An Evidence-based Framework For Digitally Supported School Field Trips Alexandra Tanner*, Beat Vollenwyder, Ulrike Schock, Michael Kalt, Magdalena Mateescu, Doris Agotai, Manfred Vogel, Peter Gros & Carmen Zahn
Introduction
Presentation of the framework
Construction of the prototype
Interact! is an evidence-based framework for the support of school class visits to science exhibitions featuring a large vertical multi-touch surface and a set of tablet computers. The overall framework is designed to foster interest in computer sciences and collaborative learning of selected topics by drawing upon subject areas of personal importance and encouraging small group knowledge processes.
Following a human centered design approach, we conducted a qualitative interview study with teachers (N = 8) and museum experts (N = 5). Three basic assumptions were derived from our interview data:
Our framework required the construction of a large interactive wall that would be still easy to transport and affordable for museums. We decided to use back projection with ultra-short throw projectors upon coated security glass with an infrared frame to track the touch interaction. Beside the touch inter-
1. Personal interest facilitates the access of a learner to a specific science subject.
action, our wall offers control of the workshop to the teachers by using special near field communication (NFC) tags. The centerpiece of our application is the interactive wall server, which contains the business logic and provides a REST API for the communication between the tablets and the wall application. multitouchframe
2. Collaborative learning in a small group is
security glass
desirable and essential for students’ understanding and can be applied to school class museum visits.
construction 1,25 m 4,00 m
3. A museum field trip with a school class cannot be viewed isolated from pre- and post-visit activities.
1. Preparation A web-application provides teachers with detailed insight into the field trip program.
Framework
2. Walking through the exhibition Establish familiarity with the learning environment.
4. Individual registration Parallel to this game, students receive a NFC tag that allows an individual registration for the field trip.
5. Interests quiz To draw upon personal preferences, everyday questions are displayed and answered on the interactive wall in order to create groups that allow interest driven learning.
Field experiment
Materials and procedure All participants took part in a pre- and post-test and were randomly assigned to a media supported group (N = 28) or a pen and paper group (N = 27). The experimental questions were investigated with tasks concerning the topics music, sports, games in connection with a computer science topic. Research Questions
? ? ?
Is the framework feasible in a museum setting? Does the framework foster interest in computer science? Does the framework support knowledge construction? Are there differences regarding these results between a media supported and a paper and pencil group?
General interest in computer science
8. Giveaways & farewell The students can keep and reuse their NFC tag as a giveaway.
9. Postprocessing After leaving the museum, pupils can access all results via the webapplication for enduring learning results.
6
ge increased significantly with participation.
5 4 3
+ The self-assessed as well as the tested knowle-
4.25
4.03 3.51 3.04
4.16 3.75
+ The pupils’ feedbacks were generally positive and the interactive wall was evaluated as impressive and fun to use.
2 1
Pre Interest
(F(1, 50) = 35.64, p < .01)
Post Cognitive
Affective
(F(1, 50) = 29.51, p < .01)
(F(1, 50) = 2,29, p = .14)
Self-assessed knowledge 6
3
– The affective component of interest was not
3.69 3.20
raised significantly.
– The interactive wall with tablets group did not
2 1
further be stated that tablets are suitable aids to fulfill research tasks in a collaborative learning session and that the interactive wall showed great potential creating presentations consisting of collected videos and photos.
5.57 5.45 4.95
5 4
+ Based on our observation of the pupils, it can
1.24
Pre
Shazam
Post Hawk Eye
significantly outperform the paper and pencil group.
Akinator
(F(1, 40) = 330.26, p < .01)
(F(1, 40) = 46,75, p < .01)
Knowledge questions 4 3 2.19
2 1
0.89 0.74
0
0.13 Pre Shazam
(F(1, 51)=21.66, p < .01)
2.04 1.79
Post Hawk Eye
(F(1, 51)=139.21, p < .01)
Akinator
(F(1, 51)=54.03, p < .01)
Comparisons between groups (media vs. paper) did not yield significance. *corresponding author:
[email protected]
projector
Discussion
(F(1, 40) = 29.09, p < .01)
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6. Research Each interest group receives a tablet computer with several research questions putting their personal interest field in connection with a computer science topic. They are free to find answers as pictures, video clips or QR codes in the exhibition.
7. Presentation This step contains the preparation of a presentation with the collected items on the interactive wall. The pupils then present the results to their peers.
3. Welcome game A welcome game introduces the interactive wall.
Participants and design Fifty-three students (31 female, age M = 13.9, SD = 0.77) participated in the field experiment placed in the context of a touring exhibition.
NFC reader
Conclusion The results are encouraging to advance the technology in use. Future implementations should take special consideration of familiarity and affect so that the positive influences on collaborative learning can be effective. We consider it very likely that the improvements would lead to significant differences.
Main references [1] Zahn, C. Forschung zur Rolle neuer Medien im Museum – psychologische Perspektiven und Methoden am IWM. In S. Schwan, H. Trischler and M. Prenzel (Eds.), Die Rolle von Medien für die Resituierung von Exponaten: Mitteilungen und Bericht, Bd. 38 (2006), 9-14. [2] Falk, J. H. and Dierking, L. D. Learning from museums: visitor experiences and the making of meaning. Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press (2000). [3] DeWitt, J. and Storksdieck, M. A Short Review of School Field Trips: Key Findings from the Past and Implications for the Future. Visitor Studies, 11, 2 (2008), 181-197.
