Papers by Cindy Hmelo-Silver
Abstract 1. Examined the extent to which the predicted advantages of problem-based learning (PBL)... more Abstract 1. Examined the extent to which the predicted advantages of problem-based learning (PBL) for self-directed learning (SDL) are realized by comparing SDL processes for students participating in PBL experiences with those in traditional medical education. First-year students from 2 medical schools participated in this study: 16 Ss in traditional and 19 in PBL curriculum from a midwestern medical school, and 19 Ss in a PBL elective and 20 in a non-problem-based elective from a southern medical school.
Abstract This symposium brings together a panel of researchers using contrasting case methodology... more Abstract This symposium brings together a panel of researchers using contrasting case methodology to analyze computer-supported collaborative learning in a wide range of learning environments. Such analyses can help researchers better understand the differences in the collaborative processes by sharpening researchers' perception and facilitating the discovery of appropriate explanations for these differences.
Abstract Concrete external representations can profoundly affect discourse (Suthers and Hundhause... more Abstract Concrete external representations can profoundly affect discourse (Suthers and Hundhausen, Journal of the Learning Sciences, 12, 183–218, 2003), but there has not been any research that explores the role of conceptual representations on collaborative learning.
Laboratory instruction is critical to the understanding of ecology and a central piece of biologi... more Laboratory instruction is critical to the understanding of ecology and a central piece of biological sciences instruction. Although much investigation has focused on the content of laboratory exercises, we contend that understanding the extent to which the laboratory materials can aid or limit experimental investigation is equally important.
Abstract One problem in science education is that students neither construct in-depth conceptual ... more Abstract One problem in science education is that students neither construct in-depth conceptual understanding nor are they able to apply scientific thinking processes. A myriad of studies on conceptual change have investigated the nature and process of conceptual change, and pedagogical strategies to foster conceptual change and improve higher-level thinking.
Abstract Conceptual representations can serve as frameworks that can guide learners to organize t... more Abstract Conceptual representations can serve as frameworks that can guide learners to organize their knowledge. These representations are important for learners in constructing knowledge, engaging in inquiry, and helping them to understand complex phenomena. This chapter is about a study that addressed a gap in research on how learners' cognitive and metacognitive skills are developed in a hypermedia context in collaborative learning settings.
Abstract Problem-based learning (PBL) is an instructional method in which students collaborativel... more Abstract Problem-based learning (PBL) is an instructional method in which students collaboratively learn through problem-solving. Students solve a complex problem, direct their own learning, and reflect on their learning. In a STELLAR course, PBL was adapted for an online CSCL environment for preservice teachers. The study demonstrates that students who participated in a STELLAR course learned more about transfer than students in a traditional course.
Teaching ecological concepts in schools is important in promoting natural science and environment... more Teaching ecological concepts in schools is important in promoting natural science and environmental education for young learners. Developing educational programs is difficult, however, because of complicated ecological processes operating on multiple levels, the unlimited nature of potential system interactions (given the openness of systems), and their often-times nonlinear dynamic processes.
Abstract It is important to consider collaborative processes from multiple perspectives because c... more Abstract It is important to consider collaborative processes from multiple perspectives because collaborative learning environments are complex, often requiring multiple methodological approaches to understand their different aspects (Hmelo-Silver, 2003).
Analyzing Interactions in CSCL: Methodology, Approaches, and Issues deepens the understanding of ... more Analyzing Interactions in CSCL: Methodology, Approaches, and Issues deepens the understanding of ways to document and analyze interactions in CSCL and informs the design of the next generation of CSCL tools.
Abstract In recent years, collaborative activity has become more prevalent in both the worlds of ... more Abstract In recent years, collaborative activity has become more prevalent in both the worlds of work and schooling. In the workplace, its function is generally to ensure that complex problems are solved through the combined application of various types of expertise. Industrial design teams exemplify such a process. In the development of new products, teams composed of engineers, marketers, industrial designers, and financial managers work together to bring a design concept to market.
Abstract 1. Explored whether 2 forms of assessment, the easy-to-administer Learning Team Survey (... more Abstract 1. Explored whether 2 forms of assessment, the easy-to-administer Learning Team Survey (LTS) and the more time-intensive observational checklist, might prove to be viable means through which to gain group processing data on problem-based learning (PBL) groups. 20 1st-yr medical students completed the LTS, an assessment of individual and group perceptions of process and performance.
Abstract 1. Reports on the evolution of the Collaborative and Multimedia Interactive Learning Env... more Abstract 1. Reports on the evolution of the Collaborative and Multimedia Interactive Learning Environment (CaMILE) and the strategies that were developed to get students to engage in domain-relevant discussions. CaMILE is an on-line forum for collaboration and reflection. Four attempts to use CaMILE are described. The 1st 2 attempts to use CaMILE in 2 engineering courses were failures from the perspective of the authors' design goals but provided important lessons for the researchers.
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Papers by Cindy Hmelo-Silver