[论文解读] The challenge of engaging all students via self-paced interactive e-learning tutorials for introductory physics

Seth DeVore, Emily Marshman+1 more|arXiv (Cornell University)|Jun 2, 2016

Experimental Learning in Engineering参考文献 71被引用 4

一句话总结

本研究探讨了在大学物理入门课程中，基于研究的自定进度电子学习教程的实际效果，发现尽管这些工具在一对一情境下显著提升学习成效，但许多选课学生在课外未能深入参与。尽管被鼓励用于家庭作业和测验复习，学习困难的学生在配对问题上的表现依然不佳，表明其在自主学习环境中自我调节和动机能力较弱。本文提出一个理论框架，通过有针对性的支持策略，提升学生对自定进度学习工具的参与度。

ABSTRACT

As research-based self-paced e-learning tools become increasingly available, a critical issue educators encounter is implementing strategies to ensure that all students engage with them as intended. Here, we discuss the effectiveness of research-based e-learning tutorials as self-paced learning tools in large enrollment brick and mortar introductory physics courses. These interactive tutorials were developed via research in physics education and were found to be effective for a diverse group of introductory physics students in one-on-one implementation. Instructors encouraged the use of these self-paced tools in a self-paced learning environment by telling students that they would be helpful for solving the assigned homework problems and that the underlying physics principles in the tutorial problems would be similar to those in the in-class quizzes (which we call paired problems). We find that many students, who struggled in the courses in which these adaptive e-learning tutorials were assigned as a self-study tool, performed poorly on the paired problems. In contrast, a majority of student volunteers in one-on-one implementation greatly benefited from the tutorials and performed well on the paired problems. This suggests that many students enrolled in introductory physics courses did not effectively engage with the self-paced tutorials outside of class and may have only used them superficially. The findings suggest that many students in need of out-of-class remediation via self-paced learning tools may have difficulty motivating themselves and may lack the self-regulation and time-management skills to engage effectively with tools specially designed to help them learn at their own pace. We conclude by proposing a theoretical framework to help students with diverse prior preparations engage effectively with self-study tools.

研究动机与目标

• 评估基于研究的自定进度、研究导向的电子学习教程在大规模入学的大学物理入门课程中的实际效果。
• 识别为何需要通过自主学习工具进行补救的学生，往往无法从中受益。
• 研究教程在受控的一对一情境与课堂内自主学习情境中效果差异的原因。
• 探讨学生动机、自我调节能力以及时间管理技能在自定进度学习工具成功应用中的作用。
• 提出一个理论框架，以改善不同学习环境中学生对自主学习电子学习工具的参与度。

提出的方法

• 在大规模实体大学物理入门课程中实施基于研究的互动式电子学习教程。
• 通过将教程与家庭作业和课堂测验（配对问题）相结合，鼓励学生使用。
• 比较自主学习学生与一对一辅导学生在配对问题上的表现。
• 使用配对问题——与教程问题在概念上相似——来评估学习迁移效果。
• 分析学生参与模式与学习成果，以识别有效自主学习的障碍。
• 开发一个理论框架，以指导未来自定进度学习工具的设计与实施。

实验结果

研究问题

• RQ1 为何许多大学物理入门课程的学生尽管教程在一对一情境下已被证明有效，却仍无法从自定进度的电子学习教程中受益？
• RQ2 当学生在课外独立使用自定进度教程时，他们在多大程度上能真正投入其中？
• RQ3 自我调节能力和时间管理技能在学生完成与教程内容相关的题目时，如何影响其表现？
• RQ4 导致教程在受控环境与真实课堂环境中效果差异的因素有哪些？
• RQ5 如何重新设计或支持自主学习工具，以更好地吸引具有不同学术背景和准备水平的学生？

主要发现

• 许多在课程中表现困难的学生在配对问题上表现不佳，尽管他们被鼓励用于家庭作业和测验复习。
• 在一对一实施中参与的大多数学生志愿者均从教程中获得显著收益，并在配对问题上表现良好。
• 表现差距表明，许多学生并未深入参与教程，可能在自主学习环境中仅表面化地使用了这些工具。
• 缺乏自我调节和时间管理能力的学生，即使工具本身旨在提供支持，也更难从自定进度学习工具中受益。
• 研究结果表明，若缺乏额外的支架支持或动机激励，自定进度学习工具对许多学生是无效的。
• 本研究结论认为，需要一个理论框架，以帮助具有不同前期准备水平的学生有效参与自主学习工具。