Abstracts - Earli

Approaching steering competence within web-based enterprise simulationsKlaus Breuer, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, GermanyRene Molkenthin, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, GermanyIn the context of web-based enterprise simulations there is the issue of how to foster learning forthe objective of steering competence. Effective feedback which is to support such self-regulatedlearning processes requires a continuous diagnosis of the inquiry and the decision-makingactivities which are necessary components within the steering process of a(n) (simulated)enterprise. From an educational perspective the notion of how to support the elaboration of themental model used as a reference system for the inquiry and decision-making processes during asimulation run is of relevance. The overall aspect is how the relevant information is retrieved by aparticipant and how this information is used in controlling the enterprise. Our paper reports andreflects on the diagnostics within a prototype of a web-based business simulation labelledsolarSYDUS. Besides the necessary enterprise and market model this simulation comprises acomponent for recording information-retrieval and decision-making processes during thesimulation for analyzing individual steering processes. An overall objective is the development ofa model of steering competence within business processes. This covers the problem-solvingabilities of a participant as well as the knowledge and strategies within business contexts needed tocontrol an enterprise successfully. From first test runs we can present visual representations ofinquiry and decision-making processes by individuals. Such representations make use of timeeventmatrices, which have been introduced by Streufert and co-authors within the framework ofthe Strategic Management Simulations.Nascent student inquiry in the elementary science classroom: The case of modeling combinedprojectiles and relative motion with Stagecast CreatorLoucas Louca, University of Cyprus, CyprusZacharias Zacharia, University of Cyprus, CyprusConstantinos Constantinou, University of Cyprus, CyprusThis paper describes a video case study, analyzing a series of classroom-based studentconversations from a science after-school elementary club during which students developedcomputer-based models of physical phenomena. Our purpose was to identify and describe in detailthe different elements of student scientific inquiry as well as the context in which they took place.Despite decades of calls for promoting inquiry in the elementary grades, the agenda has yet toestablish valid instructional practices for several reasons that include disagreements over what isimportant about inquiry, what productive inquiry entails, and which learning context is supportivefor productive student inquiry in science. Using previously developed coding of authenticclassroom-based discourse, we analyzed a series of student conversations in a combined 5th-6thgrade after-school elementary club in the context of developing models of a combined projectileand relative motion using Stagecast Creator. Our focus was on three elements of student inquiry:argumentation, analogical reasoning and mechanistic reasoning. Findings suggest that prior to anyformal instruction, these students had a repertoire of abilities for mechanistic or analogicalreasoning and argumentation which are activated depending on the context. In terms of analogicalreasoning, students were able to generate analogies as well as validate and evaluate the relevanceof those analogies. In terms of argumentation, they were able to make claims and support them bygrounds providing relevant everyday experiences. In terms of mechanistic reasoning, studentstalked about the phenomenon’s entities, their properties and organization, as well as processes thatproduce change in the phenomenon. The use of Stagecast Creator to develop models of thephenomena seemed to support a number of elements of student inquiry such as moving from– 154 –