Advancing young adolescents' hypothesis-development performance in a computer-supported and problem-based learning environment

abstract

• Hypothesis development is a complex cognitive activity, but one that is critical as a means of reducing uncertainty during ill-structured problem solving. In this study, we examined the effect of metacognitive scaffolds in strengthening hypothesis development. We also examined the influence of hypothesis development on young adolescents' problem-solving performance. Data was collected from sixth-grade students (N = 172) using a computer-supported problem-based learning environment, Animal Investigator. The findings of the study indicated that participants using metacognitive scaffolds developed significantly better hypotheses and that hypothesis-development performance was predictive of solution-development performance. This article discusses further educational implications of the findings and future research. 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

authors

• Pedersen, Susan

published proceedings

• COMPUTERS & EDUCATION

author list (cited authors)

• Kim, H. J., & Pedersen, S.

citation count

• 38

complete list of authors

• Kim, Hye Jeong||Pedersen, Susan

publication date

• January 2011

publisher

• Elsevier  Publisher

published in

• Computers & Education  Journal

keywords

• Interactive Learning Environments
• Multimedia/hypermedia Systems
• Teaching/learning Strategies

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

• 10.1016/j.compedu.2011.03.014

start page

• 1780

end page

• 1789

volume

• 57

issue

• 2

URL

• http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2011.03.014