...specifically of critical approaches such as compare, contrast, cause and effect, inductive and deductive reasoning. An electronic concept map outlining the instructor's consideration of a contentious issue (creationism vs. evolution) was supplied to students. Students further developed concept maps (using Inspiration[R] software) in two ways: (a) students hyperlinked the individual concepts in their map to html-based learning logs and (b) students hyperlinked their own relational phrases between concepts to "captured" electronic discussions. The impact of the instructional approach was assessed through a survey of 68 students, standardized semi-structured interviews, and focus group methodology. Students were especially positive with regard to using a two-dimensional hyperlinked graphic organizer to lend a framework to their understanding of a contentious issue in science education. With regard to electronic discussion, students identified improvements in (a) their ability to formulate arguments, (b) their ability to lead effective discussions, and (c) their ability to substantiate their conceptual frameworks. The technology-integration model described is generic in its application and could be used with a variety of content knowledge.

CONTEXT OF THE STUDY

The study was undertaken in the School of Education at Acadia University, the first laptop institution in Canada. In 1996 Acadia entered into a partnership with IBM that would place laptop computers in the hands of some 3500 students and 400 faculty. Through an elaborate network, participants have anywhere-anytime access to the internet and an extensive offering of software. Classrooms are equipped with complete digital audio-visual systems and network connections allowing for an excellent environment to study the pedagogical impacts pf technology integration.

Teacher interns (n=68) in two sections of a science education course were necessarily involved in the action research study. All interns were enrolled in a two-year post-degree Bachelor of Education program leading to teacher certification. A cursory electronic survey of all 68 students established that their level of competency in computer technologies (e.g., word processing, e-mail, spreadsheets, databases, internet searching) was good to very good on a Likert scale. (LS= 4.5 where 1 was very poor and 5 was very good)

A MODEL FOR USING TECHNOLOGY TO UNDERSTAND THE ISSUES SURROUNDING THE CREATION VERSUS EVOLUTION CONTROVERSY

Typically teacher interns in science education are exposed to systematic strategies for engaging the contentious issues in science (National Science Teachers Association [NSTA], 2000). In particular, science teacher interns are anxious to gain experience in dealing with the complicated controversy of creationism versus evolution.

The instructor supplied students with an incomplete electronic hierarchical concept map (Novak, 1990) prepared with the software Inspiration[R] (Figure 1). A conscious choice was made to access electronic concept mapping tools in that they have been shown to result in more conceptually complex mapping amongst students (Royer & Royer, 2004). The concept map was based on component topical aspects that the instructor would introduce in three consecutive class lectures on aspects of engaging evolution versus creationism in science classrooms. The concept map was incomplete in that the relational phrases between concepts were purposefully left blank.

A unique aspect of the Inspiration[R] software (which students have network access to) is its ability to hyperlink external documents (local or online) not only to concept boxes but also to the propositional phrases that link the concepts. In this way students can build up a meaningful graphic organizer in one dimension while providing substantiation of their understanding through hyperlinked supplemental information in the second dimension...

NOTE: All illustrations and photos have been removed from this article.



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