Enhancing pre - service teachers ’ knowledge building discourse with a hybrid learning environment

The main objective of this design experiment (Brown, 1992; Collins, 1999) was to evaluate the characteristics of a hybrid learning environment (onsite/online interactions) for knowledge building (Scardamalia & Bereiter, 1994) purpose during a practicum where pre-service teachers needed to tackle a pedagogical and technological innovative context. The concept of affordance (Gaver, 1991; Gibson, 1979) was helpful to understand how participants interacted with the characteristics of the environment. Research results are coming mainly from qualitative analysis and they illustrate how onsite and online interactions can combine to create a collaborative learning environment enhancing pre-service teachers’ knowledge and skills.