Showing papers on "Cooperative learning published in 2007"

Scaffolding and Achievement in Problem-Based and Inquiry Learning: A Response to Kirschner, Sweller, and Clark (2006)

Abstract: Many innovative approaches to education such as problem-based learning (PBL) and inquiry learning (IL) situate learning in problem-solving or investigations of complex phenomena. Kirschner, Sweller, and Clark (2006) grouped these approaches together with unguided discovery learning. However, the problem with their line of argument is that IL and PBL approaches are highly scaffolded. In this article, we first demonstrate that Kirschner et al. have mistakenly conflated PBL and IL with discovery learning. We then present evidence demonstrating that PBL and IL are powerful and effective models of learning. Far from being contrary to many of the principles of guided learning that Kirschner et al. discussed, both PBL and IL employ scaffolding extensively thereby reducing the cognitive load and allowing students to learn in complex domains. Moreover, these approaches to learning address important goals of education that include content knowledge, epistemic practices, and soft skills such as collaboration and sel...

The Scientific Base Linking Social and Emotional Learning to School Success

Abstract: Schools will be most successful in their educational mission when they integrate efforts to promote children's academic, social, and emotional learning (Elias et al., 1997). There is general agreem...

Learning from other people in the workplace

Abstract: This paper draws primarily on an ESRC‐TLRP longitudinal study of early career professional learning, which focused on the first three years of employment of newly qualified nurses, graduate engineers seeking chartered status and trainee chartered accountants. The first section introduces the theoretical and methodological base provided by previous projects, then proceeds to explore an epistemology of practice, using three dimensions: (1) four key elements of practice—situational assessment, decision‐making, actions and meta‐cognitive monitoring; (2) the mode of cognition and its dependence on time and prior learning; and (3) the context, its influence on mode of cognition and its affordances for learning. The central section presents the project’s findings on modes of learning through a new framework, which divides learning processes according to whether the object is perceived to be learning or working, then adds a list of shorter learning activities used within both types of process, including various t...

The State of Cooperative Learning in Postsecondary and Professional Settings

Abstract: Modern cooperative learning began in the mid- 1960s (D. W. Johnson & R. Johnson, 1999a). Its use, however, was resisted by advocates of social Darwinism (who believed that students must be taught to survive in a "dog-eat-dog" world) and individualism (who believed in the myth of the "rugged individualist"). Despite the resistance, cooperative learning is now an accepted, and often the preferred, instructional procedures at all levels of education. Cooperative learning is being used in postsecondary education in every part of the world. It is difficult to find a text on instructional methods, a journal on teaching, or instructional guidelines that do not discuss cooperative learning. Materials on cooperative learning have been translated into dozens of languages. Cooperative learning is one of the success stories of both psychology and education. One of the most distinctive characteristics of cooperative learning, and perhaps the reason for its success, is the close relationship between theory, research, and practice. In this article, social interdependence theory will be reviewed, the research validating the theory will be summarized, and the five basic elements needed to understand the dynamics of cooperation and operationalize the validated theory will be discussed. Finally the controversies in the research and the remaining questions that need to be answered by future research will be noted.

Using Learning Style Instruments to Enhance Student Learning

Abstract: The emergence of numerous learning style models over the past 25 years has brought increasing attention to the idea that students learn in diverse ways and that one approach to teaching does not work for every student or even most students We have reviewed five learning style instruments (the Kolb Learning Style Indicator, the Gregorc Style Delineator, the Felder–Silverman Index of Learning Styles, the VARK Questionnaire, and the Dunn and Dunn Productivity Environmental Preference Survey) in this article in order to describe the learning style modes or dimensions measured in the instruments; find the common measures and the differences; report on research on instrument validity, reliability, and possible improvement in student performance; suggest classroom activities that work with the different student learning styles; and recommend selection of models under several conditions We also review one additional learning style instrument, the Revised Approaches to Studying Inventory, as a complementary approach to using one or more of the first five learning style instruments

Bridging In-school and Out-of-school Learning: Formal, Non-Formal, and Informal Education

Abstract: The present paper thoroughly examines how one can effectively bridge in-school and out-of-school learning. The first part discusses the difficulty in defining out-of-school learning. It proposes to distinguish three types of learning: formal, informal, and non-formal. The second part raises the question of whether out-of-school learning should be dealt with in the in-school system, in view of the fact that we experience informal learning anyway as well as considering the disadvantages and difficulties teachers are confronted with when planning and carrying out scientific fieldtrips. The voices of the teachers, the students, and the non-formal institution staff are heard to provide insights into the problem. The third part discusses the cognitive and affective aspects of non-formal learning. The fourth part presents some models explaining scientific fieldtrip learning and based on those models, suggests a novel explanation. The fifth part offers some recommendations of how to bridge in and out-of-school learning. The paper closes with some practical ideas as to how one can bring the theory described in the paper into practice. It is hoped that this paper will provide educators with an insight so that they will be able to fully exploit the great potential that scientific field trips may offer.

Building Online Learning Communities: Effective Strategies for the Virtual Classroom

Abstract: List of Exhibits. Preface to the Second Edition. Acknowledgments. The Authors. PART ONE: The Learning Community in Online Learning. One: When Teaching and Learning Leave the Classroom. Online Issues and Concerns. Students Online. Making the Transition and Establishing Presence. The Search for Knowledge and Meaning in the Online Classroom. Putting the Pieces Together. New Approaches, New Skills. Implications. Two: Recontextualizing Community. The Importance of Community. Community Online. The Element of Social Presence. Coalescence and Belonging Online. Recontextualizing Community. Community in the Virtual Classroom. Participation and Desired Outcomes in the Online Classroom. Three: The Human Side of Online Learning. The Need for Human Contact. Connectedness and Coalescence. Shared Responsibility, Rules, and Norms. Roles and Participation. Shadow Issues: The Issues We Simply Don't Want to Face. Other Psychological Issues. Ritual as the Psychological Expression of Community. Spiritual Issues. Culture and Language Issues. Vulnerability, Ethics, and Privacy. Final Thoughts. Four: Practical Considerations in Online Learning. About Time. Group Size. Cost and Other Administrative Issues. Online Security. Five: Managing the Relationship to Technology. The Relationship of Person to Machine. Technology as a Facilitative Tool. Excuse Us, We Are Now Experiencing Technical Difficulties. Six: Moving Teaching and Learning Online. Effective Teaching and Learning in the Online Classroom. Roles and Functions of the Instructor in the Online Classroom. The Role of the Learner in the Learning Process. The Hybrid Course and Online Community. Moving to Specifics. PART TWO: TEACHING AND LEARNING IN THE VIRTUAL LEARNING COMMUNITY. Seven: Building Foundations. Creating an Effective Course Design. Constructing the Online Course Site. If You Build It, Will They Come? Final Thoughts. Guiding Questions to Assist in Building an Effective Course Syllabus. Evaluating an Effective Online Course. Eight: Promoting Collaborative Learning. Formulating a Shared Goal for Learning. Problems, Interests, and Experiences as Springboards for Learning. Dialogue as Inquiry. Encouraging Expansive Questioning. Sharing Responsibility for Facilitation. Promoting Feedback. Intergroup and Other Forms of Collaboration. Final Thoughts. Guiding Questions to Promote Collaborative Learning. Nine: Transformative Learning. The Process of Transformative Learning in the Online Classroom. Learning About Learning Through the Use of Technology. Creating Opportunities to Encourage Reflection on the Differences. Learning About Technology by Using It. Encouraging Questions and Comments About the Technology. Self-Reflection. Final Thoughts: We Are the Experts When It Comes to Our Own Learning. Guiding Questions to Promote Transformative Learning. Ten: Student Assessment and Course Evaluation. Assessment and Evaluation Basics. Student Performance. Course Evaluation. Program Evaluation. Final Thoughts. Questions to Consider in Student, Course, and Program Evaluation. Eleven: Lessons Learned and a Look Ahead. The Six Essential Elements. The Essence of Online Learning: Community. Unresolved Issues and Unanswered Questions. Lessons Learned and a Look to the Future. Extending Community Beyond the Classroom. Implications for Instructor Training. APPENDIX A: Examples of Course Syllabi. APPENDIX B: Glossary of Terms Used in Online Learning. APPENDIX C: Internet Resources for Distance Education. References. Index.

Meaningful Interaction in Web-Based Learning: A Social Constructivist Interpretation.

Abstract: Interaction is an essential ingredient in any learning process. However, every interaction does not lead to increased learning. When interaction has a direct influence on learners' intellectual growth, we can say the interaction is meaningful. The precise meaning of meaningful interaction is strongly related to the learning theories underlying the development of particular learning environments. The primary goal of this paper is to re-conceptualize online interaction in terms of meaningful learning based on the learning theory known as social constructivism. Analyzing interaction through this theoretical framework may yield design principles needed to improve the quality of Web-based learning environments. A secondary goal of this paper is to present the implications of meaningful online interaction for researchers and developers.

Experience‐based learning: a model linking the processes and outcomes of medical students' workplace learning

Abstract: OBJECTIVE To develop a model linking the processes and outcomes of workplace learning. METHODS We synthesised a model from grounded theory analysis of group discussions before and after experimental strengthening of medical students' workplace learning. The research was conducted within a problem-based clinical curriculum with little early workplace experience, involving 24 junior and 12 senior medical students. RESULTS To reach their ultimate goal of helping patients, medical students must develop 2 qualities. One is practical competence; the other is a state of mind that includes confidence, motivation and a sense of professional identity. These 2 qualities reinforce one another. The core process of clinical workplace learning involves 'participation in practice', which evolves along a spectrum from passive observation to performance. Practitioners help students participate by being both supportive and challenging. The presentation of clear learning objectives and continuous periods of attachment that are as personal to the student(s) and practitioner(s) as possible promote workplace learning. CONCLUSIONS The core condition for clinical workplace learning is 'supported participation', the various outcomes of which are mutually reinforcing and also reinforce students' ability to participate in further practice. This synthesis has 2 important implications for contemporary medical education: any reduction in medical students' participation in clinical practice that results from the patient safety agenda and expanded numbers of medical students is likely to have an adverse effect on learning, and the construct of 'self-directed learning', which our respondents too often found synonymous with 'lack of support', should be applied with very great caution to medical students' learning in clinical workplaces.

How We Learn: Learning and Non-Learning in School and Beyond

Abstract: Having published in 11 languages and sold in more than 100,000 copies, this fully revised edition of How We Learn examines what learning actually is and why and how learning and non-learning takes place. Focusing exclusively on learning itself, it provides a comprehensive yet accessible introduction to traditional learning theory and the newest international contributions, while at the same time presenting an innovative and holistic understanding of learning. Comprising insightful and topical discussions covering all learning types, learning situations and environments this edition includes key updates to sections on: School-based learning Reflexivity and biographicity E-learning The basic dimensions and types of learning What happens when intended learning does not take place The connections between learning and personal development Learning in the competition state How We Learn spans from a basic grounding of the fundmental structure and dimensions of learning and different learning types, to a detailed exploration of the differing situations and environments in which learning takes place. These include learning in different life stages, learning in the late modern competition society, and the crucial topic of learning barriers. Transformative learning, identity, the concept of competencies, workplace learning, non-learning and the interaction between learning and the educational approaches of the competition state are also examined. Forming the broadest basic reader on the topic of human learning, this revised edition is integral reading for all those who deal with learning and teaching in practice. Particularly interested will be MA and doctoral students of education as well as university and school based teachers.

The Many Faces of Inductive Teaching and Learning

Abstract: College SCienCe TeaChing S cience courses are traditionally taught deductively. The instructor first teaches students relevant theory and mathematical models, then moves on to textbook exercises, and eventually—maybe— gets to real-world applications. Often the only motivation students have to learn the material, beyond grades, is the vague promise that it will be important later in the curriculum or in their careers. Failure to connect course content to the real world has repeatedly been shown to contribute to students leaving the sciences (Seymour and Hewitt 1997; Kardash and Wallace 2001). A better way to motivate students is inductive teaching, in which the instructor begins by presenting students with a specific challenge, such as experimental data to interpret, a case study to analyze, or a complex real-world problem to solve. Students grappling with these challenges quickly recognize the need for facts, skills, and conceptual understanding, at which point the teacher provides instruction or helps students learn on their own. Bransford, Brown, and Cocking (2000) survey extensive neurological and psychological research that provides strong support for inductive teaching methods. The literature also demonstrates that inductive methods encourage students to adopt a deep approach to learning (Ramsden 2003; Norman and Schmidt 1992; Coles 1985) and that the challenges provided by inductive methods serve as precursors to intellectual development (Felder and Brent 2004). Inductive teaching methods come in many forms, including discovery learning, inquiry-based learning, problem-based learning, projectbased learning, case-based teaching, and just-in-time teaching. Few studies have examined these methods as a group. Prince and Felder (2006) provide an extensive analysis of the conceptual frameworks and research bases for inductive teaching, review applications of inductive methods in engineering education, and state the roles of other student-centered approaches, such as active and cooperative learning, in inductive teaching. This paper briefly reviews the distinguishing features of the principal inductive methods, describes illustrative applications in the sciences, discusses practical issues of implementation, and suggests resources for instructors who wish to use one or more inductive methods in their own teaching.

Technology in Support of Collaborative Learning

Abstract: This paper reviews the research conducted in the last 20 years on the application of technology in support of collaborative learning in higher education. The review focuses primarily on studies that use Internet-based technologies and social interaction analysis. The review provides six sets of observations/recommendations regarding methodology, empirical evidence, and research gaps and issues that may help focus future research in this emerging field of study.

The Effects Of Problem Based Active Learning In Science Education On Students Academic Achievement Attitude And Concept Learning

Abstract: The aim of this study was to determine the effects of problem-based active learning in science education on students’ academic achievement and concept learning. In the study, both quantitative and qualitative research methods were utilized. Quantitative data were obtained via the pre/post-test, treatment-control groups test model. Qualitative data were obtained via document analysis. The research study was conducted on 50, 7th grade students in 2004-2005 school year, in a public school in Istanbul. The treatment process took 30 class hours in total. In the research, three measurement instruments were used: an achievement test, open-ended questions, and an attitude scale for science education. The reliability coefficient of the achievement test was calculated to be KR20=0.78. Cronbach α value of the attitude scale was 0.89. While the subject matters were taught on the basis of problem-based active learning in the treatment group, traditional teaching methods were employed in the control group. In the face of the data collected and the evaluations made in the research, it was determined that the implementation of problem-based active learning model had positively affected students’ academic achievement and their attitudes towards the science course. It was also found that the application of problem-based active learning model affects students’ conceptual development positively and keeps their misconceptions at the lowest level.

Research focus and methodological choices in studies into students' experiences of blended learning in higher education

Abstract: The paper reviews representative research into blended learning in universities, taking into account the methodology used, the focus of the research and the relationship between the two. In terms of methodology, most research was classifiable as case-studies, survey-based studies or comparative studies. A small number of studies take a comparatively more holistic approach and one of the outcomes from this review is a recommendation for more holistic studies to be undertaken. In the studies reviewed, the focus of the research is often related to the degree of methodological complexity. That is, less methodologically elaborated studies tend to have a more specific focus, while the studies employing a more complex methodology tend to report more varied aspects of the students' learning experience. It is argued that educationally useful research on blended learning needs to focus on the relationships between different modes of learning (for example, face-to-face and on-line) and especially on the nature of their integration. In particular, such research needs to generate usable evidence about the quality of the students' learning experiences and learning outcomes. In turn, this demands appropriately powerful methodologies, rooted in a firm theoretical foundation.

Social networks, communication styles, and learning performance in a CSCL community

Abstract: The aim of this study is to empirically investigate the relationships between communication styles, social networks, and learning performance in a computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) community. Using social network analysis (SNA) and longitudinal survey data, we analyzed how 31 distributed learners developed collaborative learning social networks, when they had work together on the design of aerospace systems using online collaboration tools. The results showed that both individual and structural factors (i.e., communication styles and a pre-existing friendship network) significantly affected the way the learners developed collaborative learning social networks. More specifically, learners who possessed high willingness to communicate (WTC) or occupied initially peripheral network positions were more likely to explore new network linkages. We also found that the resultant social network properties significantly influenced learners' performance to the extent that central actors in the emergent collaborative social network tended to get higher final grades. The study suggests that communication and social networks should be central elements in a distributed learning environment. We also propose that the addition of personality theory (operationalized here as communication styles) to structural analysis (SNA) contributes to an enhanced picture of how distributed learners build their social and intellectual capital in the context of CSCL.

Assessment as learning? How the use of explicit learning objectives, assessment criteria and feedback in post‐secondary education and training can come to dominate learning. 1

Abstract: The paper reports on the findings of a Learning and Skills Research Centre (LSRC) funded study investigating the impact of different modes and methods of assessment on achievement and progress in p...

Investigating Patterns of Interaction in Networked Learning and Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning: A Role for Social Network Analysis

Abstract: The focus of this study is to explore the advances that Social Network Analysis (SNA) can bring, in combination with other methods, when studying Networked Learning/Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (NL/CSCL). We present a general overview of how SNA is applied in NL/CSCL research; we then go on to illustrate how this research method can be integrated with existing studies on NL/CSCL, using an example from our own data, as a way to synthesize and extend our understanding of teaching and learning processes in NLCs. The example study reports empirical work using content analysis (CA), critical event recall (CER) and social network analysis (SNA). The aim is to use these methods to study the nature of the interaction patterns within a networked learning community (NLC), and the way its members share and construct knowledge. The paper also examines some of the current findings of SNA analysis work elsewhere in the literature, and discusses future prospects for SNA. This paper is part of a continuing international study that is investigating NL/CSCL among a community of learners engaged in a master’s program in e-learning.

Quality in blended learning: Exploring the relationships between on-line and face-to-face teaching and learning

Abstract: This project draws on a large body of seminal research showing that the approaches students take to learning, and the subsequent quality of their learning, is closely related to their perceptions of their learning experience. Recent research has demonstrated these findings also hold for non-standard modes of delivery such as distance education using on-line strategies. However, there is currently little research about how predominately campus-based students' experiences of the on-line part of their course are associated with their experience of the course as a whole. The present study extends previous research into the domain of blended learning, by exploring the relations between student perceptions of the e-Learning environment, approaches to study, and student grades.

Specifying Computer-Supported Collaboration Scripts

Abstract: Collaboration scripts are activity programs which aim to foster collaborative learning by structuring interaction between learners. Computer-supported collaboration scripts generally suffer from the problem of being restrained to a specific learning platform and learning context. A standardization of collaboration scripts first requires a specification of collaboration scripts that integrates multiple perspectives from computer science, education and psychology. So far, only few and limited attempts at such specifications have been made. This paper aims to consolidate and expand these approaches in light of recent findings and to propose a generic framework for the specification of collaboration scripts. The framework enables a description of collaboration scripts using a small number of components (participants, activities, roles, resources and groups) and mechanisms (task distribution, group formation and sequencing). (http://www.springerlink.com/content/6286w8235q818664/)

Aspiration performance and railroads' patterns of learning from train wrecks and crashes

Abstract: We link two influential organizational learning models—performance feedback and experiential learning—to advance hypotheses that help explain how organizations' learning from their own and others' experience is conditioned by their aspiration-performance feedback. Our focus is on learning from failure; this kind of learning is essential to organizational learning and adaptation, and a necessary complement to studies of learning from success. Our analysis of U.S. Class 1 freight railroads' accident costs from 1975 to 2001 shows that when a railroad's accident rate deviates from aspiration levels, the railroad benefits less from its own operating and accident experience and more from other railroads' operating and accident experiences. These findings support the idea that performance near aspirations fosters local search and exploitive learning, while performance away from aspirations stimulates nonlocal search and exploration, providing a foundation for constructing more-integrated models of organizational learning and change.

Aspiration Performance and Railroads' Patterns of Learning from Train Wrecks and Crashes

Abstract: We link two influential organizational learning models---performance feedback and experiential learning---to advance hypotheses that help explain how organizations' learning from their own and others' experience is conditioned by their aspiration-performance feedback. Our focus is on learning from failure; this kind of learning is essential to organizational learning and adaptation, and a necessary complement to studies of learning from success. Our analysis of U.S. Class 1 freight railroads' accident costs from 1975 to 2001 shows that when a railroad's accident rate deviates from aspiration levels, the railroad benefits less from its own operating and accident experience and more from other railroads' operating and accident experiences. These findings support the idea that performance near aspirations fosters local search and exploitive learning, while performance away from aspirations stimulates nonlocal search and exploration, providing a foundation for constructing more-integrated models of organizational learning and change.

Gameplaying for maths learning: cooperative or not?

Abstract: This study investigated the effects of gameplaying on fifth-graders’ maths performance and attitudes. One hundred twenty five fifth graders were recruited and assigned to a cooperative Teams-Games-Tournament (TGT), interpersonal competitive or no gameplaying condition. A state standards-based maths exam and an inventory on attitudes towards maths were used for the pretest and posttest. The students’ gender, socio-economic status and prior maths ability were examined as the moderating variables and covariate. Multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) indicated that gameplaying was more effective than drills in promoting maths performance, and cooperative gameplaying was most effective for promoting positive maths attitudes regardless of students’ individual differences.

Flexibility in macro‐scripts for computer‐supported collaborative learning

Abstract: In the field of computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL), scripts are designed to support collaboration among distant learners or co-present learners whose interactions are (at least partially) mediated by a computer. The rationale of scripts is to structure collaborative learning processes in order to trigger group interactions that may be rare in free collaboration. Fixing the degree of coercion is a delicate design choice: too rigid scripts would spoil the richness of collaborative interactions; too flexible scripts would fail to induce the targeted interactions. Because of the unpredictability of how scripts will be enacted, both the teacher and the students must be allowed to modify some script features. In this article we propose a conceptual analysis of this notion of flexibility, arguing for a dissociation of constraints that are intrinsic to the pedagogical design of the script and constraints induced by the technology or contextual factors. This difference sets up the limits of flexibility both for the teacher and for the students and provides specification for the computational design. This analysis leads to the conclusion that the operationalization of CSCL scripts should be addressed by implementing script engines handling multiple representations of the script: the script to be executed, the emergent organization of teams, the set of intrinsic and extrinsic constraints and the visual representation of the script for students and teachers.

Student perceptions of active learning in a large cross-disciplinary classroom:

Abstract: This investigation reports on a study that assesses how students value active, cooperative, and traditional learning activities within a single large cross-disciplinary class. The study surveyed students' perceived value of a range of teaching techniques (from traditional to cooperative) utilized within a general education class. Students rated the various techniques on an ordinal scale and the values were statistically compared using a mean difference (paired sample) test. The study was replicated four times over four semesters, where class size ranged from 125 to 180.The study found that students valued lectures and being active. From the students' perspective, however, working with others (cooperative learning) diminishes the value significantly. Any activity, be it active, cooperative or traditional, that directly relates to improving exam performance was the most valued of all.

The Online Learner: Characteristics and Pedagogical Implications

Abstract: Globalization has stretched the scope of the online learner population from a homogeneous profile of mostly adult, mostly employed, place-bound, goaloriented, and intrinsically motivated to one that is heterogeneous, younger, dynamic, and responsive to rapid technological innovations. This paper describes the emerging characteristics of the online learner and ensuing pedagogical implications and suggests that exploratory and dialogical online learning pedagogical models are most effective for supporting and promoting these characteristics. The research to date has not converged on an archetypal profile of the online learner. Although some situational, affective, and demographic characteristics may cut across this learner population, what seems to be more prevalent is the changing or emerging nature of the online learner and the multiplicity of learning styles and generational differences represented. This situation carries considerable pedagogical implications for the design of online learning environments and necessitates a review of the research to determine the characteristics and skills of the emerging online learner. Determining the characteristics and educational needs of the online learner may not necessarily guarantee success in a distance education course or program (Galusha, 1997). It could, however, significantly help administrators, teachers, and instructional designers understand (a) who is likely to participate in online learning, (b) what factors or motivators contribute to a successful online learning experience, and (c) the potential barriers detering some students from participating in or successfully completing an online course. In order to better understand the characteristics and perceived skills of the online learner and the underlying motivations and barriers that impact successful online learning experiences, a review of the characteristics of the traditional or classic distance education learner is essential.

Elements of a cognitive model of physics problem solving: Epistemic games

Abstract: Although much is known about the differences between expert and novice problem solvers, knowledge of those differences typically does not provide enough detail to help instructors understand why some students seem to learn physics while solving problems and others do not. A critical issue is how students access the knowledge they have in the context of solving a particular problem. In this paper, we discuss our observations of students solving physics problems in authentic situations in an algebra-based physics class at the University of Maryland. We find that when these students are working together and interacting effectively, they often use a limited set of locally coherent resources for blocks of time of a few minutes or more. This coherence appears to provide the student with guidance as to what knowledge and procedures to access and what to ignore. Often, this leads to the students failing to apply relevant knowledge they later show they possess. In this paper, we outline a theoretical phenomenology for describing these local coherences and identify six organizational structures that we refer to as epistemic games. The hypothesis that students tend to function within the narrow confines of a fairly limited set of games provides a good description of our observations. We demonstrate how students use these games in two case studies and discuss the implications for instruction.

Promoting Cooperative Learning in Science and Mathematics Education: A Malaysian Perspective.

Abstract: The purpose of this article is to discuss the current shortcomings in science and mathematics education in Malaysia. The use of cooperative learning as an alternative to traditional method is emphasized. Cooperative learning is grounded in the belief that learning is most effective when students are actively involved in sharing ideas and work cooperatively to complete academic tasks. This article would also focus on selected studies done locally and their expected educational outcomes. A challenge involved in implementing cooperative learning is also discussed.

In-Depth Analysis of the Felder-Silverman Learning Style Dimensions

Abstract: Learning styles are increasingly being incorporated into technology-enhanced learning. Appropriately, a great deal of recent research work is occurring in this area. As more information and details about learning styles becomes available, learning styles can be better accommodated and integrated into all aspects of educational technology. The aim of this paper is to analyse data about learning styles with respect to the Felder-Silverman learning style model (FSLSM) in order to provide a more detailed description of learning style dimensions. The analyses show the most representative characteristics of each learning style dimension as well as how representative these characteristics are. As a result, we provide additional information about the learning style dimensions of FSLSM. This information is especially important when learning styles are incorporated in technology-enhanced learning.