Understanding the Educational Implications of Component Software and the World Wide Web

项目摘要万维网正在经历一场革命性的变革，从静态的文本和图片超文本转变为更具活力和互动性的媒体。这场革命的核心部分是组件式软件的开发，在这种软件中，创建了许多更简单的单元，而不是更少、更复杂和孤立的应用程序。世界各地的数学、科技教育研究人员和开发人员纷纷涌入“Web/Component”软件。然而，这场革命正在盲目进行。在没有充分了解这一范例中不同模式的教育影响的情况下：(1)太多的工作被投入到教育上不太理想的开发和使用模式上。(2)有希望的替代模式没有被开发或被忽视。这项工作将定义和研究Web/组件软件的一系列模型。我们将对该领域现有的模型进行实证研究。实证研究将在两个层面上进行。我们将对Web上现有的Web/组件软件模型(第一级)进行调查。教师将是这一可用软件的联合分析师。在第二级，我们将对许多不同的模型进行案例研究，方法是在教师尝试使用组件软件时与他们交谈并观察他们的行为(在较小程度上，还有开发人员)。在这项工作中，我们将确定与Web/组件模型的属性相关的潜在教育问题。例如，在技术方面，我们将调查互联的易用性和灵活性以及容器应用程序中丰富资源的可用性如何影响Web/组件软件的质量和教育生产力。在发展方面，我们将调查发展社区的影响(例如，它是否包括教师作为一流成员)和发展模式(例如，许多或几个修订周期)。在教育应用方面，我们将调查教师学习组件的不同模式、安装和使用的语用学，以及学生的参与程度。该项目旨在为未来数学、科学和技术教育领域的研究人员、开发人员、从业者和政策专家提供有关开发和使用Web/组件软件的或多或少生产性模式的批判性指导。除了科学和数学，该项目的一小部分工作将致力于为更小的儿童在阅读和写作方面的网络/组件的探索性研究。

Project SummaryThe World Wide Web is undergoing a revolutionary transformation from static text-and-pictures hypertext to a more dynamic and interactive medium. A central part of this revolution is the development of component-style software, where many simpler units are created rather than fewer, more complex, and isolated applications. Mathematics, science and technology education researchers and developers around the world have flocked to "Web/component" software. However, the revolution is flying blind. Without adequate understanding of the educational implications of different models within this paradigm: (1) Too much work is being devoted to educationally suboptimal models of development and use. (2) Promising alternative models are not being developed or are being ignored. The proposed work will define and investigate a range of models of Web/component software.We will empirically investigate existing models in the field. Empirical study will be at two levels. We will conduct a survey of existing models of Web/component software available on the Web (Level one). Teachers will be co-analysts of this available software. At Level two, we will conduct case studies of a number of different models by talking to and observing teachers (and, to a lesser extent, developers) in action while they attempt to use component software. In this work, we will identify underlying educational issues as related to properties of Web/component models. For example, in terms of technology, we will investigate how the ease and flexibility of interconnection and the availability of rich resources in the container application affect the quality and educational productivity of Web/component software. In terms of development, we will investigate the effect of the development community (e.g., whether it includes teachers as first-class members) and pattern of development (e.g., many or few revision cycles). In terms of educational use, we will investigate different modes of teachers' learning about components, the pragmatics of setup and use, and the level of engagement of students.The project aims to provide critical guidance concerning more or less productive models of development and use of Web/component software to future researchers, developers, practitioners and policy specialists in mathematics, science and technology education. In addition to science and mathematics, a small proportion of the project effort will be devoted to exploratory study of Web/components for much younger children, in reading and writing.