Abstracts - Earli

Collaborative peer groups in large biochemistry classes: Maintaining a focus on conceptuallearningMarian Dobos, RMIT University, AustraliaCarmel McNaught, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong KongWe have previously reported on the design of a new teaching initiative for Year 2 Biochemistryinvolving collaborative learning in peer groups (PGs), conducted in parallel with formal lectures.Responding to recent significant increases in class size and student diversity, we have designed anew development of this program with Year 3 and 4 undergraduate students as PG learningmentors. In this paper we describe the design and implementation of structured student-directedactivities aimed to promote conceptual learning within this large class PG setting. These includedexercises aimed to reinforce and broaden the key concepts (KC) covered in lectures, theconstruction of a topic concept map (CM), and the identification of 3 major areas of difficulty(AoD) per topic. A topic seminar was delivered by one PG, while the remaining PGs submittedwritten supportive documentation on their AoD. All student submissions were posted in the courseelectronic repository. Evaluation of the project processes and outcomes consisted ofquestionnaires, focus groups and lecturer analysis of student work. A positive student response tothe project was supported by learning mentor feedback. The continuous reinforcement of thelearning of biochemical concepts, identifying KC, and the seminars were identified by students asthe most useful elements of the PG project. A focus on conceptual learning was achieved througha number of structured student activities in PGs within a large undergraduate class. Eliciting andbuilding on students’ prior knowledge, active engagement with content material, the diversity ofthe metacognitive capabilities of the PGs, and making explicit connections between concepts weresome of the approaches of the PG project that assisted student learning. Using these educationalprinciples as a framework, we have designed a successful collaborative learning program in PGsthat supports and assists student learning of Biochemistry in a large class setting.Motivation and processes of social co-construction of knowledge during CSCLCornelia Schoor, Chemnitz University of Technology, GermanyMaria Bannert, Chemnitz University of Technology, GermanyCollaborative Learning is believed to have positive effects, due to (among other things) processesof social co-construction of knowledge such as externalization and elaboration, elicitation, conflictand integration (c.f. Fischer et al., 1998; Weinberger & Fischer, 2006). However, negative effectsof collaborative learning and computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL) are alsodocumented (Renkl et al., 1996; Hron et al., 2002). In order to support cooperative learning, Slavin(1992) assigns group rewards on the basis of individual responsibility which obtains its positiveeffect through motivation. There is convincing empirical evidence that motivation influenceslearning outcomes in the context of conventional learning scenarios (c.f. Schiefele, 1996). Thecognitive-motivational model of learning (Rheinberg et al., 2000) postulates that enduringmotivational attitudes influence actual motivation. Actual motivation in turn affects knowledgeacquisition via the mediator’s time on task, learning activities and functional state. In this study,the model by Rheinberg et al. (2000) was applied to collaborative learning by identifying the„learning activities" of the original model with processes of social co-construction of knowledge.In order to examine the relationship between motivation and knowledge acquisition, actualmotivation was manipulated by choosing a learning topic which should produce a great variabilityin learners’ interest and by experimentally varying the presence of a group reward sense Slavin(1992). As the dependent variable and process variables respectively, knowledge acquisition, timeon task, functional state and processes of social co-construction of knowledge were measured. A– 239 –