The Impact of Emerging Technologies

This week I have read chapters 11 and 12 from CSCL 2 (Koschmann, Hall & Miyake, 2002). In chapter 11 Bell (2002) is "exploring how to orchestrate collaborations around abstract argument representations in the classroom to promote individual learning (pp.449-450)". He used a software called SenseMaker to support students' argument construction in science. The design of the software is made based on the scaffolded knowledge integration and cognitive apprenticeship. It makes thinking visible by modeling expert thinking, providing a process to support individual reflection and promoting the collaborative exchange and discrimination of ideas (Bell, 2002). The research results show that 40% of students think that SenseMaker supports their individual learning, while 46% of the students believe that the collaboration features of the software supported their learning. It is interesting that each student perceive and take advantage of a learning tool in a different way. While some believe that they don't learn much from others, the others believe that there is always something to learn from others. The author suggests designing flexible learning environments which can be used by students with different inclinations. His argument makes sense since learning is a social activity as well as a individual activity. It really depends on the context, peers, the level of prior knowledge on topic, etc.

Chapter 12 of the CSCL2 textbook written by Gay, Rieger and Bennington (2002) and chapter 9 of Bonk (2009) are focusing on mobile learning. Based on the evaluations of 4 groups of people who used mobile computers in different "fields", the learners find the mobile devices enthusiastic and useful (Gay, Rieger & Bennington, 2002). The mobile devices allow them to do many things including getting details of the information, entering notes, receiving contextual help, uploading data, analyzing group findings, making comments to other people, searching entries of other people, etc. Basically the mobile technologies allow people to use the information actively during the field study. The devices are engaging, authentic and motivating. A mobile device is an additional resource for the learner during the field study. The learner doesn't have to rely on the observations and the knowledge of the teacher during the field work, but he/she also has access to multiple resources, which might provide different perspectives or different formats of the information. Different learning activities provide different possibilities and different learning environments to construct the knowledge.

Chapter 6 of Bonk (2009) discusses that we no longer listen and learn passively. Instead, we learn by contributing, participating and creating. He introduces several web based tools that let people learn by contributing, creating and sharing. Wikipedia, Youtube, YackPack, Facebook and TeacherTube are some of them. Learners have the control of their own learning as they have access to such technologies. He gives several ideas about educational uses of technology. I wanted to be a practitioner teacher when I read this chapter :) Technology really allows people to use their creativity, and it is amazing that there are many ways of utilizing those technologies for educational purposes.


Bell, P. (2002). Using Argument Map Representations to Make Thinking Visible for Individuals and Groups. In T. Koschmann & R. Hall & N. Miyake (Eds.), CSCL 2: Carrying Forward The Conversation. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Bonk, C.J. (2009) The world is open: How web technology is revolutionizing education. Jossey-Bass

Gay, G., Reiger, R., Bennington, T. ( 2002 ) Using mobile computing to enhance field study. In Miyake, N., Hall R, and Koschmann, T. (Eds.). Carrying the conversation forward. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum

Koschmann, T., Hall, R., & Miyake, N. (Eds.)(2002). CSCL 2: Carrying forward the conversation. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.