Web-based Learning Solutions for Communities of Practice

spectrum in order to specifically determine the
effectiveness of different technologies and new
learning methods. (Alberts, B. 2009, 15).
Ilomäki (2008, 33-37) has been mapping a
list of teachers’ problems when implementing
ICT scenarios into educational practices. The author’s
focus was limited to a teacher’s individual
characteristic such as individual pedagogical
conceptions and problems they experience while
preparing the lessons as well. Very often, teachers
with coherent ICT skills use more ICT solutions
in their teaching and they do it in a more multifaceted
and student-oriented way (Moseley &
al. 1999; Hakkarainen 2001; Kankaanranta &
Puhakka 2008). Even more, meta-studies related
to immersive learning environments seem to
provide a clear evidence for a specific efficiency
of this type of educational technology: “The
more a virtual immersive experience is based on
design strategies that combine actional, symbolic,
and sensory factors, the greater the participant’s
suspension of disbelief that she or he is “inside” a
digitally enhanced setting” (Dede 2009, 66). The
immersive interfaces utilising the visual reasoning
ability gives an opportunity to transfer educational
experience from classroom to (other) real-world,
open learning environments.
COMBINING REAL HANDS-
ON LEARNING INTO VISUAL
AND AUGMENTED REALITY
Hot Air Balloon is a classical science centre
exhibit example provided in several institutes
around the world, too. That was one of the reasons
why it was chosen as a case within the described
CONNECT/EXPLOAR learning scenario. The
basic approach was to gain more educational value
from the exhibit by using Augmented Reality –technology
added to this classical exhibit. The main
pedagogical goal was to teach the skills of doing
observations. This was possible because by the ARsolutions
certain invisible phenomenon could be
198
Visualising the Invisible in Science Centres and Science Museums
done visible by animations and demonstrations. In
this case the main phenomenon was temperature and
molecule movement, i.e. Bolzmann constant.
Testing
Very often in the field, just paper-and-pencil tests
are applied to monitor cognitive knowledge and
achievement. However, science and technology
has become more and more visual, and many
of the skills trained and taught are not textual.
Therefore, “there may be a mismatch between the
structure of the knowledge and the structure of the
print and oral language media traditionally used
both impart and test that knowledge (Greenfield
2009, 71)”. Consequently, testing in this study
contained also non-text based tests.
Tests for the Students
First of all, we applied a visual reasoning ability
-test, in detail, the VRA-Visual Reasoning Ability
test published by Raven (2000). With regard
to the virtual and visual nature of the topic, three
major issues supported our choice: 1. the test is
standardised, approved and used in many countries
and cultures; 2. no translations are needed; and
last but not least; 3. young people tend to like to
administrate this type of test which they don’t
perceive as formal education type of task.
Secondly, for measuring the motivation (intrinsic,
instrumental, and situation motivation)
we administered two measures, the one of Deci
& Ryan (1993) called IMI (Intrinsic Motivation
Inventory) and the one of Salmi (1993; 2003)
on our pre-test schedule. Thirdly, the cognitive
knowledge based on 13 items was monitored
on two different schedules, before and after the
AR-intervention and science centre visit. Forth,
we classified our participants with regard to their
school grades given by their teachers in science,
mathematics, and native language into three categories:
A+ = Above average (25%), A = Average
(50%); A- = Below average (25%).Finally, we