Impact of Knowledge Integration and Simulated Teacher Guidance on Inquiry Science Learning

• In Event: 33.080 - Poster Session 6
  In Poster Session: 33.080-2 - Learning Science Through Games, Simulations, and Technologies in Diverse Environments

Abstract

Most students need guidance to fully benefit from inquiry science instruction, yet teachers rarely have time to individually guide all students. This study contrasts two forms of automated guidance for student explanations of climate change based on scores generated using natural language processing tools. We randomly assigned students to receive either knowledge integration or simulated teacher guidance within a web-based inquiry unit. KI was more effective than ST guidance for helping students improve their explanation. Students who integrated a normative or non-normative idea based on guidance made significantly greater gains pre to posttest than students who made superficial changes. These findings suggest that automated, KI guidance can be used to strengthen explanations and free teachers to work directly with students.

Authors

• Charissa Tansomboon, University of California Berkeley

• Libby F. Gerard, University of California - Berkeley

• Jonathan Michael Vitale, University of California - Berkeley

• Marcia Linn, University of California - Berkeley