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

万维网正在经历一场革命性的转变，从静态的文本和图片超文本到一个更动态和交互式的媒体。这场革命的一个核心部分是组件式软件的开发，其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、科学和技术教育研究人员和开发人员都涌向“Web/组件”软件。然而，革命是盲目的。如果没有充分理解这种范式中不同模式的教育含义：（1）太多的工作被投入到教育上的次优模式的开发和使用。(2)有希望的替代模式没有得到开发或被忽视。本文将定义和研究Web/组件软件的一系列模型，并对该领域现有的模型进行实证研究。实证研究将分两个层次进行。我们将对现有的Web/组件软件模型进行调查（第一级）。教师将共同分析这个可用的软件。在第二级，我们将通过与教师（以及在较小程度上，开发人员）交谈和观察他们在尝试使用组件软件时的行动来进行一些不同模型的案例研究。在这项工作中，我们将确定潜在的教育问题，相关的Web/组件模型的属性。例如，在技术方面，我们将研究如何方便和灵活的互连和丰富的资源在容器应用程序的可用性影响Web/组件软件的质量和教育生产力。在开发方面，我们将研究开发社区的影响（例如，它是否包括教师作为一流成员）和发展模式（例如，许多或很少的修订周期）。在教育应用方面，我们将调查教师学习组件的不同模式、设置和使用的语用学以及学生的参与程度。该项目旨在为未来的数学、科学和技术教育领域的研究人员、开发人员、从业人员和政策专家提供关于Web/组件软件开发和使用的或多或少的生产模式的关键指导。除了科学和数学之外，该项目的一小部分工作将致力于为年龄小得多的儿童在阅读和写作方面进行Web/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.