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Interactive Simulations Coupled with Real-time Formative Assessment to Enhance Student Learning
| Content Provider | Semantic Scholar |
|---|---|
| Author | Gardner, Tracy Q. Kowalski, Susan E. Kowalski, Frank V. |
| Copyright Year | 2012 |
| Abstract | An innovative pedagogical method of coupling interactive computer simulations (sims) with real-time formative assessment using pen-enabled mobile technology was used to improve learning gains in two core Chemical Engineering courses – Fluid Mechanics and Process Dynamics and Control. Students' understanding of concepts, calculations, etc. demonstrated by the simulations was tested 1) with pretests before they saw the sims (PRE), 2) after independent free play with the sims (AFP), and 3) after instructor guided play (AGP) with the sims in class. From experimenting with the sims on their own, with instructions that they were to fully explore the sims to the point where they thought they understood as much from them as they could, students' scores increased from pretest averages in the 30's to 50's up to averages in the 50's to 70's. The average increase from PRE to AFP on a given sim for the six topics presented here was ~12%, or one letter grade (if letter grades below 60% were differentiated!). The scores then further increased to AGP averages in the 70's to high 80's, by an average of 21% more, or two more letter grades, after the students played with the sims again in class with guided questioning by the instructor. Coupling formative assessment using pen-based mobile technology in the classroom with exploration of interactive computer simulations thus lead to significantly increased learning gains over what was gained through unguided exploration of the sims alone. Introduction: It is well understood that students tend to learn more when they are actively engaged in their learning 1-3 . There are many teaching methods that attempt to get students actively engaged in their own learning, including two that have been coupled here to further increase learning gains. The first involves students exploring interactive computer simulations (sims), and the second is gathering information about student understanding in class and providing immediate feedback, in this case in the form of scaffolded questions directing the students' exploration of the sims. The latter is a real-time formative assessment technique that has the additional advantage of customizing the learning experience for individual learners, as quick students can move on to later questions while others are still working on earlier questions. Interactive computer simulations (sims), for example showing graphical animations of effects on systems as process parameters are varied, are excellent active learning tools that allow students to explore, experiment through trial and error, take control of the learning process, and seek their own insights as they gain new knowledge. As they play with sims, students can visualize what the theory and equations they are studying really represent. This makes them more likely to understand the theory and calculations, and also more likely to remember it. Healy et al. state that “among cognitive benefits (of sims). is that the graphic and interactive presentation format enhances semantic elaboration, leading to better long-term retention of the material.” 4 However, there is evidence that students experimenting with sims without instructor guidance, even with “helpful” accompanying tutorials, often cannot correctly answer follow-up questions. 4 In some cases, the breadth of the explorable parameter space may be too large and students do not focus on the “right” things without proper guidance. Also, students may interpret a result in an interactive simulation differently than intended, and thus form misconceptions if this goes unchecked. 5 Lane and Peres conclude that “even a well-designed simulation is unlikely to be an effective teaching tool unless students' interaction with it is carefully structured.” 6 This careful structuring can sometimes be done in the form of a tutorial, but instructor intervention – based on real-time assessment of students' expressed understanding, and given at the time conceptions are being formed – can be even more powerful. This coupling of interactive simulations and realtime formative assessment, and the consequent learning gains achieved, is the basis of this work. Results of 4 Process Dynamics and Control topics and 2 Fluid Mechanics topics taught with this coupled model are presented. Methodology: Process Dynamics and Control and Fluid Mechanics were the chosen courses for this study because historically in these courses students have had difficulties with visualizing the connections between the calculations and the physical processes. There were 40 students in the Fluid Mechanics course and 42 in the Process Dynamics and Control course. Table 1 gives a brief description of 6 topics in these courses taught using the coupled model described above. Table 1 – Summarized descriptions of six topics* taught and assessed using the coupled interactive sims and real-time formative assessment model. Sim Questions Posed Before and After Sim Exploration Controller Step Change (CONT) Sketch controller output (CO), h1, and h2 vs. time for step increase and step decrease in CO. Make any time differences in behaviors of the controller setting and liquid levels clear on sketch. Annotate plot with words explaining anything necessary to explain. (Diagram of gravity-drained tanks system was given.) Critically Damped 2 nd Order Response (CRIT) Sketch the second order response to a step input change of magnitude M assuming real and equal time constants, τ = τ1 = τ2. Overdamped 2 nd Order Response (OVER) Sketch the second order response to a step input change of magnitude M assuming real and unequal time constants, τ1 > τ2. Underdamped 2 nd Order Response (UNDER) Sketch the second order response to a step input change of magnitude M assuming system is underdamped. Closed-ended Manometer (MANOM) Draw a closed-end mercury manometer in Denver that is open to the atmosphere on the other end on a day when the ambient pressure is 0.84 bar. Clearly indicate the height difference between the left and right sides with an equation and units. Bubble Meter Ideal Gas Flow (IGL) You are observing helium flowing up vertically in a clear glass tube with a soap film “bubble” that rises 100 ml in 28 seconds. The temperature in the room is 21 °C and the gauge pressure in the tube is 2 psig. You are at sea level, so the ambient pressure is 1 atm. Estimate the molar flow rate of helium, and tell why this is an “estimate”. * The coupled method described here was used to analyze student learning gains for a few more topics in these courses. Analysis of those data is pending. Students were first given pretests to determine their level of understanding of the concepts before any exploration of the sims. Then they were asked to play with the sims with the goal of understanding as much as they could about the behavior of the systems. They were then given the same questions again, assessed this time as their After Free Play responses (AFP). Finally, in class, students were allowed to explore the same sims again while responding to a series of scaffolded questions, designed by the instructor to help the students better investigate the key concepts, calculations, assumptions, etc. These scaffolded questions were given to the students using web-based software called InkSurvey (http://ticc.mines.edu/csm/inksurvey/), which allows students to write open format answers, ask their own questions, provide their level of confidence in their own answer, or submit text answers as well. The students used pen-based Tablet PC's to provide their answers, and the instructor could instantly see and scroll through all students' answers to get a feel for what was understood and what was misunderstood. The “digital ink” answers to these questions could come in the form of equations, graphs, words, numbers, etc., as InkSurvey accepts free-form input. Based on the answers the students gave, other questions leading the students to the most interesting points were posed. Questions probing increasing depths of understanding were given as students worked at their own pace, thereby challenging students at all levels simultaneously. During this “guided play” time the students could talk to each other; they could ask the instructor questions, which the instructor could then use to come up with different InkSurvey questions to pose; and they could explore the sims again to address the questions. Finally, the students were given the same broad questions after the guided play, and these were assessed, resulting in the AGP scores. The questions were exactly or nearly exactly the same for all three assessments, and the same grading rubrics were used for all three assessments of each concept. This interactive mode encourages all students not only to participate in answering the questions, but also in asking the instructor questions, as they can do so via InkSurvey without identifying themselves. Additionally, during these exercises, students spend a significant amount of time discussing with each other, which has proven to increase student learning and understanding of concepts. Tablet PC's were used in this study, but the pedagogical method and software infrastructure are sufficiently versatile that this model can be broadly used with other hardware such as slates, iPads, and even smart phones. Students participating in these activities were fully engaged and on task throughout the duration of class time. These guided sims explorations can be used 1) to elucidate and correct common misconceptions and, 2) to hone critical thinking skills in cases where processes are being modeled using equations that do not apply. Results and Discussion: Students' responses on the PRE, AFP, and AGP assessments, scored typically from 0 to 4 and then scaled to give a percentage score, on each topic listed in Table 1. The averaged scores are presented in Table 2, and also graphically in Figure 1. The uncertainty estimates in Table 2 were derived from t-tests, given the sample sizes and a |
| File Format | PDF HTM / HTML |
| Alternate Webpage(s) | http://www.engr.uky.edu/~aseeched/papers/2012/5123.pdf |
| Language | English |
| Access Restriction | Open |
| Content Type | Text |
| Resource Type | Article |
