Schools as Knowledge Building Organizations Marlene Scardamalia and Carl Bereiter Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto

Schools as service organizations aimed at the promotion of learning in their clients, the students School reform – for a better service (above) New standards and new curricula Layers of management Site-based management Teacher control over curriculum

A knowledge society What kind of education will best prepare students for life ? flexibility, creativity, problem-solving ability, technological literacy, information-finding skills, and a lifelong readiness to learn.

Another way Experience in a learning organization The function of schools from that of service provider to that of a productive enterprise to which the students are contributors The role of students From clients to participants in producing new knowledge (constructing collective knowledge)

Schools as Knowledge Building Organizations Knowledge-Building Community – a group of individuals dedicated to sharing and advancing the knowledge of the collective (in the society) an elementary school class that takes a knowledge building approach is to construct an understanding of the world as they know it. aimed at developing from an early age the social practices that make people responsible participants in the work of a knowledge society.

The class that takes a knowledge building approach Student Teacher Student The world: Knowledge problems Student Teacher Expert Student

Knowledge building pedagogy Problem focus versus topic focus Production of knowledge objects versus media objects Contribution versus display Theory improvement versus finding answers Sustained versus single-pass knowledge creation Public versus person-to-person communication Opportunity for reflection versus 1-second wait time

CSILE(Computer Supported Intentional Learning Environments) CSILE is a networked, collaborative learning environment designed to support a classroom-based Knowledge-Building Community (expanding the knowledge building community) Each computer workstation is connected to a multimedia database that contains the ongoing research of the class Each student's files are segregated into a separate folder or "account“ All files are placed in a common area (which in CSILE are called "notes"), viewable by all. CSILE Allows students to connect their notes to the notes of others share information, answer each other questions, and provide advice

a second generation CSILE product http://www.learn.motion.com Knowledge Forum a second generation CSILE product http://www.learn.motion.com

Study Activities For access For usernames and passwords http://kforum.motion.com:27320/ For usernames and passwords From guest1 to guest 10 For better viewing Install client (No Chinese characters)

User interactions by creating notes which users “contribute” for the knowledge base quoting the work of their peers building on the work of their peers co-authoring notes annotating work rising above a series of notes to synthesize the ideas in a way that creates a knowledge advance publishing (after peer voting) their best work for peers to read and comment on

Interface design Scaffolds that direct users toward particular cognitive operations Keywords that help users focus on concepts My reader to organize users’ own readings Visualized Links (build-on, reference) between notes Pictures to facilitate discussions

Another approach of courseware design To mimics the cognitive processes of expert learners To help students Learn how to learn Learn how to set cognitive goals Learn to apply effective strategies for comprehension, self-monitoring, and organization of knowledge