Saskia Brand-Gruwel

Information problem solving by experts and novices: analysis of a complex cognitive skill

In (higher) education students are often faced with information problems: tasks or assignments that require them to identify information needs, locate corresponding information sources, extract and organize relevant information from each source, and synthesize information from a variety of sources. It is often assumed that students master this complex cognitive skill of information problem solving all by themselves. In our point of view, however, explicit and intensive instruction is necessary. A skill decomposition is needed in order to design instruction that fosters the development of information problem solving. This research analyzes the information problem solving process of novices and experts in order to reach a detailed skill decomposition. Results reveal that experts spend more time on the main skill define problem and more often activate their prior knowledge, elaborate on the content, and regulate their process. Furthermore, experts and novices show little differences in the way they search the Internet. These findings formed the basis for formulating instructional guidelines.

How students evaluate information and sources when searching the World Wide Web for information

The World Wide Web (WWW) has become the biggest information source for students while solving information problems for school projects. Since anyone can post anything on the WWW, information is often unreliable or incomplete, and it is important to evaluate sources and information before using them. Earlier research has shown that students have difficulties with evaluating sources and information. This study investigates the criteria secondary educational students use while searching the Web for information. 23 students solved two information problems while thinking aloud. After completing the tasks they were interviewed in groups on their use of criteria. Results show that students do not evaluate results, source and information very often. The criteria students mention when asked which criteria are important for evaluating information are not always the same criteria they mention while solving the information problems. They mentioned more criteria but also admitted not always using these criteria while searching the Web.

Peer Assessment Training in Teacher Education: Effects on performance and perceptions

The implementation of peer assessment receives much attention in teacher education. This paper reports the effects of peer assessment training on the performance of student teachers. Ninety-three student teachers were randomly assigned to control groups and experimental groups. The experimental groups were trained in defining performance criteria, giving feedback and writing assessment reports. This was done through peer assessment tasks that were embedded in a redesigned course. Analyses of data derived from peer assessment reports written by the students showed that the experimental groups surpassed the control groups in the quality of the assessment skill. As a result of the training, students from the experimental groups also scored significantly higher grades for the end products of the course than students from the control groups. The results of the questionnaire showed that all students were significantly more satisfied with the redesigned course.

Towards more powerful learning environments through combining the perspectives of designers, teachers, and students

In order to reach the main aims of modern education, powerful learning environments are designed. The characteristics of the design of PLEs are expected to have positive effects on student learning. Additionally, teachers conceptions of learning and teaching do influence the implementation of a PLE. Moreover, students perceptions of a learning environment affect their subsequent learning behaviour and the quality of the learning outcomes. The different perspectives of educational designers, teachers, and students are summarized in the Combination-of-perspectives (COOP) model. Combining these perspectives by mutual exchange of conceptions and perceptions is expected to have positive effects on the power of PLEs.

Students experiences with collaborative learning in asynchronous computer-supported collaborative learning environments.

Dewiyanti, S., Brand-Gruwel, S., Jochems, W., & Broers, N. (2007). Students experiences with collaborative learning in asynchronous computer-supported collaborative learning environments. Computers in Human Behavior, 23, 496-514.

A descriptive model of information problem solving while using internet

This paper presents the IPS-I-model: a model that describes the process of information problem solving (IPS) in which the Internet (I) is used to search information. The IPS-I-model is based on three studies, in which students in secondary and (post) higher education were asked to solve information problems, while thinking aloud. In-depth analyses of the thinking-aloud protocols revealed that the IPS-process consists of five constituent skills: (a) defining information problem, (b) searching information, (c) scanning information, (d) processing information, and (e) organizing and presenting information. Further, the studies revealed that regulation skills prove to be crucial for the on-going IPS-process. The IPS-I-model depicts the constituent skills, regulation skills, and important conditional skills. The model gives an initial impetus for designing IPS-instruction.

Information-problem solving: A review of problems students encounter and instructional solutions

Searching and processing information is a complex cognitive process that requires students to identify information needs, locate corresponding information sources, extract and organize relevant information from each source, and synthesize information from a variety of sources. This process is called information-problem solving (IPS). IPS can be characterized as a complex cognitive skill, which may need direct instruction to reach high levels of performance. However, IPS has been given little attention in schools, and instruction in this skill is rarely embedded in curricula. And yet, by giving students assignments in which students have to solve an information-based problem, teachers assume that their pupils have developed this skill naturally. A literature study was done to determine what kinds of problems students experience when solving information problems using the WWW for searching information, and what kind of instructional support can help to solve these problems. Results show that children, teenagers and adults have trouble with specifying search terms, judging search results and judging source and information. Regulating the search process is also problematic. Instruction designed specifically for IPS using the WWW for searching information is rare but indeed addresses the problematic skills. However, there are differences between various methods and it is unclear which method is most effective for specific age groups.

Training Teachers in Peer-Assessment Skills: Effects on Performance and Perceptions.

This paper focuses on two increasingly important issues in teacher education: the design of more skill-based education and the involvement of students by means of peer assessment. Ninety-three student teachers were trained in one important peer-assessment skill, namely ‘defining performance criteria’. This training, which consisted of four peer-assessment tasks, was integrated in an existing course. Half of the group was trained in the skill of ‘defining criteria’ (experimental groups) and theu2002other half was not (control group). By working on the peer-assessment tasks, student teachers in the experimental group learned to define performance criteria for a course content-related product. The effects of the training on students ability to define criteria and the effects on the content-related skill were examined. Findings show that the student teachers from the experimental group scored significantly higher on the use of criteria, but did not surpass the control group on the content-related task performance.

The training of peer assessment skills to promote the development of reflection skills in teacher education

Effective assessment approaches, based on constructivist views, receive special attention in current innovations in higher education. These assessment approaches promote integration of assessment and instruction, seeing the student as an active person who shares responsibility, reflects, collaborates and conducts a continuous dialogue with the teacher. Assessment has no longer purely the function of crediting students with recognized certificates but is above all valuable for the monitoring of students’ progress and to support them in improving their learning activities. The emphasis shifts to a representation of assessment as a tool for learning (Arter, 1996; Boud, 1990, 1995; Dochy & McDowell, 1997). Assessment is an important issue in the current developments towards more studentcentered learning. Students are more responsible for their own learning process and are increasingly regarded as active participants in instructional activities. An assessment approach has to be chosen that is in alignment with the learning goals of students. To realize the implementation of assessment as a learning tool, a number of changes are desirable on different levels in the organization of institutions in higher education such as the level of the student, the level of the teachers, and the management level. In this article the level of student teachers is addressed. Specifically, the role of student teachers as assessors of their own work and that of peers is investigated. There is an increasing demand for self and peer assessments in teacher training colleges, because these forms of assessment fit in well with the latest view on the education

The Challenge of Self-Directed and Self-Regulated Learning in Vocational Education: A Theoretical Analysis and Synthesis of Requirements

Workplace simulations (WPS), authentic learning environments at school, are increasingly used in vocational education. This article provides a theoretical analysis and synthesis of requirements considering learner skills, characteristics of the learning environment and the role of the teacher that influence good functioning in WPS and foster students learning. WPS appeal to students self‐directed learning (SDL) and self‐regulated learning (SRL) skills, as students are required to work and learn independently in these settings. To achieve individual learning, the environments should be adaptive to the learners needs. Furthermore, the teachers should support learners to become competent in the domain but also guide them to become self‐directed learners. To do so the interaction between the student, the teacher and the environment is of importance. The proposed model depicts the different elements and their relations.