Abstracts - Earli

level of classes. A theoretical model of competence is constructed which differentiatesqualification (knowledge) from competence (action based on knowledge and wisdom). Tounderstand competencies besides mere performance, it is necessary to reconstruct the subjectivetheories of students, too. The whole study is divided into three parts: 1 – change of subjectivetheories of teachers, 2 – changes on the level of students, and 3 – changes on the level of theschools itself. In the presented study, we will focus solely on part 2. The video data will beanalyzed to construct a taxonomy of competence which is domain specific. Results from the videodata will be presented and discussed.Supporting chat and discovery learningNadira Saab, University of Amsterdam, NetherlandsThe main aim of this paper is to focus on the interaction between the processes of discoverylearning and collaborative learning. Collaborative learning can contribute to better learning inproblem solving situations, as well as in discovery learning environments. Several studies haveshown that collaboration without instruction or support on how to collaborate does not leadautomatically to effective knowledge construction. In this paper, the collaborative learning processas well as the processes of discovery is supported by instructing learners in effective communicationskills and also by means of providing a cognitive tool aimed at assisting hypothesis generation andguiding learners through the discovery process. In this paper, three studies are presented in whichthese research questions were addressed. In these studies, secondary school students (age 15-17)worked with a collaborative simulation-based learning environment called "Collisions" (Physics).Students worked collaboratively in dyads on two different computers, using a shared screen and achat channel to communicate. The learners saw the same windows on their computer screen andcould discover the environment together. They could switch the control over the cursor by clickingthe mouse. Two kinds of support were provided: communication-oriented instruction in the formof the RIDE rules, and a cognitive tool, the CHT. The RIDE rules turned out to promote effectivecommunicative and discovery activities. This finding is in line with other studies in which studentsbenefited from instruction in effective communication, but in which communication took placeface-to-face, rather than through chat. The CHT was not used very often, but when it was used, itwas positively related to the use of effective activities. As found in previous research, there is aneed for training in practical and social skills. This paper provides more insight into how students’learning processes can be supported.Help design in a computer-based learning environment: teaching argumentation skills through theuse of examplesSilke Schworm, University of Regensburg, GermanyLearning with self-explaining examples is an effective method in well-structured domains. Weanalyzed this method in teaching the complex skill of argumentation. In an experiment we comparedthree conditions (n = 47 students of educational sciences) that differed with respect to whether andhow the processing of the examples was supported by different help functions. The analysis of thevideo-based examples was either supported by additional examples displaying the equivalentargumentational structure or by Conceptmaps visualizing the argumentational structure. The controlgroup received no help. We found that examples of argumentation could be successfully employed inorder to teach skills of argumentation. Covariance Analysis revealed no main effect of help design onlearning outcome. However there was a significant effect of learners’ help seeking activities.Learners who used the help facilities more often showed significant higher learning outcomes.Principal based help facilities (concept maps) thereby were most accepted by the learners.– 356 –