Computers, Teachers, Peers

Linn and Hsi show how computers, teachers, and peers can serve as learning partners--helping students build on their ideas and become lifelong science learners. They invite everyone interested in improving science education to build on their experiences, share insights on the Internet, and create instruction. Computers, Teachers, Peers: * offers case studies to bring the ideas of students learning science to life. *Join Sasha, Chris, Pat, and Lee as they try to make sense of experiments using computers to display data in real time;* * provides principles to help teachers improve their instruction, use technology better, and inspire more students to love science. *Find out how to use visualization tools, online discussion, and more to make science relevant;* * gives researchers and instructional designers a model for effective research and curriculum design. *Linn and Hsi report that the partnership approach to research resulted in a 400% increase in student understanding of science;* * helps schools develop technology plans that continuously improve science instruction. *Find out how schools can design better ways to use technology for learning;* * describes a partnership inquiry process where science teachers, science education researchers, discipline specialists, and technologists consider each others' perspectives and jointly design instruction. *Boys and girls are equally successful in the resulting science courses;* and * features practical tools for learning and instruction, including "Points to Ponder"--to encourage reflection on the ideas in each chapter (partnership groups or classes might use the points as discussion starters or assignments), and "Ask Mr. K."--an interview, in each chapter, with the classroom teacher who was a founding member of the CLP partnership (in these interviews Mr. K. adds insights from his own classroom experiences). This book is supplemented by a CD-ROM (included in each copy) and a Web site (www.clp.berkeley.edu) with the Computers as Learning Partners curriculum, lesson plans, a Quicktime virtual reality visit to the classroom, copies of assessments, opportunities to join partnerships, and more. For readers who wish for more information, Related Readings are cited, including works by authors mentioned in each chapter. Additional works by other authors who inspired the authors appear in the bibliography, on the website, and on the CD-ROM. An annotated bibliography of papers by the members of the CLP partnership also appears at the website and on the CD-ROM.