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的超文本到更加动态和互动的媒介。这场革命的核心部分是组件风格软件的开发，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、科学和技术教育研究人员和开发人员纷纷涌向“Web/组件”软件。然而，这场革命是盲目的。如果没有充分理解这种范式中不同模型的教育含义：(1)太多的工作被投入到教育上的次优开发和使用模型上。(2)有希望的替代模式没有被开发或被忽视。建议的工作将定义和研究一系列Web/组件软件模型。我们将对该领域的现有模型进行实证研究。实证研究将分为两个层面。我们将对Web上可用的Web/组件软件的现有模型进行调查（第一级）。教师将共同分析这个可用的软件。在第二级，我们将对许多不同的模型进行案例研究，通过与教师（以及较小程度上的开发人员）交谈并观察他们在尝试使用组件软件时的行为。在这项工作中，我们将识别与Web/组件模型属性相关的潜在教育问题。例如，在技术方面，我们将研究容器应用程序中互连的易用性和灵活性以及丰富资源的可用性如何影响Web/组件软件的质量和教学生产力。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级成员）和发展模式（例如，多或少的修订周期）。在教育使用方面，我们将调查教师对组件、设置和使用的语用学以及学生参与程度的不同学习模式。该项目旨在为未来的数学、科学和技术教育方面的研究人员、开发人员、实践者和政策专家提供关于或多或少具有生产力的开发和使用网络/组件软件模型的关键指导。除了科学和数学之外，项目的一小部分工作将致力于为年龄更小的孩子进行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.