TY - JOUR
T1 - Constructing virtual worlds
T2 - Tracing the historical development of learner practices
AU - Barab, Sasha A.
AU - Hay, Kenneth E.
AU - Barnett, Michael
AU - Squire, Kurt
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was supported in part by a Proffitt Grant from the School of Education at Indiana University and in part by a Center for Innovative Learning Technologies Grant.
PY - 2001
Y1 - 2001
N2 - This study explores learning and instruction within a technology-rich, collaborative, participatory learning environment by tracking the emergence of shared understanding and products through student and teacher practices. The focus is not only on the interactions among students or between students and teachers, but on student-resource interactions, especially student-technology interactions. In a 1-week camp, students worked in activity groups with 3-dimensional modeling software to develop virtual worlds. Holistic accounts of 2 activity groups in the camp are presented, emphasizing the focus of the activity, group dynamics including the role of the teacher, and the historical development of learner practices. Then, a network methodology is used to trace the history of interactions accounting for the emergence, evolution, and diffusion of learner practices. The findings suggest that becoming knowledgeably skillful with respect to a particular practice or concept is a multigenerational process, evolving in terms of contextual demands and available resources. The tracings further reveal the reciprocal nature of learning and doing, with building conceptual understanding occurring in relation to local conditions and practices, and doing practices being a part of student learning.
AB - This study explores learning and instruction within a technology-rich, collaborative, participatory learning environment by tracking the emergence of shared understanding and products through student and teacher practices. The focus is not only on the interactions among students or between students and teachers, but on student-resource interactions, especially student-technology interactions. In a 1-week camp, students worked in activity groups with 3-dimensional modeling software to develop virtual worlds. Holistic accounts of 2 activity groups in the camp are presented, emphasizing the focus of the activity, group dynamics including the role of the teacher, and the historical development of learner practices. Then, a network methodology is used to trace the history of interactions accounting for the emergence, evolution, and diffusion of learner practices. The findings suggest that becoming knowledgeably skillful with respect to a particular practice or concept is a multigenerational process, evolving in terms of contextual demands and available resources. The tracings further reveal the reciprocal nature of learning and doing, with building conceptual understanding occurring in relation to local conditions and practices, and doing practices being a part of student learning.
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U2 - 10.1207/S1532690XCI1901_2
DO - 10.1207/S1532690XCI1901_2
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:0007254117
SN - 0737-0008
VL - 19
SP - 47
EP - 94
JO - Cognition and Instruction
JF - Cognition and Instruction
IS - 1
ER -