Current Proceedings on Technology

Yazarlar: Jaanika Piksööt, Tago Sarapuu, Jérémy Castéra

Konular:-

Anahtar Kelimeler:Virtual modelling,Ontological categories,Interactive learning environments

Özet: This paper addresses the effectiveness of computer-based scientific modelling from the perspective of the ontological status of modellers’ prior understanding. The participants of the study were 257 Estonian secondary school students who applied the virtual modelling environment “Cell World”. A pretest questionnaire was filled in for assessing students’ prior understanding within two ontological categories: objects and processes. The results indicated that students with lower domain-specific prior understanding had greater difficulties in scientific modelling. Moreover, learners’ understanding in the ontological category of processes was the most substantial difference between high-performing and low-performing modellers. The results of the study suggest that learners with low process understanding need scaffolds during scientific modelling that contribute to the category shifts.

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