Abstracts - Earli

strategies. This rich source of data may help to explain some of the differences in learningoutcomes found in the study.Investigating nature in class: natureLe@rn – an e-learning environment for the science classroomUlrike Unterbruner, University of Salzburg, AustriaGeorg Pfligersdorffer, University of Salzburg, AustriaJoerg Zumbach, University of Salzburg, AustriaThe project natureLe@rn has been developed to foster understanding of contemporary, modernecology. The basic distribution of this learning environment is provided by the learning platformmoodle. The content of the learning environment addressed here mainly eight graders on the basisof the national Austrian biology curriculum and incorporates contemporary ecological know-howon ecosystems as patchdynamics. The major rationales for the instructional design of the learningenvironment were elements from Problem-Based Learning and Practice-Based Learning. Overall,eight modules were developed and extensively evaluated in cooperation with twelve Austrian highschools and lead to compromising results with regards to knowledge acquisition, maintenance andfostering of interests and acceptance of the learning platform. Further results address teachers’attitudes towards the learning environment, usage patterns as well as the change of teachers’ rolesfrom an instructor to a consultant role by implementing the natureLe@rn approach into theclassroom.How to foster inquiry-based science learning through computer-based interactive argumentationtasksHermann Koerndle, Technische Universität Dresden, GermanySusanne Narciss, Technische Universität Dresden, GermanyInquiry learning (Bruner, 1961; Dewey, 1938) is considered to be a powerful approach of scienceteaching because it may offer authentic experiences with scientific activities such as questionposing, theorizing and argumentation. With the development of computer-simulations, inquirybasedscience learning became more feasible. Successful inquiry learning requires students toconstruct hypothesis on the basis of their theoretical models, test them in systematic way andderive conclusions from their testing results. Yet, students were found to have serious difficultiesin accomplishing these requirements (e.g., de Jong & van Joolingen, 1998; Lßhner, van Joolingen,Savelsbergh & Hout-Wolters, 2005). Hence, the purposes of this paper are (a) to describe howcomputer-based interactive argumentation tasks can be developed on the basis of a normativedescription of the steps of the so-called inquiry cycle (e.g. Lßhner et al., 2005; White & Shamoda(1999), and (b) to investigate how the developed argumentation tasks contribute to scientific skillacquisition – namely scientific argumentation on the basis of systematically formulating andevaluating hypotheses.Adaptation of explanation-based inquiry scripts using IMS/LDAstrid Wichmann, University of Duisburg-Essen, GermanyAndreas Harrer, University of Duisburg-Essen, GermanyWe will present the functionality of explanation-based inquiry scripts and initial findings of anexperiment series investigating the potential of adaptive IMS Learning Design scripts (Koper &Tattersall, 2005). The study explores the benefits of specific explanation support during a cycle ofinquiry within the model-based environment Freestyler/Cool Modes. When students take part inscientific inquiry activities there seems to be evidence that explanation building is beneficial for– 597 –