Chapter+3

=__**Experimenting with Technology **__=

//__**Learning to Reason Causally-**__// An important part of experimenting with technology is investigating that technology with the goal of learning something new about it. This investigation involves four main mental activities:
 * 1) __Hypothesizing__ - In order to truly experiment, and make sense of ones experiments, a student should create a **hypothesis** about what may occur.
 * 2) __Conjecturing__ - While experimenting students should form conjectures about the information they are about to explore. The students have some preconceived ideas about what may or may not happen, but should form opinions about what //will// occur when the experimentation begins.
 * 3) __Speculating__ - Students should be thinking in terms of cause and effect. What will happen when an action is taken? These thoughts are made using learned information with in the experiment.
 * 4) __Testing__ - After the students create a hypothesis and conjectures, and speculate what will happen through out experimentation, they should test each theory to see if they were correct in their beliefs, or incorrect. Either way the student has learned from the experiment.

Reasoning using these mental activities can take on a number of different forms in students:
 * 1) Predicting - reasoning using an event to lead one to the effect that may result from that event
 * 2) Implying - predicting a conclusion from a causal antecedent
 * 3) Inferring - reasoning backward from an effect to a cause. Diagnosis is key when inferring. Diagnosis involves identifying a cause, or reason, something occurs.

Experimenting with Micro-worlds
The term Micro-worlds was coined by Seymour Papert in the late 60's to describe learning environments in which students could explore principles of geometry using  Logo turtles. Micro- worlds can take on many forms, in order to to explore different forms of knowledge. Generally speaking they are exploratory learning environments in the form of real life simulations. Within this simulation the learner can manipulate real world phenomena to see the effects each manipulation has on the given environment. Because micro-worlds allows learners to manipulate variables and construct meaning regarding the outcome of those manipulations it has proven to be extremely effective in engaging students in higher order thinking such as testing ones hypothesis and speculating. The following are also examples of micro-worlds:
 * Interactive Physics  - Explores topics in physics such as momentum, force, and acceleration. Students are able to manipulate real world variables such as gravity, air resistance, elasticity, and various surface parameters.
 * __SimCalc (link to site no longer active)__ - Teaches elementary students calculus concepts through Mathworlds. This is a Micro-World made up of animated worlds in which "actors" move using graphs according to mathematical functions as laid out by the learner.

Experimenting with Simulations
"Simulations are imitations of some real thing, state of affairs, or process" (Jonassen et. al. 1999, pg 48). Learners are able to manipulate factors within the simulation to see how the system changes. Through out these experiments (manipulations) the learner can draw conclusions regarding the effect their action had in the simulated environment. These conclusions allow learners to make predictions regarding future actions. The following are examples of simulations: >
 * Laboratory Simulations - Allows students to simulate what happens in a lab setting.
 * Physics Lab Simulations - Learners illustrate a number of physics related experiments
 * Bioblast - Students try to feed a space colony while recycling waste materials
 * Urban Simulations - Allows learners to see how cities will evolve in response to differing policy decisions
 * Simcity - Students create characters (sims) who interact with each other as they experience city life. The student makes decisions about variables such as land use, natural disasters, and transportation, and can study the effects these variables have on the characters in their urban simulation.


 * Simulation builders - At times there are no simulations to that meet the students learning needs. When this occurs simulation builders are available. The development and design can be a complex task and is not recommended for everyone.
 * SimQuest - Creates medical simulators to use with virtual reality medical training.
 *  Educational Simquest - A software package that allows for the easy creation of educational simulations.

Experimenting with Games
Technologically based games can be used to create, or support, meaningful learning environments inside and outside the classroom. The oldest form of these games are quiz games. In these games quizzes are embedded in a game show context. One example is Games2train's "Pick It!". This is a question/answer movie that resembles Jeopardy. While this game may be engaging to most students the, many times the games only require memorization and do not engage students in higher level thinking tasks. However there are other games available that are more complex such as Sid Meier's Civilization. In this game students are engaged in complex problems that must be solved to manage their civilization. This encompasses forming a government, developing a trade system, managing resources, and spreading technology. Games such as Civilization can be a way to engage students in a complex, meaningful learning experience. Gee (2003) has identified a number of principles incorporated in modern game design that facilitate learning:


 * Active Critical Learning Principle - All aspects of the learning environment are set up to encourage active, critical learning.
 * Semiotic Domains Principle - Learning involves mastering semiotic domains (a consciousness shared by people with similar interests) and being able to participate in the group(s) connected with them.
 * Psychosocial Moratorium Principle - Learners can take real world risks with out true real world consequences.
 * Committed Learning Principle - Learners stay engaged over an extended period of time and feel compelled to further explore their virtual identities.
 * Identity Principle - learners are able to relate to, and reflect on, their real world identity, virtual identity, and projective identity
 * Practice Principle - Students are able to practice skills in a context that is compelling to them.
 * Probing Principle - Learning is a cycle of taking an action in the world, reflecting on that action, forming a hypothesis based on that action and it's consequences then retesting this hypothesis.
 * Situated Meaning Principle - Students are able to make meaning of topics in a specific contextualized setting with in a game
 * Multimodal Principle - Meaning is built through experiences with images, symbols, sounds, text, etc; not just through words.
 * Discovery Principle - Games allow learners to experiment and make discoveries

Not all technological games encompass these principles. Many may be uninteresting to students, or only ask them to complete low-level thinking exercises. Each game should be examined as to the benefits before using it in ones classroom.

Experimenting with Virtual Worlds
At times students will be able to learn by entering a virtual world. These "worlds" combine many aspects of games and simulations. In a virtual world one creates an avatar that they use to identify them self. This avatar can then explore the 3D world and connect with other users. The following are examples of Virtual Worlds:
 * Entropia Universe - A virtual world where Entropia currency can be traded with real world funds. One can also purchase virtual land, and equipment, or support an avatar. Virtual items with in this economy actually have real world cash value and are often traded on the internet.
 * Quest Atlantis - A virtual world designed for 9 - 12 year old students that allows them to engage in tasks that are tied to academic standards. The "world" was designed with the tenet that play can engage children in deeper level thinking. Quest Atlantis is more than just a game. It immerses learners in educational tasks to save the virtual world of Atlantis from destruction.

=**Probing Questions **= 1. What are the characteristics of an experimenting student? How can this be experimenting with technology enhance ones ability to learn in all aspects of life?

2. Many people feel that experimenting through technology is more engaging than other, non-technological, problem solving tasks. Do you feel this is true? Why or why not?