< Back to previous page

Project

Synergistic scaffolding in technology-enhanced STEM learning. How can technology help to balance between autonomy and guidance during scientific inquiry?

This project focuses on how Computer-Supported Collaborative Inquiry should be brought into the educational practice of Science, Technology, Mathematics and Engineering (STEM) and how support should be designed to serve a diversity of students regarding the obtainment of deep knowledge construction, problem solving skills and motivation in science. Literature stresses that supporting multiple students in a technology-enhanced classroom requires support from different sources, that is technology, peers, and the teacher. Yet, the teacher plays a key role in integrating these different sources. Moreover, the teacher should find the balance between supporting students’ autonomy during inquiry learning on the one hand, but makes sure that students do not get overwhelmed by the complexity or the frustration that can sometimes arise in doing science inquiry. This research will investigate how advanced technologies can help teachers to provide tailored support to different learners, and how this in turn will foster STEM learning. This research will be conducted in authentic classrooms of secondary education (age 15-16) and the effects of two supporting tools will be examined. The overall project aims to advance the design guidelines for creating optimal support for a diversity of students in technology-enhanced STEM inquiry which foster students’ learning, and similarly offload the effort of the teacher involved in giving individual guidance

Date:1 Oct 2015 →  30 Sep 2018
Keywords:onderzoekend leren
Disciplines:General pedagogical and educational sciences, Education curriculum, Education systems, Other pedagogical and educational sciences, Specialist studies in education