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Digital Learning Trail: Harnessing ICT to Facilitate Inquiry‐based Learning eLearning Forum Asia 2011, NTU Singapore 1

Digital Learning Trail: Harnessing ICT to Facilitate Inquiry-Based Learning

Tan Yew Hock Crescent Girls’ School Empowering Ladies and Leaders of Tomorrow

Presentation Outline Presentation Outline

• Background
• Literature Review
• Methodology
• Findings
• Concluding

Remarks

• Campus-wide wireless

network

• 1-1 computing are in place
• Anytime, anywhere

learning with Tablet Personal Computers (TPC)

• Tap on Interactive Digital

Media (IDM) to enhance teaching and learning

Background

Digital Learning Trail: Harnessing ICT to Facilitate Inquiry‐based Learning eLearning Forum Asia 2011, NTU Singapore 2

Literature Review – Learning Trails Literature Review – Learning Trails

• A multi-faceted walk of discovery navigated by learners

through learning environments.

• To engage self-paced learners develop a personal

knowledge for the environment, identify aspects of particular interest to develop their current knowledge through interacting with the elements on the journey contributing to the total development of the student (Peterson & Levine, 2003).

Digital Learning Environment and Digital Learning Trails Digital Learning Environment and Digital Learning Trails

• ‘Navigational learning’
• The study of trails includes both the learners’ personal

learning routes, their navigation behaviour, how they

• ptimise the learning routes; and reflection on the trails

(Peterson & Levine, 2003) through route planning, enrichment activities and cognitive rails that the students go through in terms of changes in their knowledge (Keenoy & Levine, 2004).

• Collaboration in a digital learning environment can also

be managed using learning technology.

Inquiry-Based Learning and Learning Trails Inquiry-Based Learning and Learning Trails

• In IBL, students’ derived investigations knowledge leads to

students’ active construction of meaningful knowledge, versus passive acquisition of facts transmitted from a teacher (Veermans, Lallimo, & Hakkarainen, 2005).

• The heart of inquiry is seeking for truth, information and

knowledge through questioning on ‘learning how’ versus traditional learning of ‘learning what’.

• A learning trail guide points to places where walkers

formulate, discuss, and solve interesting problems.

Digital Learning Trail: Harnessing ICT to Facilitate Inquiry‐based Learning eLearning Forum Asia 2011, NTU Singapore 3 Learning Trails and Assessment Learning Trails and Assessment

• Assessment activities to assess

the extent of the students’ content and skills learning and understanding, their thinking skills, their cognitive processing

• f concepts, and their affective

development in working as a team (Education World, 2009).

• Approaches of assessing

learning trails: rubrics, interviews, questionnaires,

• bservations of conceptual

changes.

Methodology Methodology

• Sec 1 Integrated Curriculum

Secondary 1 Integrated Curriculum 2010 Theme: Nature Enduring Understanding: Social Responsibility Geography Rainfall & Wind Climate Change Weather, Climate, People Mathematics Central Tendencies Statistical Analysis Graphs Percentages Science Forms of Energy Conservation of Energy Heat Transfer

Environmental Science (Sources of Energy, Temperature) Data Analysis Scales Temperature, Rainfall & Wind Data Analysis Basic Scientific measurement, e.g. Temperature

Nature

Shopping Mall Shopping Mall

• The team explored the possible activities that can be

conducted at a typical shopping mall.

• The primary considerations for the activities were engaging

to the students, relevance to the subjects and that the activities can be completed within 3 hours.

Digital Learning Trail: Harnessing ICT to Facilitate Inquiry‐based Learning eLearning Forum Asia 2011, NTU Singapore 4

E-learning Trail E-learning Trail

Some of the suggested activities include

• discussing how an external wall affects heat transfer

between the building and its surrounding,

• taking temperature readings at four different locations in the

mall and relating the readings to the human activities in the area.

• using an appropriate statistical diagram to communicate the

findings, and

• ther initiatives by the shopping to conserve energy.

E-learning Trail E-learning Trail

• A gaming mode - “Amazing Race”.
• Complete a task before being given the directions to the next

station.

• Students would also be tested on related concepts.
• The moment each group started on the learning trail, a timer began

to measure how long they took to complete the trail.

• Scoring for each team was based on the time taken to complete the

entire trail as well as their scores from the tests between each station.

• Strong motivation for all the groups to complete their tasks and test

as soon as possible with the most number of correct answers.

Carrying out the Learning Trail at Anchor Point & Centrepoint Carrying out the Learning Trail at Anchor Point & Centrepoint

• At each mall, two teachers

were stationed to take the attendance and to act as safety

• fficers.
• Each group started the learning

trail software with the timer preinstalled into their TPC.

• They would then follow the

instructions prompted by the software to carry out activities and move to various parts of the mall.

Digital Learning Trail: Harnessing ICT to Facilitate Inquiry‐based Learning eLearning Forum Asia 2011, NTU Singapore 5

Carrying out the Learning Trail at Anchor Point & Centrepoint Carrying out the Learning Trail at Anchor Point & Centrepoint

• At the end, students went
• nto the internet and

continue with the uploading

• f pictures.
• Using a synchronised ICT

tool, they had their concurrent online discussion with their group members in another team to review their findings about the two buildings.

• Follow-up Activity

Follow-up Activity

Findings - Individual Survey on Digital Learning Trail (ISDLT) Findings - Individual Survey on Digital Learning Trail (ISDLT)

Component Average Score (Likert Scale: Strongly Disagree = 1, Disagree = 2, Not Sure = 3, Agree = 4, Strongly Agree = 5) Percentage of students with an average score of ≥4 Perception on the Learning Trail Experience 4.2 78.2% Effect of Learning Trail on Improving Students’ Understanding of Classroom Teaching & Learning 4.25 82.6%

Digital Learning Trail: Harnessing ICT to Facilitate Inquiry‐based Learning eLearning Forum Asia 2011, NTU Singapore 6

Findings: Group Survey on Digital Learning Trail (GSDLT) Findings: Group Survey on Digital Learning Trail (GSDLT)

Average Score (Likert Scale: Strongly Disagree = 1, Disagree = 2, Agree = 3, Strongly Agree = 4)

• 1. The learning trail enhances our understanding of the roles we play in energy

conservation. 3.27

• 2. We are able to connect the knowledge I have learnt in our Science,

Mathematics and Geography lessons to the experiences at the learning trail. 3.53

• 3. The learning trail allows us to explore the factors which affect heat transfer

and how to reduce energy consumption in shopping malls. 3

• 4. We are able to work collaboratively with one another to gather data and

information to enhance my knowledge on energy conservation. 3.67

• 5. The instructions given at various stations are clear and easy to follow.

2.73

• 6. We are able to apply concepts learnt to complete the tasks at various stations.

3.4

• 7. There is enough time to complete the learning trails.

2.8

• 8. The use of technology such as mobile devices (TPC, digital media, data

loggers) and online communication tools (iMedia, discussion forum) facilitate

• ur learning experience at the learning trail.

3.2

Findings: Group Survey on Digital Learning Trail (GSDLT) Findings: Group Survey on Digital Learning Trail (GSDLT)

Did not meet my expectations 1 Met most of my expectations 2 Met all of my expectations 3 Exceeded my expectations a little 4

• 9. We have enjoyed the learning trail and benefited from

the experience. 3.53

• 10. Overall, how would you rate the learning trail in

terms of your own expectations? 2.53

Individual Survey on Digital Learning Trail (Component D) Individual Survey on Digital Learning Trail (Component D)

Suggestions on how to further improve the trail:

• a longer duration,
• clearer and fun instructions,
• bigger shopping malls
• more activities

Other concerns:

• the numerous forum discussions they had on iMedia,

an in-house portal that supports web 2.0 tools,

• had to bring their school bags around for the trail.

Digital Learning Trail: Harnessing ICT to Facilitate Inquiry‐based Learning eLearning Forum Asia 2011, NTU Singapore 7

Concluding Remarks Concluding Remarks

• Designing the task activities.
• Shopping malls - a controlled environment where the temperature

and surroundings are artificially controlled and may not be dependent on the various external conditions.

• The various activities were open-ended in nature and allowed for

much discussion and collaboration.

• The internet connection available was also unable to support the

upload of large files such as the pictures the groups took. This added on to the time required to complete the activity.

Q & A

For more details, you can contact me at Tan_yew_hock@crescent.edu.sg

Crescent Girls’ School Empowering Ladies and Leaders of Tomorrow