Paul Light

Learning with computers: analysing productive interaction

The potential of new information technologies to support learning has been widely recognized, and educational institutions at all levels have invested heavily in realizing such potential. Despite a good deal of early interest in using computers to individualize learning, one of the clearest findings of recent research in computer-based learning is that learning is often positively affected by peer interaction. Learning with Computers brings together a collection of chapters from well-known researchers in this field, and is grouped into three sections: experimental studies of process and product; naturalistic studies of computer-based collaborative activities and contexts for collaboration. This book will be of interest to those working within both psychology and education.

Computer Mediated Tutorial Support for Conventional University Courses

In an effort to restore quality and flexibility to the tutorial provision on some undergraduate courses, first, second and third year psychology students at the University of Southampton have been inducted into the use of ‘skywriting’ as a medium for learning support. Email messages from students and tutors, primarily focussed on issues arising from the course content, are directed to a course list so that all participants receive them; both tutors and students may reply to these. The course tutor maintains a Web-based archive of threaded discussions by the occasional modification of message subject lines. Within this archive, the exchanges can be searched and read by theme, by participant, or by date. This provision is in addition to the usual lectures and face-to-face tutorial meetings. This paper examines students’ participation in skywriting on three courses. Participation is examined in relation to gender, and to attitudes and experience with computers. Levels of contribution to face-to-face tutorials and to skywriting are compared, and their relation to students’ learning styles is explored.

Variety is the spice of life: student use of CMC in the context of campus based study

At present, courses within British higher education institutions offer a somewhat haphazard patchwork of IT-based learning resources. Through university intranets it is now possible for many students to follow at least parts of their courses online. However, the provision available is highly dependent on local resources and individual tutors. This paper focuses on student discussion supported via computer mediated communication, but not in the context of distance learning. Rather the focus is upon campus-based study, where students are working with one another in a sustained mode over a period of time. In the context of an ESRC Virtual Society? research project we have been using the online dialogues together with interviews and questionnaires to examine two third year level psychology courses at different universities. In both cases tutors used web resources to facilitate computer-mediated communication as an integral part of the course. Different contexts for learning were created by the differing stances of the tutors. One tutor took an active, participatory role whereas the other tutor remained a non-participant. Both, however, wanted to create wide-ranging discussion amongst the learners. The differing roles of tutors were associated with a marked difference in communication styles and perceived learning outcomes.

Gender, Task Scenarios and Children's Computer‐based Problem Solving

Abstract Gender differences in response to computers have been widely reported. This paper addresses the question of how far superficial aspects of the software in use can affect the performance of girls and boys on computer‐based problem‐solving tasks. A first study compared girls’ and boys’ performance on two versions of a route‐planning task which differed in terms of the scenario within which the task was framed. The participants were 52 11‐ and 12‐year‐olds. There was a significant gender by software interaction, the girls’ performance being markedly influenced by which version of the software they encountered. Following refinement of the software to tighten the comparison still further, a replication study was conducted with another 48 children of similar age, and the same result was obtained. The findings suggest that gender differences in childrens responses to computers are relatively labile and highly context sensitive. Implications and possible explanations for these findings are discussed.

The Effects of Gender, Expectations of Success and Social Comparison on Children's Performance on a Computer‐based Task

Abstract The study examined the effects of gender, expectations of success and social comparison on childrens performance on a computer‐based task. The children (32 boys and 30 girls) were aged between 10 and 11 and were randomly allocated to either a high‐expectation group or a low‐expectation group and to one of two conditions either an individual condition or a social comparison condition. Children worked on their own in the individual condition. In the social comparison condition, they worked in the presence of three same‐sex peers, who were working on comparable problems. The presence of comparable others facilitated the performance of girls who had high expectations of success, but was detrimental to the performance of girls with low expectations of success. The presence of comparable others had the opposite effect for boys. The implications of these findings for the use of computers in schools are discussed.

Gender, task contexts, and children's performance on a computer-based task

Gender differences in response to computers have been widely reported. This study addresses the question of how far the context in which a computer task is presented can affect girls and boys on-task performance. In an experimental study involving 60 ten and eleven year-olds, we examine the effects of differential contextualisation on girls and boys performance on a computer-based perceptual-motor skills task. Our findings illustrate that even with a single, standard piece of software, childrens performance can be substantially affected by the context in which that software is presented. The results suggest that gender differences in childrens responses to computer tasks are relatively labile, and highly context sensitive. The implications and possible explanations for these findings are considered.RésuméDes différences liées au sexe concernant linformatique ont été très souvent mentionnées dans la littérature. Lobjet de la recherche est dexaminer leffet du contexte dans lequel la tâche informatique est présentée sur les performances des garçons et des filles. Dans une étude expérimentale auprès de 60 enfants de 10 et 11 ans, les auteurs étudient les effets différentiels de la contextualisation dans une tâche perceptivo-motrice présentée sur ordinateur. Les résultats montrent qu avec exactement le même logiciel standard, les performances peuvent être sensiblement affectées par le contexte dans lequel le logiciel est présenté. Ils montrent aussi que les différences de réponses entre garçons et filles sont relativement labiles et très sensibles au contexte. Les auteurs examinent les explications possibles et les implications de leurs resultats.

Learning Sites: Networked Resources and the Learning Community

This research has been concerned with the use of networked computer resources in the context of full‐time residential university education. Topics addressed include the use of computer‐mediated communication to supplement conventional teaching and the provision of access to campus networks and the Internet from university study‐bedrooms. The research has been concerned to establish individual and social factors influencing students’ responses to networked tools and resources, including library resources, and to assess the impact of these technologies upon the experience of being a student at a campus‐based university. A broadly ecological approach has been adopted, involving the use of questionnaires, interview and usage diaries.

Learning sites: networked resources and the learning community

Rapide presentation dun projet de recherche de 24 mois mene avec trois universites britanniques visant a mieux comprendre lutilisation de linformatique et des reseaux dans lenseignement.