1. ICLS, June 30, 2010 Knowledge Building International Project (KBIP): A Nested Network of Learning and Knowledge Creation Thérèse Laferrière, Faculty of Education, Laval University, Québec Nancy Law, Faculty of Education, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

2. Theory of Knowledge Building As part of the applied cognitive sciences, Knowledge Building (KB) has its own epistemology, and it has become a pedagogical approach focusing on developing classrooms as communities for progressive problem solving and knowledge creation. Knowledge building/knowledge creation is the production and continual improvement of ideas of value to a community through collaborative inquiry (Scardamalia & Bereiter, 2006) The KB process is necessarily an intentional community effort, and is simply not possible as an individual enterprise Learning takes place as a “by-product” of the knowledge creation process as learners tackle significant problems of understanding 2

3. Strong local networks from different parts of the world come together as they share a common understanding of knowledge building, and use the suite of tools available (knowledge building principles, Knowledge Forum® software, applets for specific analysis measures) A hierarchically nested Network of Networks – hierarchically connected sites facilitated by technological tools and activity structures that nurture agency at each level Much autonomy is left to the local sites (students, teachers, graduate students, and researchers) to develop their own socio-technical designs appropriate for their own cultural contexts in collaboration with remote sites 3 Knowledge Building International Project (KBIP) – the study context

4. Comconeixer in Catalunya, Spain 4

5. Knowledge Building Teacher Network (KBTN) in Hong Kong, China 5 http://kbtn.cite.hku.hk/

6. Remote Networked Schools (RNS) in Quebec, Canada 6

7. Students wrote hundreds of notes on Knowledge Forum trying to understand a problem related to climate change, and over twenty desk-top videoconferences were held among collaborating classrooms 7

8. Exchange of views 8

9. 9

10. Tomorrow’s Innovators 2009 (Mallorca, Spain) Sustainable Development and Caves

11. KBIP – theoretical underpinnings An example of an ecological approach to use of the Internet to connect classrooms around the globe as communities of knowledge builders An international community of practice for teacher creativity in developing transformative practices in teaching, learning and assessment – teacher learning/professional development takes place as a productive process, just like the new mode of student learning An interacting, mutually supportive network of researchers, teacher educators, technologist, practitioners and students so that the innovation and the context co-evolve 11

12. Research Questions Is there evidence that there is co-evolution of students’ understanding, teacher professional development and socio-technical designs at different levels: –Macro –Meso –Micro Is there evidence that cross-cultural interactions contribute to co-evolution? 12

13. Writing a note in Knowledge Forum 13

14. 14 Macro-level analysis: 18 classes Knowledge Forum scaffolds

15. Online Questions ( Hmelo-Silver & Barrows’ Scheme, 2008) 15 Macro-level evidence of change

16. 16 Macro-level analysis

17. 17 Partial explanation is more present later in a thread Partially-organized facts are more present early in a thread Online explanations (Hakkarainen’s Scheme, 2003) Macro-level evidence of change (Explanations 2007-2008)

18. Scaffolds used while engaging in explanation Macro-level evidence of change 2007-2008

19. Meso-level evidence of change School has a very supportive principal who believes KB should be an approach to eventually be implemented across the whole school Methodical introduction to all classes in grade 5 in all key subjects: ICT, Chinese language, Mathematics, General Studies, followed by English for those students to take part in KBIP Scaffolding support from an experienced Chinese language teacher from another school 19 Scaffolding from an experienced teacher to help introduce KB to a new network school in Hong Kong

20. 20 Time-frame (From 1 st to latest note appeared on KF) Meso-level evidence of change

21. 21 By Subject & Class 5Y5X Meso-level evidence of change

22. 22 Thread level statistics Thread # Note # Notes in Largest Thread Highest Build-on Level Average Build-on Level Average Word- count 5X Chin316512962.4535.6 5Y Chin737012362.00102.1 5X ICT10764041.5414.6 5Y ICT141 51.7825.7 5X Math14941731.1216.3 5Y Math32 10045.2 5X GS126751040.928.6 5Y GS13367710.6313.0 5X GS21436530.8325.8 5Y GS241981530.9366.6 Meso-level evidence of change

23. 23 5X Chinese Meso-level evidence of change

24. 24 5Y Chinese Meso-level evidence of change

25. 25 5X GS1 5Y GS1 Meso-level evidence of change

26. 26 General Studies subject: changes observed stage 1 to stage 2 Meso-level evidence of change

27. 27 General Studies subject: changes observed stage 1 to stage 2 Meso-level evidence of change

28. 28 General Studies subject: changes observed stage 1 to stage 2 Meso-level evidence of change

29. 29 General Studies subject: changes observed stage 1 to stage 2 Meso-level evidence of change

30. 30 General Studies subject: changes observed stage 1 to stage 2 Meso-level evidence of change

31. Micro-level evidence of change Two analytical approaches Diversity and level of content memes –Meaning of sustainability –Ecology –Social aspects of sustainable development –Strategies for sustainable development –What harms caves –Characteristics of caves SOLO Taxonomy (Biggs & Collis, 1982) 31 Law, N, Yuen, J, Leng, J & Wong, WO (2010). Community Knowledge Advancement and Individual Learning. Poster to be presented at ICLS 2010 Tracing Community Knowledge Advancement and Students’ Individual Learning in a KBIP program

32. Knowledge advances of the community of learners 32 Micro-level evidence of change

33. Knowledge advances of individual learners 33 Micro-level evidence of change

34. Peer scaffolding of a Canadian & a Hong Kong classroom Canadian classroom children experienced in KB & facilitated by an experienced KB teacher Both teacher and children in Hong Kong classroom were new to KB 3 stages in online discourse (ancient civilization) –HK classroom started work by themselves –Canadian children join in the discussion on Knowledge Forum® –Canadian children left, HK children continue discussion 34 Advancement due to inter-cultural interactions Lai, M., & Law, N. (2007). Peer Scaffolding of Knowledge Building through Collaboration of Groups with Differential Learning Experiences. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 35(2), 121-142.

35. Online participation patterns 35 Advancement due to inter-cultural interactions

36. Kinds of scaffold used 36 Advancement due to inter-cultural interactions

37. Analysis using Gunawardena et al.’s (1997) five-phase coding scheme 37 Advancement due to inter-cultural interactions

38. KBIP contribution to a global research agenda An example of an ecological approach to use of the Internet to connect nested networks of classrooms around the globe as communities of knowledge builders Evidence of co-evolution of students’ understanding, teacher professional development and socio-technical designs at different levels Cultural diversity can be a resource for scaffolding community and individual knowledge advancement through innovative pedagogy such as knowledge building 38

39. THANK YOU! 39