Gifted learners and how to develop them
Singapore aims to build a flexible and diverse education system to help students discover their talents, realise their full potential and develop a lifelong passion for learning. This national aspiration is grounded in the Singapore education system’s recognition of individual differences in learning and implementing a strategy in which we seek to lift the bottom while not capping the top. Just as all learners need a supportive learning environment with adequate challenge, so do gifted learners. This paper synthesises and critiques research evidence on understanding and educating gifted learners to inform policy and practice in Singapore. The paper includes elaboration on the differentiation of learning environments to develop gifted learners.
A step toward characterizing student collaboration in online knowledge building environments with machine learning
Existing research has substantial progress in uncovering outcomes of collaborative learning in recent years, but more attention can be directed towards the better understanding of collaborative learning processes via quantitative frameworks and methods. Through the use of knowledge building as a collaborative learning pedagogical approach, it is possible for researchers to glean deeper insights into aspects of students’ collaboration within authentic learning environments. In this paper, the multimodal approach of data collection and analysis was conducted with a proposed conceptual analytical framework that can characterize constructs of collaborative activities in a knowledge building classroom using machine learning methods. The application in a pilot is discussed along with how this conceptual development can offer a summary of new insights into students’ individual and group collaborative trajectories during learning tasks.
Fostering knowledge building among low achievers through technologies: a perspective from Singapore
This study explores knowledge building amongst low achievers using Knowledge Forum (KF), an electronic asynchronous discussion medium. A case study was conducted at a government-aided school in Singapore. It was expected that low achievers would be less capable of constructing knowledge independently. However, there was indication of a partial success in fostering a spirit of independent collaborative learning. This could challenge the practice of labelling students according to how well they performed in traditional paper-and-pencil tests. The aim of this case study is to explore the role of information and communication technology (ICT) in shifting the learningpattern of these lower achievers from the diferent ways the students experienced the process of collaborative knowledge construction using KE Through analysis of the postings and interviews of students, the shift of views about learning for this group of low achievers in the following major area was identified: perception of knowledge acquisition, process of knowledge construction and the patterns of communication and collaboration.
Using curriculum-ideas analytics to promote student agency in collaborative discussion
Examining university instructors’ conceptions and perceived changes in knowledge building professional development
This is a work-in-process research project aiming at examining the design of Knowledge Building professional development (KBPD) to foster university instructors’ conceptions of teaching and learning and teaching practices. 10 instructors from the same university joined this study. Multiple sources of data were collected, including surveys, classroom and online artefacts, and interviews. Analysis of pre- and post-surveys showed that the participants hold more constructivist conceptions about teaching and learning after attending KBPD. The classroom reflection artefacts showed that they were more inclined to apply the KB principles in their own classes, and that they regarded the epistemological role of their students have shifted more towards knowledge constructors/creators in their classrooms after attending the KBPD. Interview analysis further showed in what ways they have changed their conceptions and perceived practices. Implications for future design of KBPD were discussed.
Uncovering what matters in collaborative learning: Impact of teachers’ engagement in analytics to bring about knowledge building discourse.
Examining and scaffolding collective idea improvement in knowledge building using analytics and meta-discourse
Knowledge Building (KB) engages students in meta-discourse to improve collective ideas. Multiple studies have examined the roles of learning analytical tools in supporting metadiscourse, while this study focused on the supportive roles of the KF-embedded tools. We designed a learning environment that engages meta-discourse among students with the assistance of word cloud and idea-building tools, both of which are embedded in KF. A total of 22 Singapore secondary school students participated in a six-weeks long study to learn photosynthesis in a KB learning environment. We adopted social network, inferential statistical, and semantic analyses. The results show that students’ learning gain is correlated with the number of posts in KF. In addition, the Learning Analytics-augmented meta-discourse supported students’ KF participation and collective idea improvement. Qualitative analysis showed how students engaged in meta-discourse sessions. The methodological and practical contributions were discussed.
Connecting teachers during a global crisis: A knowledge building professional development approach to embracing the new normal
A global crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted almost every industry and the field of education is also affected with safe distancing measures and minimal face-to-face interactions between teachers, students, and their families. However, new opportunities and technologies have emerged for teachers to utilize and work with students and their parents. We investigated a case study of a community of pre-school teachers who continued their professional discussions on a virtual and asynchronous discussion platform throughout the lockdown period caused by COVID-19. The teacher community planned for and conducted lessons using the knowledge building approach. This paper reports the considerations and implementation of a community-based professional effort through times of immense disruptions and have shown evidence that the knowledge building approach can propel a community of learners to construct collective inquiries and solutions to deal with emerging problems through the lockdown period. The knowledge building approach can potentially enculturate teachers towards noticing new and emergent ideas in their classes and thereby elevating the awareness of teachers to design and build new knowledge of their practice. Such teachers' professional culture is conducive for tackling the constant change and disruption in the educational landscape, such as the one brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Epistemic network analysis to assess collaborative engagement in knowledge building discourse
Knowledge Building (KB) is an established learning sciences theory that seeks to promote innovative ideas and idea improvement among students via collaborative engagement in productive discourse. KB discourse supports students to make constructive discourse moves such as questioning, explaining with evidence, adding new information and so on, to advance the collective inquiry. However, current understanding on KB discourse remains limited to students’ online participation. Although small group discussion is a common practice, there is little understanding on the role of verbal discussions to support KB discourse. This paper attempts to address this line of inquiry by assessing student engagement in KB discourse supported by both online and verbal discussions. Data is retrieved from a group of six students in a Grade 6 Social Studies class. The group participated in a 2.5hr lesson designed with opportunities for discussions on the Knowledge Forum (online) and in small groups (verbal). Group talk was transcribed, and Knowledge Forum notes were coded for its semantic level of contribution, with the codes being analysed for weighted connections using Epistemic Network Analysis (ENA). The ENA analysis revealed clear differences in both group and individual engagement between the online and verbal discourse. Notably, students’ contributions on Knowledge Forum showed an apparent pattern of stronger connections among codes of higher semantic levels, suggesting that students were more cognitively engaged in the online discussion than their group verbal talk. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
Exploring the bridge between educational neuroscience and learning sciences in knowledge building classrooms
The Learning Sciences investigate all aspects of learning, key to which is a consideration of all ecological factors and establishing the ecological validity of research in authentic settings. Educational Neuroscience has surfaced micro-level evidence to the various constructs explored in the Learning Sciences but with quite distinct methodologies and interpretations. The rapid development in both Learning Science and Neuroscience research presents new opportunities to amalgamate these two fields. This workshop invites researchers from both fields to discuss the potential and gaps in the integration of the research processes, the related theoretical and methodological perspectives of these two fields. We will discuss and demonstrate methods to measure cognitive, psychological, and neurological data in an authentic Knowledge Building classroom, mapping constructs and variables to integrate the intricate research processes across both fields.