# on pro1ectile motion- and the POE strate#% 2as used to structure the students/ en#a#ement 2ith

the di#ital video clips. :lthou#h the author didn/t focus on the conceptual chan#es of students; have learned the stren#th of the POE process in teachin# science from this paper. &or e ample- 2hen students ma"e their predictions of the results- the% need to retrieve their prior "no2led#e relatin# to the e periments. So this phase offers students the opportunit% to thin" about their readiness of learnin#. :nd in the observation pha#e- the% ma% find out their predictions 2ron#. !o e plain an% discrepancies bet2een the predictions and the observationsthe% see" other ideas and can revise their ideas. Moreover- the discussion 2ith peers throu#h the three phases of the POE tas"s affords the students the valuable learnin# e periences. Students need to articulate their ideas to tal" 2ith peers and evaluate the peer/s ideas to ma"e a meanin#ful response. ;n this process- the% can learn somethin# from listenin# to their partner/s vie2. ;f the% are 1ust b% themselves- the% do not have an opportunit% to ma"e them thin" about the findin#s a lot more. :ctuall%- this collaborative decision ma"in# process encountered durin# the computer-based the POE tas"s is the focal point of this research paper. Students participatin# in this stud% obviousl% valued each other/s ideas and used them to reflect on the viabilit% of their o2n conceptions. On the other hand- usin# computer-based di#ital video clips instead of real e periments provides students 2ith man% advanta#es in learnin# science. ;n =earne%/s other paper 6=earn%!rea#ust- >eo- ? @adni"- *..79- he found three principal affordances of multimedia-based POE tas"s. &irst- the computer environment affords student control over the pacin# of the POE tas"s and also facilitates student control over the presentation of the video-based demonstrations. Second- usin# di#ital video-based demonstrations in the observation phase of the POE strate#% offers students a refined tool to ma"e detailed and clinical observations of ph%sical phenomena and hence enhances the <ualit% of feedbac" on their earlier predictions. !hird- the real-life ph%sical settin#s depicted in the video-clips provide interestin# and relevant conte ts for the students. !o be specific- ; have found some advanta#es of usin# computer-based video clips as follo2s. &irst- students can #o bac" to the previous step as man% times as the% 2ant at the prediction sta#e to chan#e their predications as the% came to reach ne2 a#reement throu#h their discussion. Second- the% are able to observe e periments as man% times and closel% as the% 2ant because di#ital video clips have man% useful functions 2hich help students have control over the pla%. !hird- the di#ital video clips #ive students more accurate results of the e periments. Usuall%- students don/t have 2ell enou#h e perimental s"ills to #et accurate results- but video clips produced b% e perts sho2 <ualit% results. ;n addition- the real-life video clips- not laborator% situation- served as a particularl% effective Abac"drop/ for the reflective discussions durin# the observation phase of the POE tas"s. Overall- this paper #ave me a lot of useful information re#ardin# teachin# science 2ith the

computer based POE tas"s. 3o2ever- because ; don/t have enou#h "no2led#e about the Constructivism- it/s difficult to full% appreciate this <ualitative research of anal%0in# students/ conversations and #estures. &ran"l% spea"in#- ; 2onder 2hat the role of teachers is in this research. Onl% desi#nin# the POE tas"s and providin# learnin# e perience from the discussion 2ith peers are not sufficient for actin# as a teacher because some e plains #enerated b% students in this paper 2ere scientificall% 2ron#. 4hat should 2e teachers do to correct these 2ron# ideasB &rom the social constructivists/ perspective- learners construct 6rather than ac<uire9 their o2n "no2led#e- stron#l% influenced b% 2hat the% alread% "no2 6Criver ? Easle%- 78+D9. Conse<uentl%- students are considered to learn science throu#h a process of constructin#- interpretin# and modif%in# their o2n representations of realit% based on their o2n e periences. So ; thin" 2e teachers need to ponder about ho2 to provide students meanin#ful e periences to challen#e their false or alternative conceptions. ;n sum- the POE strate#% is a useful "ind of teachin# method in science education- but teachers should ma"e an effort to desi#n the POE tas"s that fit in the content and the #oal of class. !herefore- ; am desi#nin# the POE tas"s for m% pro1ect to teach m% school students about the properties of metal.

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