IRMA DOES OPTIONAL WEB- BASED SEMINAR SUPPORT BETTER (CONSTRUCTIVIST) LEARNING IN THE BASICS OF INFORMATICS? Pekka Makkonen Jyväskylä FINLAND

IRMA Course context Introductory course in automatic data processing Themes: (1) the meaning of automatic data processing, the information society and problems in utilizing computers), (2) presentation of data in the PC environment, (3) computer software, (4) hardware technology, (5) data communications, and (6) the meaning of information technology in business.

IRMA Web-based coursework and seminar Complementary addition to our lectures Optional part Two phases Composing coursework reports Commenting on the reports created by other students Working in groups of two or three students or participating in coursework and seminar individually

IRMA Composing coursework reports Our slides included links concerning the critical concepts to the appropriate link pages Students learned By reading our slide material on the web By visiting websites of our slide material By using search engines Students composed coursework reports The groups placed reports in their own web-based workspaces Students had six weeks for this

IRMA Commenting on the reports created by other students Groups were expected to comment on at three other coursework presentations Two points 1. What they learned by reading coursework created by other students 2. If they agree with other groups concerning the most useful points of the content area or not Students had one week for this

IRMA Study We were interested in the development of computer use skills Internet use skills, and knowledge of the basic concepts in informatics Additionally, we were interested in the development of motivation Pre- and post-questionnaires

IRMA Results Coursework was useful in the learning of the basic concepts of informatics No effect on computer use skill, internet use skill, and motivation Results supports Brandt’s discussion on constructivist learning on the web Learning activities should be connected to concepts Limitation of the study was small sample size (21 students, who participated in our coursework)

IRMA Next step of research Need to have larger sample size Need to rerun the study in another context Introductory course of information resources management and information systems development Comparing authoring phase to commenting phase Authoring phase represents cognitive constructivism focusing on concepts Commenting phase represents social constructivism emphasizing interaction