Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Teachers College Educational ...

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Math Strategies in Digital Storytelling: Effects of Multiple Pedagogical Agents on Learning Single-Digit Addition Strategies Kara Carpenter, Teachers College, 525 W 120 th NY, NY 10027, Email: kkc2123@tc.columbia.edu Abstract: The current study explores the effects of drawing on children’s understanding of narrative in developing multiple pedagogical agents to teach complex information. Specifically, the study investigates how multiple strategy characters (versus a single character) affect first graders’ ability to utilize different addition strategies as well as progress towards more efficient strategies. Lower performing students in the multiple character condition were less accurate, yet were more likely to use an advanced strategy. Given the use of an advanced strategy, they were more likely to give a nearly accurate response (+ or – 1), indicating that these students were taking more risks in trying out new strategies. These results suggest that improved performance on addition tasks should not be judged based on accuracy alone. A careful analysis of strategy use in conjunction with exact accurate and near accurate answers gives a more complete picture of children’s strategy development. Introduction Many educational computer games incorporate fantasy, but for too many the fantasy is only superficial, merely a setting or a mechanism for explanations. Complex ideas that may lend themselves to a narrative with multiple characters are presented instead from a single perspective. I propose developing multiple pedagogical agents to improve teaching of complex information. Specifically, I investigate how multiple strategy characters affect young children’s ability to utilize different addition strategies as well as progress towards more efficient strategy usage. Learning games that incorporate a pedagogical agent can show both improved learning and interest, especially when the agent provides interactive explanations (Moreno, Mayer, Spires, & Lester, 2001). Several studies have begun to explore the effects of multiple pedagogical agents (Baylor & Ebbers, 2003; White, Shimoda, & Fredericksen, 2000), yet more research is needed. In solving addition facts, children use a variety of strategies: count all, count on, derived facts, and retrieval (Carpenter & Moser, 1984; Siegler, 1987). One software activity developed at Teachers College, Think Facts, supports children’s use of more sophisticated addition strategies, promoting retrieval with timers and repeated practice, while also providing supportive tools to help students count on and demonstrate derived facts (see Figure 1). Figure 1: Think Facts Doubles Tool Demonstrating Derived Facts 1
Think Facts introduces four characters: Count-all Carla, Count-on Connie, Friendly Facts Frieda, and Memory Max, with the more sophisticated strategies appearing older (see Figure 2). The hypothesis is that learning from multiple agents will improve knowledge of addition facts and strategies. Methods Participants were 47 first-grade public school students, blocked into three groups by pretest score and randomly assigned to one of two conditions: multiple characters or single character. While using the software, the computer logged participants’ accuracy in the task, self-reported strategy, tool usage, and response time. Researchers coded observed strategies. The study consisted of pre/post-testing and six intervention sessions of 10 – 20 minutes, divided into three parts: an interactive instructional video, an untimed round, and a speed round. Results Participants did not differ in terms of age, gender, or pretest scores between treatment groups. Both groups improved from pretest to posttest with no significant differences between groups. Analyzing the session data reveals that students in the multiple character condition were less accurate than those in the single character condition, although splitting the data by block reveals that only those in the low block performed worse (see Table 1). Score Count-all Carla, Count-on Connie, Facts Frieda, Memory Max Figure 2: Think Facts Strategy Characters Total Low Block (n = 23) Med Block (n = 12) High Block (n = 12) Single Multiple Single Multiple Single Multiple Single Multiple 0 331** 421** 166** 291** 139* 106* 26 24 .5 66 88 32 50 21 26 13 12 1 1727** 1611** 791** 714** 410* 453* 526 444 Note. A score of 0 indicates inaccuracy on both attempts; .5 indicates a correct answer on the second attempt; 1 indicates a correct answer on the first attempt. Single and multiple indicate the condition. *significant at p < .05 **significant at p < .001 Table 1: Trial Accuracy by Block and Condition Strategy Single Multiple Strategy Single Multiple Count All 433** 366** Count ? 122** 42** Delay 258** 359** Count On (after tool) 6 13 2 Non-advanced 819** 780** Count On 81 110 Advanced 169** 275**
Page 1 and 2: Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Te
Page 3 and 4: Table of Contents Math Strategies i
Page 5: Harnessing the Power of Emotionally
Page 9 and 10: Guidelines for an Online Networking
Page 11 and 12: Mode S = Synchronous A=Asynchronous
Page 13 and 14: Investigating Potential Factors to
Page 15 and 16: Investigating the Effects of Choice
Page 17 and 18: Videogames in Institutional Practic
Page 19 and 20: Youth in the Digital Age: Digital M
Page 21 and 22: Augmenting The Arrival: Students’
Page 23 and 24: Connected to Word Problems: Improvi
Page 25 and 26: ased approach. Future research may
Page 27 and 28: MOOCs, Open Education, and Implicat
Page 29 and 30: Promoting Healthy Eating Habits Thr
Page 31 and 32: Figure 2: Monster Appetite in actio
Page 33 and 34: This year, the first participant gr
Page 35 and 36: Figure 2: The Aesthetigraph represe
Page 37 and 38: Digital Modeling Artifacts as Geome
Page 39 and 40: Using Weblogs to Increase Language
Page 41 and 42: Total 3 Advanced Performance Level
Page 43 and 44: “Media Literacy in Action: Using
Page 45 and 46: Learning Science Systems with Graph
Page 47 and 48: Liu, L., & Hmelo-Silver, C. E. (200
Page 49 and 50: Applying Physics to the Real World:
Page 51 and 52: Credibility of Culturally Situated
Page 53 and 54: notion that similarity with the use
Page 55 and 56: Duncan, H., Tan, J. (2012). A Visua
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Online Learning Environments in Hig
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Exploration of concepts to facilita
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Exploring the Intersection of Forma
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Barab, S. & Squire, K. (2004). Desi
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information and the world according
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#phdchat: a community of practice o
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A Difficult Balance: Regulating Cyb
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References Bethel School District v
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that children’s photographs were
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A variety of data sources were coll
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control and mastery increased in vi
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Design of computer assisted tools f
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Figure 2: Interactive functions of
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User Experiences with Avatar Custom
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Design Patterns for Promoting Self-
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Cooperative Inquiry in Designing Te
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Implications Our work with CI exten
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References Allen, E., & Seaman, J.
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