%0 Journal Article %1 Smyrnaiou-2012-Students’ConstructionistGame %A Smyrnaiou, Zacharoula %A Foteini, Moustaki %A Kynigos, Chronis %D 2012 %J Electronic Journal of e-Learning %K modelling games half-baked-Microworlds constructionist inquiry-based learning. %N 2 %P 235-248 %T Students’ Constructionist Game Modelling Activities as Part of Inquiry Learning Processes %V 10 %X Learning science requires the understanding of concepts and formal relationships, processes that -in themselves- have been proved to be difficult for students as they seem to encounter substantial problems with most of the inquiry-learning processes in which they engage. Models in inquiry-based learning have been considered as powerful ‘tools’ that may help students in enhancing their reasoning activity and improving their understanding of scientific concepts. Modelling, however, in the form of exploring, designing and building computer models of complex scientific phenomena has also been embedded in the constructionist learning approach. Working collaboratively with constructionist game microworlds that by design invite students to explore the fallible model underpinning the game and change it so as to create a new game, may provide students opportunities to bring into the foreground their conceptual understandings related to motion in a Newtonian space and put them into test making them at the same time objects of discussion and reflection among the members of the group. Apart from the meaning generation, we also study in this paper, the students' group learning processes i.e. the construction of emergent activity maps to either plan their actions as they engage in game modelling activities or to report on the outcomes generated when these actions are implemented. The connections between the students’ activities as they work with a constructionist medium and the inquiry-based learning activities from which the students are considered to pass when engaging in scientific inquiry also constitute one of the main issues this paper attempts to study.

@article{Smyrnaiou-2012-Students’ConstructionistGame, abstract = {Learning science requires the understanding of concepts and formal relationships, processes that -in themselves- have been proved to be difficult for students as they seem to encounter substantial problems with most of the inquiry-learning processes in which they engage. Models in inquiry-based learning have been considered as powerful ‘tools’ that may help students in enhancing their reasoning activity and improving their understanding of scientific concepts. Modelling, however, in the form of exploring, designing and building computer models of complex scientific phenomena has also been embedded in the constructionist learning approach. Working collaboratively with constructionist game microworlds that by design invite students to explore the fallible model underpinning the game and change it so as to create a new game, may provide students opportunities to bring into the foreground their conceptual understandings related to motion in a Newtonian space and put them into test making them at the same time objects of discussion and reflection among the members of the group. Apart from the meaning generation, we also study in this paper, the students' group learning processes i.e. the construction of emergent activity maps to either plan their actions as they engage in game modelling activities or to report on the outcomes generated when these actions are implemented. The connections between the students’ activities as they work with a constructionist medium and the inquiry-based learning activities from which the students are considered to pass when engaging in scientific inquiry also constitute one of the main issues this paper attempts to study.}, added-at = {2012-12-13T12:22:20.000+0100}, author = {Smyrnaiou, Zacharoula and Foteini, Moustaki and Kynigos, Chronis}, biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/26bc320b62541ce7fa88c958a56183c87/pasmoi144}, file = {Smyrnaiou-2012-Students’ConstructionistGame.pdf:Smyrnaiou-2012-Students’ConstructionistGame.pdf:PDF}, groups = {public}, interhash = {46c76e903d5284add76b01106c68c877}, intrahash = {6bc320b62541ce7fa88c958a56183c87}, journal = {Electronic Journal of e-Learning}, keywords = {modelling games half-baked-Microworlds constructionist inquiry-based learning.}, number = 2, pages = {235-248}, timestamp = {2012-12-13T12:22:20.000+0100}, title = {Students’ Constructionist Game Modelling Activities as Part of Inquiry Learning Processes}, username = {pasmoi144}, volume = 10, year = 2012 }