Chen, Wenli

In this paper, we articulate a framework (called AppleTree) for assessing collaborative argumentation with the purpose of evaluating and empowering the development of argumentation skills, collaboration skills and content knowledge in school learning. The framework is motivated by the need to achieve “learning to argue” and “arguing to learn” and the necessity to embed on-going and automated formative assessments for collaborative learning as reflected in existing literature. It builds on existing systems for collaborative argumentation and automated assessment of collaborative learning to achieve assessment for learning and to realize it in authentic classroom environments. We illustrate the framework by instantiating it in the conceptual design of one such system for use in schools.

This study sought to understand how leadership in the use of ICT for teaching and learning is distributed among school leaders. The results confirm that the leadership of school ICT reforms is distributed, which suggests the importance of nurturing and supporting various school leaders, and highlights the importance of the leadership role played by heads of departments in school ICT reform. The findings also suggest that teachers in primary schools are using ICT more frequently than teachers in secondary schools.

Students’ perceptions of collaboration and satisfaction are key factors that affects students’ dropout behavior. In this study, an online collaborative learning approach which integrated intra-group and inter-group discussions was proposed. Through questionnaire survey and interview, this study explores Chinese undergraduate students’ perceptions of collaboration and satisfaction in an online collaborative learning activity. The results showed that students took a positive attitude to the process of collaboration and were satisfied with the online learning activities. Finally, some suggestions about design and implement online collaborative learning activity were proposed.

This paper examines the effect of a scripted peer-rating procedure for collaborative knowledge improvement in a computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environment. The context of the study was in pre-service teacher education. Participants underwent two rounds of computer-supported collaborative lesson design (CSCLD) guided by the five-phase Spiral Model of Collaborative Knowledge Improvement (SMCKI) script. The intergroup peer-rating phase (phase 3 of SMCKI) provided opportunities for participants to view and critique lesson ideas of other design groups. To ensure the quality of peer-rating, the rating procedure was micro-scripted so that the issues of social loafing, the bias in opinion, and avoiding criticism in the attempts to maintain harmony in the Asian culture norm can be averted. The findings show that the micro-scripted intergroup peer-rating bring forth quality feedback. Results also reveal that the feedback helped develop the pre-service teachers' TP A CK competencies in Technology-Enhanced Learning (TEL) design, indicating that micro-scripted peer-rating was effective in supporting collaborative knowledge improvement.

同侪互评作为过程写作的一个重要过程，一直受到关注。然而，探讨第二语言学生的同侪互评中对写作成果影响的研究为数不多。因此，本研究以第二语言学习理论与建构主义理论为理论依据，以“五益模型”为教学指导原则，探讨小学生在电脑支持的协作学习（CSCL）环境下，通过同侪互评的方式来进行知识建构的过程与学习成果之间的关系。本研究采用定性与定量的混合研究方法，以新加坡小学五年级的32位学生为研究对象，对其前后测作文进行对比，以及对不同阶段的互评帖子与作文之间的关系进行分析。结果显示同侪互评对于学生的写作成绩的提高具有积极的促进作用，同时也发现不同的小组文化对于学生的知识建构质量与作文成绩具有一定的影响力。

Argumentation has been widely recognized as an effective approach for science education. Much effective argumentation happens between multiple participants who engage in evaluation, reflection, reasoning, and decision making through arguments and counterarguments in relation to a specific scientific topic. However collaborative argumentation rarely takes place in school science classrooms though researchers have developed some computer-based systems to support the argumentation. One of the critical issues is that teachers and students lack support in scripting, evaluating and reflecting the scientific argumentation. This project developed AppleTree system to script the collaborative argumentation and provide automated assessment through multi-dimensional learning analytics and visualization. By tracking and analysing the data of students’ behaviours in the learning activities, learning analytics and automated assessment not only improve the design and delivery of instruction of the teachers, but also help students understand their learning in a more meaningful way so that they can act upon on the fly.

This research project is to examine the implementation and outcome of one-to-one laptop initiative of National Institute of Education (NIE) to better understand the possibilities and challenges of the ubiquitous computing environment aimed at achieving multiple dimensional learning goals of pre-service teachers.

This research is informed by the theory of CSCL as a foundation of the mathematics design for the mathematical operations estimate ability and strategies. This study is implemented in a computer-supported collaboration to promote the sixth grade elementary students. The results demonstrated that this study can effectively promote the mathematics estimate examination of students. This also enhances the students' interest in mathematics and enhances group collaboration, discussion and the interaction amongst their classmates.

This study investigated the effect of an individual preparation activity before collaboration on students’ collaborative argumentation process and outcome. Conducted in a fifth-grade English class in a Singapore primary school, this study analyzed students’ computer supported collaborative argumentation behaviors in two conditions: immediate collaboration condition and individual ideation before discussion condition. The results from statistical analyses and lag sequential analyses show a higher quality of collaborative argumentation in the individual ideation before discussion condition than in immediate collaboration condition. The results from content analyses and process-oriented bubble diagram show that students generated new ideas more frequently in the immediate collaboration condition. They engaged in behaviors of reading and revising existing ideas more frequent in individual preparation before collaboration condition. The findings contribute to the current understanding of CSCL scripts in terms of individual preparation activity before collaboration on the following collaboration outcome as well as the process. The implications on how to design and implement collaboration scripts in authentic teaching and learning scenarios are discussed.

Computer-based writing (CBW) has become integral in language education, enabling personalised learning and online collaboration. In Singapore, CBW is being introduced in Chinese Language (CL) classes, yet challenges persist, particularly for students using the phonetic-based pinyin input method. This study investigated the impact of partially replacing paper-and-pen-based writing (PPBW) with CBW in primary schools. Using mixed-effects modeling, we compared post-CBW and post-PPBW scores, considering CL achievement levels. Results indicated CBW's positive influence on writing quality regardless of prior competence. Furthermore, CBW significantly benefits low and medium-achieving students' performance. Typing speed and handwriting speed are influential for these students, while different writing strategies play distinct roles. Informed by the findings, we propose an online writing community platform, WeeWrite, incorporating generative AI to enhance CL CBW skills, offering personalised and collaborative learning experiences.