Abstract
A mixed-method study, consisting of multiple case studies and a quantitative study, was conducted to explore both instructors’ and students’ perceptions of and experiences with technologies in a technology-enhanced Active Learning Classroom (ALC). The ALC was designed to promote students’ collaborative problem solving. A total of 92 students and five instructors from four classes at a southwestern university in the United States participated in the research. The data sources consisted of class observations, interviews, and surveys. The study showed that some instructors used the ALC technology to its full potential while others used it minimally. It was also found that students’ confidence in completing problem-solving tasks increased over time. While both students and instructors agreed upon many benefits of ALCs for learning and instruction, technology use actually depended on the perceived purpose, needs, and meaningfulness of the instructors, which also somewhat depended on the specific content and context of the courses.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Beichner, R. J., Saul, J. M., Abbott, D. S., Morse, J. J., Deardorff, D., Allain, R. J., Bonham, S. W., et al. (2007). The student-centered activities for large enrollment undergraduate programs (scale-up) project. In E. Redish & P. Cooney (Eds.), Research-based reform of university physics (Vol. 1, pp. 2–39). College Park: American Association of Physics Teachers. http://www.percentral.com/PER/per_reviews/media/volume1/SCALE-UP-2007.pdf. Accessed 30 July 2014.
Bogdan, R., & Biklen, S. K. (2006). Qualitative research for education: An introduction to theories and methods (5th ed.). Pearson, Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
Brooks, D. C. (2010). Space matters: The impact of formal learning environments on student learning. British Journal of Educational Technology, 42(5), 719–726.
Brown, M., & Long, P. (2006). Trends in learning space design. Learning spaces (pp. 1–11). Washington, D. C.: EDUCAUSE.
Chism, N. (2006). Challenging traditional assumptions and rethinking learning spaces. Learning spaces B2-Learning space (Vol. 2). Boulder: EDUCAUSE.
Chism, N., & Bickford, D. (2002). The importance of physical space in creating supportive learning environments. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Inc Pub.
Creswell, J. W. (2012). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks: Sage.
Dori, Y. J., Belcher, J., Bessette, M., Danziger, M., McKinney, A., & Hult, E. (2003). Technology for active learning. Materials Today, 6(12), 44–49.
Fosnot, C. (1996). Constructivism: Theory, perspectives, and practice. New York: Teachers College Press.
Ge, X., & Land, S. M. (2003). Scaffolding students’ problem-solving processes in an ill- structured task using question prompts and peer interactions. Educational Technology Research and Development, 51(1), 21–38.
Ge, X., & Land, S. M. (2004). A conceptual framework for scaffolding ill-structured problem-solving processes using question prompts and peer interactions. Educational Technology Research and Development, 52(2), 5–22.
Gibson, J. J. (1979). The ecological approach to visual perception. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Gibson, E. J., & Pick, A. D. (2003). An ecological approach to perceptual learning and development. New York: Oxford University Press.
Hashweh, M. (1996). Effects of science teachers’ epistemological beliefs in teaching. Journal of research in science teaching, 33(1), 47–63.
Jonassen, D. H. (1991). Objectivism versus constructivism: Do we need a new philosophical paradigm? Educational Technology Research and Development, 39(3), 5–14.
Kim, M. C., & Hannafin, M. J. (2011). Scaffolding problem solving in technology-enhanced learning environments (teles): Bridging research and theory with practice. Computers & Education, 56(2), 403–417. doi:10.1016/j.compedu.2010.08.024.
Lomas, C., Oblinger, D., & Oblinger, D. (2006). Student practices and their impact on learning spaces. Learning spaces (pp. 1–11). Washington, DC: EDUCAUSE.
Marra, R. (2005). Teacher beliefs: The impact of the design of constructivist learning environments on instructor epistemologies. Learning Environments Research, 8(2), 135–155.
Montgomery, T. (2008). Space matters: Experiences of managing static formal learning space. Active learning in Higher Education, 9(2), 122–138.
Oblinger, D. (2006). Space as a change agent. In D. Oblinger (Ed.), Learning spaces. Washington, DC: EDUCAUSE.
Stake, R. (2005). Qualitative case studies. In N. Denzin & Y. Lincoln (Eds.), The Sage handbook of qualitative research. Thousand Oaks: Sage.
Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (1998). Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks: Sage.
Walker, J. D., Brooks, D. C., & Baepler, P. (2011). Pedagogy and space: empirical research on new learning environments. Educause Quarterly, 34(4). http://www.educause.edu/ero/article/pedagogy-and-space-empirical-research-new-learning-environments. Accessed 30 July 2014.
Whiteside, A., Brooks, D. C., & Walker, J. D. (2010). Making the case for space: Three years of empirical research on learning environments. Educause Quarterly, 33(3), 11.
Windschitd, M. (2002). Framing constructivism in practice as the negotiation of dilemmas: An analysis of the conceptual, pedagogical, cultural and political challenges facing teachers. Review of Educational Research, 72, 131–175.
Yin, R. K. (2013). Case study research: Designs and methods (5th ed.). Thousand Oaks: Sage.
Young, M. F., Barab, S. A., & Garrett, S. (2000). Agent as detector: an ecological psychology perspective on learning by perceiving-acting systems. In D. H. Jonassen & S. M. Land (Eds.), Theoretical foundations of learning environments (pp. 147–173). Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers.
Acknowledgement
The authors would like to thank the Research Cabinet of the University of Oklahoma for their support for this research project.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2015 Springer International Publishing Switzerland
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Ge, X., Yang, Y., Liao, L., Wolfe, E. (2015). Perceived Affordances of a Technology-Enhanced Active Learning Classroom in Promoting Collaborative Problem Solving. In: Isaías, P., Spector, J., Ifenthaler, D., Sampson, D. (eds) E-Learning Systems, Environments and Approaches. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-05825-2_21
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-05825-2_21
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-05824-5
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-05825-2
eBook Packages: Humanities, Social Sciences and LawEducation (R0)