2014 International Conference on Teaching and Learning in Computing and Engineering
Pattern of Reflection in Learning for Predicting Students’ Performance
Siti Khadijah Mohamad
Zaidatun Tasir
Department of Educational Sciences, Mathematics and Creative Multimedia Faculty of Education Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, Skudai, Johor, Malaysia
[email protected]
Department of Educational Sciences, Mathematics and Creative Multimedia Faculty of Education Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, Skudai, Johor, Malaysia
[email protected]
Abstract— Some complex problems in the computational area are learning programming and algorithms. Authoring system is a subject that can be considered as complex as it integrates the use of scripting language like Action Script in Flash, Active Server Pages (ASP) and Hypertext Preprocessor (PHP). The normal problem that resides when it comes to programming is handling error as it is not an easy task and for those who are new, might find this very troublesome. Handling the error requires proper planning and skills in analyzing problem which students usually lack at. Reflection in learning is really helpful in helping students learn the Authoring System subject effectively as they are encourage to share ideas, experiences and perspective actively on the emerging issues of Action Script topic especially in discussing the concepts and errors. With the need for reflection in developing the required skills in learning Authoring System, how then do we ensure and measure the quality in student reflection journals and its contact in assessing the subject content and students’ performance in learning? Quality is defined as “processes or outcomes” [1]. In the context of this research study, quality is determined by assessing the progression of reflective processes based on the interventions given. As an educator, we need to be aware on how new technologies act as the engagers and facilitators in the reflection purposes. Blog is one of the emerging technologies that can offer such pedagogical benefits as reflective tools and social affordances across disciplines provided that one can read and make comments that lead to meaningful discussion for common interests and individual differences [2]. Although blogging enable deep reflection in each individual blogs, somehow it failed to encourage peer feedback to each other blogs and collaboration among students to support reflective thinking as expected [3]. This problem exists probably due to the minimum used of blog technical features and also the absence of activities and guidelines to elevate collaborative reflection process to take place [4]. Students’ familiarity with the blog technology cannot guarantee them with the skills to use it efficiently in educational setting. They still need further expose and training on how technologies can be used beyond the technological sake [4]. 978-1-4799-3592-5/14 $31.00 © 2014 IEEE DOI 10.1109/LaTiCE.2014.34
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Besides the use of blogs, the design of the activities should not simply indicate the progress towards the solution of the problem if to allow reflective thinking to occur. The use of case-based learning can support reflective thinking among students in learning computer-based subject. However, the implementation of case-based learning requires the presence of an instructor to guide students to solve the subject matter at hand. Instructors are therefore encouraged to regulate students thinking by integrating the metacognitive strategies in learning necessary for academic success and students should also be granted with the opportunity in using this strategy to boost the likely for students to reflect on their task and therefore contributed to their experience as a community of learners. Unfortunately, many students failed to directly engage in metacognitive thinking unless they are shown ways to do so through prudently designed instructional activities. Thus, it is vital to embed metacognitive support in the design of learning environment especially when dealing with computer education subject which involves lots of technical aspects. This study believes that the integrations of several approaches as mentioned above can granted a green light in nurturing and achieving good quality in students’ reflection. In this study, the quality is heavily relied on the use of feedback either from the instructors to students or among students themselves. Most of studies regarding the reflection done before only focusing on rating students’ reflection journals all alone without considering other factors that may impacting certain levels of reflection. Therefore, this study is intended to identify the impact of provision of feedback in determining the quality of students’ reflection and predicting the students’ performance in learning Authoring System subject. This study will employ a quantitative research design which involves the use of pre-experimental design of one group pretest-posttest type. It will be conducted in one whole semester and will involve postgraduate students who registered for Authoring System subject. Three research instruments will be used in this study: questionnaires, performance test, and student’s reflection in blogs.
1. Questionnaire:- There will be two questionnaires administered in this research study. The first questionnaire is about students’ perceptions regarding the educational benefits of reflection through blogging while the second questionnaire is about the students’ perceptions regarding the provision of feedback both from the peers and instructors. Both questionnaires are self-developed by the researchers and will be analyzed using the Rasch Model analysis technique which is run using Winsteps software. By using Rasch Model, the findings will be more interesting and meaningful as from the students’ psychometrics, researchers are able to dig into detail about the real relations between students and the measureable items. 2. Performance test:- The performance test is consists of several questions on Authoring System which cover the topic on Flash and Dreamweaver. It will be administered at the last session of the semester and is graded based on the answer scheme. The performance score will later be used in data mining analysis technique through Weka software in order to predict student’s performance based on the pattern of reflection among students in learning the aforementioned subject. 3. Observations and analysis of students’ reflections in blogs:- Throughout the semester, student’s blogs will be monitored in order to observe their activities and to encourage them to do the reflection critically. Apart from the weekly reflections, several minicases activities will be posted in the instructor’s blog and students are required to make critical reflections on each mini case. The minicase is designed to help students to apply concepts and suitable for practical in lab settings [5]. The cases will be created based on real-life practices and also from the problems encountered by the students while completing the class activities. Students’ postings in the blogs will be analyzed via content analysis technique. The qualitative postings from the blogs which originally in the form of text will be coded using the four levels of reflective thinking framework by [6] and this action will transformed the qualitative data into quantitative data in terms of the frequency of occurrence. In order to measure the quality of reflection, the following analyses will be taken into account [7]: 1. Overall frequency of posting given by instructors and students. 2. Nature of posting by instructors and students (answers, questions, or mix of both). 3. Timing of the posting (during or end of forum). 4. How the postings style evolve from one level of reflective thinking to another as a result of provision of feedback by instructors and students. The general outcome of doing reflection is learning. However, this study is expected to achieve more than that. The upshot of this study will determine the quality in students’ reflection and also the dominant level of reflective thinking. The outcome will further validate similar studies which previously conducted concerning the reflective thinking skills with the integration of technology, pedagogical aspects of learning for active involvement and how the students’ psychometrics from the developed
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questionnaires can addressed the crucial information about the way students gain information and learning. Keywords— Blog; Data Mining; Metacognitive scaffolding; Rasch Model; Reflection; Reflective thinking;
ACKNOWLEDGMENT The authors would like to thank the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) and Ministry of Education (MoE) Malaysia for their support in making this project possible. This work was supported by the Research University Grant [Q.J130000.2531.03H03] initiated by MoE. REFERENCES [1] [2]
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