Scripting Science Inquiry Learning in CSCL Classrooms

Research on scripting computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) has recently received a lot of attention. However, most findings within this research grew out of studies focusing scripting online collaborative learning activities that often had an asynchronous nature and were conducted in artificial settings. This symposium includes an international set of presenters from Belgium, Canada, Germany, and the USA and brings together four studies that focus on scripting face-to-face “classroom” activities, seeing the “classroom” as a formal physical learning environment. The common denominator of the contributions is that they are all field studies focusing on computer-supported science inquiry learning, aiming to investigate the optimal conditions for organizing these inquiry learning environments. Each paper will present the research context, method, data, and conclusions on how scripting can be implemented to support science inquiry learning. Broader implications of the findings of these studies will be discussed with the audience. Aim and Structure of this Symposium The main aim of this symposium is to highlight the added value of scripting CSCL activities in authentic science classrooms. Within the field of Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning, a lot of attention has been paid to how learning environments need to be organized in order to promote students‟ learning. There is widespread agreement that technology in itself does not support learning (Lai, 2008) and that technology should be well integrated into a learning environment in order to realize its full potential (Weinberger, Reiserer, Ertl, Fischer, & Mandl, 2005). In this respect, the introduction of scripts (see Kobbe et al., 2007) has been proven useful. More specifically, earlier research showed that “scripts have proven to be a powerful instructional approach to foster specific collaborative activities and interaction patterns, such as identifying conceptual differences, asking thought-provoking questions, integrating multiple perspectives, and/or constructing arguments and counter-arguments” (Weinberger, Stegmann, & Fischer, 2010; cf. a recent discussion at CSCL 2011, see Gijlers, van Dijk, & Weinberger, 2011, p. 1071). While a lot of research towards scripting has been focusing on online – usually asynchronous – learning environments, the present symposium focuses on studying scripting in CSCL authentic classroom settings. Within these settings, the collaboration script is functioning next to, or in addition with, the teacher in the learning environment or classroom. Through bringing together the work of scholars from four distinct research groups from four different countries, we hope to provide a diversity of perspectives and empirical data to widen the discussion on the issue of implementing scripting in authentic CSCL situations. This symposium comprises four papers, which all focus on (1) science inquiry learning, (2) in authentic situations, (3) supported by technology, (4) in secondary education, and (5) the role of scripting in these learning environments. The first two studies focus more on collaboration scripts within the classrooms, in order to find ways how to introduce small group collaboration scripts and potentially combine them with the teacher as another potential source of support for the learners. The third study investigates an emergent script introducing user-generated content in a physics learning environment. The fourth study centers on implementing a mobile technology application to script students‟ activities while performing field observations. The discussant, Pierre Dillenbourg, who is not affiliated with any of these research programs, but has studied scripting in high detail, will synthesize the ideas and advances in this work and lead a discussion amongst the participants and the audience. He will invite (a) the participants to connect and compare their findings and put forward specific implications for inquiry based science learning in TEL classrooms and (b) the audience to relate to and critically comment on these findings and scientific and practical implications. Paper 1: Scripting Computer-Supported Collaborative Information Problem Solving on the Web Annelies Raes, Tammy Schellens, & Bram De Wever