Science Online: Learning Through Collaborative Writing of an Open-Content Scientific Encyclopedia

这个项目解决的问题是，以维基为代表的新的在线出版范式能否成功地用于科学教育？在这项研究中，将创建协作软件，将Wiki技术扩展到支持高中生的科学学习。学生将通过合作研究和撰写有争议的科学主题，用强有力的引文支持他们的写作，并在互联网上发表他们的文章，来学习科学的内容和方法。学生可以访问的网站是科学在线。科学在线是一本开放内容的科学百科全书-任何人都可以随时添加或修改其内容。这个网站将是持久的(类似于维基百科)，并将随着时间的推移而有机地增长，直到它成为普通公众的有用参考。除了本身有用之外，更重要的是，这将有助于为高中理科学生为科学在线做出贡献创造一个鼓舞人心的、真实的环境。教育研究的研究假设是，拥有真正的受众将鼓励学生更多地参与其中，因为他们认为自己的工作成果对其他人有真正的价值。其次，科学在线将允许学生展示复杂的元认知策略，让他们反思自己写作的真实受众，以及这些受众可能理解或可能不理解的内容。将开发支持学生使用科学在线的工具，并向公众提供。此外，将制定课程计划，将科学在线在高中科学教学中的使用纳入其中，并将向公众提供。

The question that this project addresses is whether the new online publishing paradigm represented by Wikis can be successfully leveraged for science education? In this research, collaborative software that extends Wiki technology to support science learning by high-school students will be created. Students will learn about science content and method by collaboratively researching and writing about controversial science topics, supporting their writing with strong citations, and publishing their writing on the Internet. The site that is available to the students is Science Online. Science Online is an open-content science encyclopedia-anyone may add or modify its content at any time. This site will be persistent (similar to wikipedia) and will grow organically over time to the point that it becomes a useful reference for the general public. In addition to being useful in itself, this more importantly will help create a motivating, authentic context for high-school science students contributing to Science Online. The research hypothesis for education research is that having a real audience for published work will encourage students to be more engaged, since they see their work product as having real value to others. Second, Science Online will allow students to demonstrate sophisticated meta-cognitive strategies as they reflect on the real audience for their writing and what that audience may or may not understand. Tools to support the students in their use of Science Online will be developed and made available to the public. Additionally, lesson plans will be developed to incorporate the use of Science Online in science instruction in High Schools and will be made available to the public.