Abstracts - Earli

Adventure". It is an adventure type role play in which the learner is able to examine and studybasic principles of swamps. Before playing the game pupils answered a questionnaire in whichtheir knowledge and ideas of swamp ecosystems were examined. They also wrote an essayconcerning the theme. After game play pupils were able to make changes in their original essaysand answered the questionnaire again. Control groups were not used because of the descriptivenature of the study. The empirical data consisted of written answers that were analysedqualitatively using a theory-bound content analysis method. The data from the questionnaire wasanalysed quantitatively. On the basis of preliminary results the learning game is a promising toolin fostering conceptual understanding of swamp ecology in both age groups.Fostering higher order thinking skills via a computer-supported inquiry-based chemistrylaboratoryYehudit Dori, Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, IsraelThe case-based computerized laboratory (CCL) environment, developed at the Technion, is achemistry study unit designed for 11th-12th honor students. The CCL unit is an inquiry-based unitthat integrates computerized desktop experiments and computerized molecular modeling.Emphasizing scientific inquiry and case studies, the environment exposes students to advancedlaboratory methods and a variety of data and molecular representations. Students are required tocritically read authentic problems, carry out laboratory experiments, process data collected bysensors, and interpret the resulting displayed graphs and/or molecular models. This learningenvironment aims to foster students’ higher order thinking skills. Throughout the course, thestudents compiled portfolios that were continuously assessed. Upon completing the unit, groups of2-3 students carried out an independent inquiry (PBS-type) project, in which they raised an inquiryquestion in chemistry, formulated a hypothesis, designed and conducted a sensor-basedexperiment, analyzed results, and drew conclusions relating to their hypothesis. The goal of ourresearch was to investigate students’ question posing, inquiry, graphing, and modeling skills. Theresearch population consisted of about 600 12th grade honors-level chemistry students. Researchtools included pre and post case-based tests and students’ reflections. The CCL students’ learningoutcomes were compared to those of about 100 12th grade honors-level chemistry students whostudied in non-computerized learning environments. We found significant improvement instudents’ performance in all the thinking skills in the posttest compared with the pretest, withhigher and significant net gains of the experimental students vs. their control peers. We also foundthat graphic and modeling representations contributed to chemical understanding of the CCLstudents by giving explanations at an increased subset of the four levels: symbol, macroscopic,microscopic and process. Our research findings emphasize the contribution of a computersupportedinquiry-based learning environment to closing the gap between data gathered inchemical experiments and chemistry understanding.Computer tools to support medical problem solvingSusanne Lajoie, McGill University, CanadaGenevieve Gauthier, McGill University, CanadaSolange Richard, McGill University, CanadaThe case-based computerized laboratory (CCL) environment, developed at the Technion, is achemistry study unit designed for 11th-12th honor students. The CCL unit is an inquiry-based unitthat integrates computerized desktop experiments and computerized molecular modeling.Emphasizing scientific inquiry and case studies, the environment exposes students to advancedlaboratory methods and a variety of data and molecular representations. Students are required to– 251 –