EVA_pmEVA_pm: : How XML can Scaffold Project-Based LearningHow XML can Scaffold Project-Based Learning

http://http://tecfatecfa..unigeunige..ch/tecfa/teaching/staf18/files-g/commNcontrol.htmlch/tecfa/teaching/staf18/files-g/commNcontrol.html

Paraskevi (Vivian) SYNTETATECFA - FPSE, Univ. of Geneva

September 13, 2001

Project-Based LearningProject-Based Learning

Increases student motivationIncreases student motivation Improves student problem-Improves student problem-

solvingsolving Promotes meta-cognition Promotes meta-cognition Promotes self-regulated self-Promotes self-regulated self-

learninglearning Opportunities for Opportunities for

interdisciplinary learninginterdisciplinary learning Culminates in realistic resultsCulminates in realistic results

A constructivistic instructional model that organises learning around projects.

Initiating inquiryInitiating inquiry Direct investigationsDirect investigations Managing timeManaging time Overcome writer’s blockOvercome writer’s block Limited experience in project Limited experience in project

designdesign Collaboration & feedbackCollaboration & feedback Project follow-upProject follow-up Monitoring progressMonitoring progress Monitoring knowledgeMonitoring knowledge

AdvantagesAdvantages ChallengesChallenges

Vivian SYNTETA, TECFA Workshop, Les Avants (Montreux), 12-14/9/2001

Efforts to improve PBLEfforts to improve PBL

Direct inquiryDirect inquiry

Initiate inquiryInitiate inquiry

Draw conclusionsDraw conclusionsAcquire & presentAcquire & present

knowledgeknowledge

CollaborationCollaboration

Overall contextOverall context

CSILE

LearningAppropriate

GoalsTorp & Sage

Barron et al.

Cognitive &Technology Group

Guzdial

CaMILE

PIViT

Reflectivelearner

MOST

PBLSSWBILE

DesignDiary

TeamFacilitator

Blumenfeld et al.

Barron et al.

Klein et al.

EVA_pmEVA_pm

Vivian SYNTETA, TECFA Workshop, Les Avants (Montreux), 12-14/9/2001

EVA_pm’s GoalEVA_pm’s Goal

Develop a constructivist environmentand method to scaffold studentsprojects through all it’s phases. overcome writer’s blockovercome writer’s block

direct investigationsdirect investigations

manage timemanage time

knowledge on project designknowledge on project design

promote reflectionpromote reflection

initiate inquiryinitiate inquiry

team managementteam management

scaffold tutors rolescaffold tutors role

motivatemotivate ……Vivian SYNTETA, TECFA Workshop, Les Avants (Montreux), 12-14/9/2001

Conceptual FrameworkConceptual Framework

GenexGenexScaffoldingScaffolding

ReflectionReflection Engagement Engagement TheoryTheory

Resources-Based Resources-Based LearningLearning

Project-Based Project-Based LearningLearning

ConstructivismConstructivism

+ Net PBL+ Net PBL

Vivian SYNTETA, TECFA Workshop, Les Avants (Montreux), 12-14/9/2001

EVA_pm’sEVA_pm’s components components

EVA_pm MLEVA_pm ML EVA_paper MLEVA_paper ML Editing toolsetEditing toolset

editor in favoreditor in favor stylesheetsstylesheets

commNcontrol + toolscommNcontrol + tools Virtual BookVirtual Book

Vivian SYNTETA, TECFA Workshop, Les Avants (Montreux), 12-14/9/2001

EVA_pm MLEVA_pm ML

Markup Language for project specification & managementMarkup Language for project specification & management

specification (setting goals, breaking them up into achievable objectives)specification (setting goals, breaking them up into achievable objectives) scaffolding to initiate inquiryscaffolding to initiate inquiryexpress and concretise ideasexpress and concretise ideasreflect on solutions by providing explanationsreflect on solutions by providing explanationsproduce a coherent research designproduce a coherent research design

management (work packages, planning)management (work packages, planning)structure the workstructure the workfor planning, communication, reflection and resourcefulnessfor planning, communication, reflection and resourcefulness

meta-report (meta-cognitive scaffolding)meta-report (meta-cognitive scaffolding)reflection to engage in learningreflection to engage in learning

enhance learning by monitoring understandingenhance learning by monitoring understanding

XML as XML as cognitive toolcognitive tool

Vivian SYNTETA, TECFA Workshop, Les Avants (Montreux), 12-14/9/2001

EVA_pm ML example EVA_pm ML example (merci Nico :)(merci Nico :)

ResourcesResources

SpecificationSpecification

CommentsComments

Work packagesWork packages

Vivian SYNTETA, TECFA Workshop, Les Avants (Montreux), 12-14/9/2001

EVA_paper MLEVA_paper ML

Markup Language for project’s final paperMarkup Language for project’s final paper

about the final product (summary, intro, body, conclusions, etc.)about the final product (summary, intro, body, conclusions, etc.) scaffolding to writing a paperscaffolding to writing a paperexpress and concretise ideasexpress and concretise ideasreconstruct learning reconstruct learning meta-reflect on the result(s) by providing explanationsmeta-reflect on the result(s) by providing explanationsproduce a coherent research reviewproduce a coherent research reviewfocus on text, distract attention from decorationfocus on text, distract attention from decoration

Vivian SYNTETA, TECFA Workshop, Les Avants (Montreux), 12-14/9/2001

EVA_paper ML example EVA_paper ML example (merci René & Sylvain :)(merci René & Sylvain :)

Abstract - PrefaceAbstract - Preface

Main bodyMain body

ConclusionsConclusionsIntroductionIntroduction

Vivian SYNTETA, TECFA Workshop, Les Avants (Montreux), 12-14/9/2001

The editing toolsetThe editing toolset

Editor in favor & style sheetsEditor in favor & style sheets

editors in favor (?)editors in favor (?) XMetal for Microsoft users ($$$)XMetal for Microsoft users ($$$)epcEdit for all platforms ($$$)epcEdit for all platforms ($$$)XEmacs for rare cases :)XEmacs for rare cases :)

style sheets for project and paper (multiple views)style sheets for project and paper (multiple views)from one xml filefrom one xml filefrom a combination of xml filesfrom a combination of xml fileswith or without discussionwith or without discussion

Vivian SYNTETA, TECFA Workshop, Les Avants (Montreux), 12-14/9/2001

commNcontrol & toolscommNcontrol & tools

EVA’s web portal for the projects EVA’s web portal for the projects (for tutors, students, guests)(for tutors, students, guests)

monitor, share & monitor, share & visualizevisualize information information through the portal that parses XML informationthrough the portal that parses XML information

motivate with peeringmotivate with peeringthrough awareness toolsthrough awareness tools

promote collaboration & scaffold interaction with tutor(s)promote collaboration & scaffold interaction with tutor(s)through discussion tools & mailing liststhrough discussion tools & mailing lists

facilitate group editingfacilitate group editingthrough a versioning system (file transfer tools and file locking)through a versioning system (file transfer tools and file locking)

facilitate tutor’s evaluation(s)facilitate tutor’s evaluation(s)through the evaluation tools (audits & final evaluation)through the evaluation tools (audits & final evaluation)

Vivian SYNTETA, TECFA Workshop, Les Avants (Montreux), 12-14/9/2001

commNcontrol ex. commNcontrol ex. (merci nathalie & Yves :)(merci nathalie & Yves :)

ConfigurationConfigurationaccording toaccording to

authenticationauthentication

tutor student

Mailing Mailing listslists

Awareness Awareness ToolsTools

VisualiseVisualisecomplete filescomplete files

Vivian SYNTETA, TECFA Workshop, Les Avants (Montreux), 12-14/9/2001

Virtual BookVirtual Book

EVA’s web portal for the papers EVA’s web portal for the papers

concretise students workconcretise students workby seeing it as a part of a by seeing it as a part of a virtual bookvirtual book

distribute results (peer benefits)distribute results (peer benefits) through the portal that parses through the portal that parses XML informationXML information

searchable informationsearchable informationby being structuredby being structured

Vivian SYNTETA, TECFA Workshop, Les Avants (Montreux), 12-14/9/2001

Development methodDevelopment method

Co-operative prototyping Co-operative prototyping

Evolution of commNcontrolEvolution of commNcontrol Evolution of Virtual BookEvolution of Virtual Book

with STAF-18 mostlywith STAF-18 mostly

Vivian SYNTETA, TECFA Workshop, Les Avants (Montreux), 12-14/9/2001

ImplementationImplementation

XML InfosetXML InfosetGrammars: Grammars: 2 major DTD’s (as cognitive tools), 2 major DTD’s (as cognitive tools),

4 minor (for data storing) & 1 reused (ibtwsh6.dtd)4 minor (for data storing) & 1 reused (ibtwsh6.dtd)XML files: XML files: 4 major (to structure semantics), 4 minor(to store 4 major (to structure semantics), 4 minor(to store data)data)XSLT: XSLT: 7 stylesheets (to visualize)7 stylesheets (to visualize)

Cocoon (Apache XML Project)Cocoon (Apache XML Project)it’s XSL processor to transform to HTML & XIncludes (to merge)it’s XSL processor to transform to HTML & XIncludes (to merge)

JavaJava8 Java servlets8 Java servlets2 Java classes2 Java classesreuse & modification of a DOMWriterreuse & modification of a DOMWriterimport of an O’Reilly classimport of an O’Reilly class

SAX & DOM APISAX & DOM APIto parse XML files & update themto parse XML files & update them

Vivian SYNTETA, TECFA Workshop, Les Avants (Montreux), 12-14/9/2001

Testing & EvaluationTesting & Evaluation

Evaluation = PrototypingEvaluation = PrototypingGroup:Group: 12 students STAF-Gina for STAF-18 12 students STAF-Gina for STAF-18Steps: Steps: Choose project - course - presentation - explanation - Choose project - course - presentation - explanation - follow phases - edit XML - coaching - finish - questionnairefollow phases - edit XML - coaching - finish - questionnaire

Evaluation of the LE (Learning Environment)Evaluation of the LE (Learning Environment)general approach:general approach: good & encouraging good & encouraginggrammar :grammar : quite mature quite maturetoolset:toolset: useful & stable scripting code useful & stable scripting codeusabilityusability of the online interface: can be improved of the online interface: can be improvedXML editing:XML editing: remains difficult & challenging objective remains difficult & challenging objective

Evaluation of the student learningEvaluation of the student learningFairly good:Fairly good: Students manage to make a simple research plan Students manage to make a simple research plan

Vivian SYNTETA, TECFA Workshop, Les Avants (Montreux), 12-14/9/2001

ConclusionsConclusions

Initial goalInitial goalDevelop a constructivist environment

and method to scaffold studentsprojects through all it’s phases.

direct investigationsdirect investigations

manage timemanage time

knowledge on project designknowledge on project design

promote reflectionpromote reflection

initiate inquiryinitiate inquiry

team managementteam management

scaffold tutors rolescaffold tutors role

motivatemotivate ……verify whether knowledge was acquiredverify whether knowledge was acquired

distribute to bigger audiencesdistribute to bigger audiences

Vivian SYNTETA, TECFA Workshop, Les Avants (Montreux), 12-14/9/2001

PerspectivesPerspectives

Interesting methodInteresting methodneeds more testing (bigger/different classes - better XML editor)needs more testing (bigger/different classes - better XML editor)interface can be improved thanks to feedback gatheredinterface can be improved thanks to feedback gathered

Wishing list for future versions of EVA_pmWishing list for future versions of EVA_pmeasier editingeasier editingbetter interface of commNcontrolbetter interface of commNcontrolmore interaction featuresmore interaction featurespossibility to configure the grammarspossibility to configure the grammarsmake EVA_pm a Web archive (a servlet 2.3 compatible *.war make EVA_pm a Web archive (a servlet 2.3 compatible *.war distribution) to make it completely portabledistribution) to make it completely portable

Vivian SYNTETA, TECFA Workshop, Les Avants (Montreux), 12-14/9/2001