Abstracts - Earli

B 2028 August 2007 17:30 - 18:50Room: 0.100BPaper SessionWeb-based learningChair:Kirsti Lonka, University of Helsinki, FinlandClues to design and implement web-based activities in science to support inquiry-based learningIngrid Martorell, University of Lleida (UdL), SpainManoli Pifarre, University of Lleida (UdL), SpainSusana Godia, University of Lleida (UdL), SpainScience is a complex topic and educational research highlights the potential of the World WideWeb (WWW) as an instructional tool for classrooms. The development of pedagogical strategiessuited to classroom use of online resources should be an important priority for the scienceeducation community. In addition, Inquiry has frequently been found to be more effective thantraditional science instruction and scaffolds are a powerful tool to enhance learners understandingcomplex topics. The main goal of this study is to integrate technology and inquiry into scienceclassrooms to assist students build their own knowledge and answer meaningful driving questions.A challenging instructional approach was designed, implemented, and evaluated with 127 studentsof secondary education. Specific scaffolds were provided to guide students in complex tasks, tohelp students develop scientific knowledge, and to provide supports that enable them to transferwhat they have learned during the web-based activities. All activities were designed keeping inmind the WebQuest structure but also including the circular notion of inquiry process presented byLim (2004). According to Lim (2004) an inquiry process has the next elements: Ask, Plan, Know,Explore, Construct, and Reflect. Quantitative assessments showed that students in theexperimental group outperformed the ones in the control group in the post test (t = -2,383 ; p =0,019), indicating the positive effect of the instructional design. A significant Pearson’s correlationwas found between pre and post tests for the experimental group (r = 0,55 with p =0,000). Someclues to use adaptive scaffolds effectively were exposed. Some of these scaffolds are tables,simulators, applets, visualizations, conceptual maps, and taking notes spaces. From a qualitativepoint of view, Final Products in the experimental group showed a higher level of inquiryknowledge that those ones in the control group.Students with learning disabilities in online courses: How do they fit?Ilana Ronen, Kibbutzim College of Education, IsraelMiri Shonfeld, Kibbutzim College of Education, IsraelThis paper is based on the findings of a four-year study and examines the suitability of a scienceeducation online course for students with learning disabilities (LD) in comparison to `regular`students without learning disabilities. The online course, which is mainly an asynchronous one, isbased on workshops, labs, and leads to the central objective of guiding the students in developing ascience unit independently. Pre- and Post-questionnaires were conducted to test the online course’scontribution to the students` learning, and to their satisfaction with various components of thecourse. The grades and participation in the course of the LD students were compared to those ofthe `regular` students. The results point to the success of LD students in comparison to regularstudents and to higher satisfaction from the course on the part of the LD students. The LD students– 110 –