NSF Cyberlearning DIP Project (2014-2020)
Tech-Augmented Co-Creativity Lab (TACCL)
led by Dr. Jianwei Zhang at the University at Albany, State University of New York
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NSF Cyberlearning DIP Project (2014-2020): Connecting Idea Threads Across Communities for Sustained Knowledge Building
Sponsored by National Science Foundation through the Cyberlearning and Future Learning Technologies program and the Discovery Research K-12
program (#1441479)
Dates: September 1, 2014 to May 31, 2020
Amount: $1,342,537
PI: Jianwei Zhang
Co-PI: Mei-Hwa Chen (Computer Science, UAlbany), Feng Chen (Computer Science, UAlbany), Carolyn Rosé, (Carnegie Mellon University), Marlene Scardamalia (University of Toronto)
Project Goal
Classroom innovations to cultivate creative work need to engage students in sustained inquiry and progressive discourse by which ideas are continually developed and refined, giving rise to higher-level goals. Fostering sustained inquiry within each community requires a larger social infrastructure that connects the communities into a shared field. This project will test a multilevel design approach to fostering sustained discourse across a network of communities that co-advances a shared base of knowledge, supporting the deep inquiry work in each community.
Technology Innovation
Our previous NSF-sponsored project has created Idea Thread Mapper (ITM): a collective knowledge mapping tool to trace and visualize threads of ideas growing in extended online discussions. This project is upgrading ITM to (a) provide automated analysis for students to structure and review idea threads (lines of inquiry) emerged from their ongoing discourse; and (b) further provide a cross-community interaction space for collaborative knowledge building.
Pedagogical Approach
Instead of single-layer sharing of raw online discussions between different communities, this research will elaborate a multilevel emergence approach to cross-community knowledge building: Members of each community engage in focused inquiry and contribute to their community's discourse space. As progress is made, they identify major threads of ideas addressing various focal problems, each involving a group of members that is pre-organized or opportunistically formed. Reviewing and clustering and re-conceptualizing the diverse idea threads, as a community, helps to define/redefine the community's goals and diffuse knowledge advances. Productive idea threads are further published for cross-community sharing and sustained build-on of ideas. Analyses of the multilevel interactions will produce conceptual insights and design knowledge needed to sustain knowledge building across social levels.
Highlights of Research Findings
Supported by ITM, we conducted multi-year, design-based research in a set of science classrooms (Grades 3-6) to support student-driven knowledge building within each classroom and idea interaction across classrooms. The data analyses suggest:
- Through ITM-supported reflective review and structuring of inquiry, students developed a clearer and broader awareness of their community’s knowledge goals and progress beyond their personal focus and ideas.
- Their online discourse became more productive and connected, with more interactive build-ons, deepening questions, idea improvement, and integration.
- Students engaging in ITM reflection achieved more sophisticated scientific understandings than those in a comparison condition.
- Students further built interactive connections with peers from their buddy classrooms, which supported their mutual learning of new/deeper knowledge as well as collaborative investigation of challenging issues, leading to deep understandings.
Publications
Zhang, J., & Chen, M-H. (in press). The Design of Idea Thread Mapper to Sustain Knowledge Building Across Classrooms. In in J. Zhang & S. Yu (Eds.), Educational Innovations for Sustained Knowledge Building: Pedagogical and Technological Advances. Springer.
Tao, D., & Zhang, J. (2021). Agency to Transform: How Did a Grade 5 Community Co-Configure Dynamic Knowledge Building Practices in a Yearlong Science Inquiry? International Journal of Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11412-021-09353-7 See pre-print at researchgate.
Zhang, J., Yuan, G., & Bogouslavsky, M. (2020). Give student ideas a larger stage: Support cross-community interaction for knowledge building. International Journal of Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning,15(4), 389–410. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11412-020-09332-4
Zhang, J. (2020). Creativity as Sustained Social Practices: Four Pillars for Creative Learning Design. In N. Holbert, M. Berland, & Y. Kafai (Eds.), Designing Constructionist Futures: The Art, Theory, and Practice of Learning Designs (pp.331-340). Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
Yuan, G., & Zhang, J. (2019). Connecting Knowledge Spaces: Enabling Cross-Community Knowledge Building through Boundary Objects. British Journal of Educational Technology, 50, 2144-2161. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.12804
Pesaresi, S., & Zhang, J. (2019). Negotiating Uncertainty to Develop a Joint Deepening Focus in Knowledge Building Discourse. International Conference of Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL 2019). Lyon, France.
Zhang, J.,, & Chen, M.-H. (2019). Idea Thread Mapper: Designs for Sustaining Student-Driven Knowledge Building Across Classrooms. International Conference of Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL 2019). Lyon, France.
Yuan, G., Zhang, J., & Chen, M-H. (2019). Cross-boundary Interaction for Sustaining Idea Development and Knowledge Building with Idea Thread Mapper. International Conference of Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL 2019). Lyon, France.
Park, H., & Zhang, J. (2019). Reflective Assessment for Idea Improvement through Collective Concept Mapping. International Conference of Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL 2019). Lyon, France.
Tao, D., & Zhang, J. (2019). Reflective Structuration of Knowledge Building Practices in Grade 5 Science Classrooms. Paper presented at the Knowledge Building Summer Institute (KBSI 2019) Beijing, China.
Yuan, G., Zhang, J., & Chen, M-H., Gagnon, P., & Kirk, S. (April 2019). Supporting Cross-Classroom Interaction for Knowledge Building with Idea Thread Mapper. Paper to be presented at the Annual Meeting of American Educational Research Association (AERA 2019), Toronto, ON.
Yuan, G., Zhang, J. (2019). Learning from crossing boundaries in knowledge building community: a social network perspective for learning. Paper to be presented at the Annual Meeting of American Educational Research Association (AERA 2019), Toronto, ON.
Vokatis, B., & Zhang, J. (2019). Dialogic Literacy Enabled by Cross-community Interactions in Scientific Knowledge Building. Paper to be presented at the Annual Meeting of American Educational Research Association (AERA 2019), Toronto, ON.
Kici, D., Demjanenko, T., & Zhang, J. (2019). Designing Interdisciplinary Knowledge Building in a Grade-Five Community. Poster to be presented at the Annual Meeting of American Educational Research Association (AERA 2019), Toronto, ON.
Zhang, J., Chaleshtori, M. D., Park, H., Yuan, G., Harris, C., Zhou, H., Zhao, R. (2019). Improvisational Structuring of Knowledge Building Discourse in a Grade 5 Science Classroom. Paper to be presented at the Annual Meeting of American Educational Research Association (AERA 2019), Toronto, ON.
Zhang, J., Chen, M-H., & the ITM Team. (Aug 2018). The Idea Thread Mapper Project: Sustaining Knowledge Building across Classrooms. A innovation session presentation at the International Knowledge Building Summer Institute, August 2018, Toronto, Canada.
Yuan, G., Zhang, J., & Chen, M-H., Gagnon, P., & Kirk, S. (2018). Cross-Boundaries in Knowledge Building Communities with the Support of Idea Thread Mapper. Paper presented at the International Knowledge Building Summer Institute, August 2018, Toronto, Canada.
Kici, D., & Zhang, J. (2018). An integrated inquiry about energy and environmental issues in a grade 5 classroom. Paper presented at the International Knowledge Building Summer Institute, August 2018, Toronto, Canada.
Park, H., & Zhang, J. (2018). How are Ideas Advanced? A Multifaceted Investigation of Discourse in Knowledge Building. Paper presented at the International Knowledge Building Summer Institute, August 2018, Toronto, Canada.
Hod, Y., Zhang, J., Yuan, G., & Zhou, H. (2018). Taking on the challenges of learning in the digital age: Grade 5 students’ mindsets and strategies in knowledge building communities. In J. Kay and R. Luckin (Eds.), Rethinking Learning in the Digital Age: Making the Learning Sciences Count, 13th International Conference of the Learning Sciences (ICLS) (Vol. 2, pp. 1033-1036). London, UK: International Society of the Learning Sciences.
Tao, D., Zhang, J., & Gao, D. (2018). Co-framing shared epistemic objects of inquiry to support knowledge building over a whole school year. In J. Kay & R. Luckin (Eds.), Rethinking learning in the digital age: Making the learning sciences count, 13th International Conference of the Learning Sciences (ICLS) (Vol. 2, pp.784-791). London, United Kingdom: International Society of the Learning Sciences.
Zhou, H., & Zhang, J. (2018). Dealing with Changes and Challenges: Grade 5 Students’ Experience with Knowledge Building Pedagogy in a Yearlong Science Inquiry. In J. Kay and R. Luckin (Eds.). Rethinking Learning in the Digital Age: Making the Learning Sciences Count, 13th International Conference of the Learning Sciences (ICLS) (Vol. 2, pp. 1133-1136). London, UK: International Society of the Learning Sciences.
Zhang, J. & Yuan, G. (2018). Cross-Classroom Interaction for Knowledge Building: A Design Experiment in Four Grade 5 Science Classrooms. Paper presented at the13th International Conference of the Learning Sciences (ICLS). London, UK.
Zhang, J., Tao, D., Chen, M-H. Sun, Y., Judson, D., & Naqvi, S. (2018). Co-Organizing the Collective Journey of Inquiry with Idea Thread Mapper. Journal of the Learning Sciences, 27, 390-430. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10508406.2018.1444992
Tao, D., & Zhang, J. (2018). Forming shared inquiry structures to support knowledge building in a Grade 5 community. Instructional Science, 46(4), 563–592. https://rdcu.be/14Ii or at https://doi.org/10.1007/s11251-018-9462-4
Zhang, J. (May 2018). It Takes a Social System to Nurture Creative Knowledge Work. Invited Keynote at the Global Chinese Conference on Computers in Education (GCCCE 2018), Guangzhou, China.
Yuan, G., Zhang, J., & Luo, C. (2018). Cross-Classroom Interaction Among Four Grade 5 Knowledge-Building Communities. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of American Educational Research Association (AERA 2018), New York, NY, April 2018.
Park, H., & Zhang, J. (2018). Lexical and Communicative Features of Knowledge-Building Discourse in a Grade 5 Science Classroom. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of American Educational Research Association (AERA 2018), New York, NY, April 2018.
Zhang, J., Bogouslavsky, M., & Yuan, G. (2017). Cross-Community Interaction for Knowledge Building in Two Grade 5/6 Classrooms. In Proceedings of the International Conference on Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL 2017). International Society of the Learning Sciences. (CSCL 2017 Best Paper Nomination)
Tao, D., Zhang, J., & Gao, D. (2017). Reflective Structuration of Knowledge Building Practices in Grade 5 Science: A Two-Year Design-Based Research. In Proceedings of the International Conference on Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL 2017). International Society of the Learning Sciences.
Tao, D. & Zhang, J. (2017). How Did a Grade 5 Science Community Co-Construct Collective Structures of Inquiry? In Proceedings of the International Conference on Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL 2017). International Society of the Learning Sciences.
Zhang, J., & Yuan, G. (2017). Cross-Classroom Interaction for Sustained Inquiry. 2017 NSF video showcase “Advancing STEM Learning For All: Research and Design for Impact,” May 2017. http://videohall.com/p/990
Tian, Y., & Zhang, J. (2017). Student-Directed Sustained Inquiry in a Grade 5 Community Featuring Opportunistic Collaboration. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of American Educational Research Association (AERA 2017), April 27 –May 1, 2017, San Antonio, TX.
Tao, D., Zhang, J. (2017). Reflective Structuration of Sustained Deep Inquiry in a Grade 5 Classroom. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of American Educational Research Association (AERA 2017), April 27 –May 1, 2017, San Antonio, TX.
Tao, D., Zhang, J., Chen, X. (2017). Multilevel Reflections to Co-Frame Epistemic Objects of Inquiry for Sustained Knowledge Building Over a School Year. Poster presented at the Annual Meeting of American Educational Research Association (AERA 2017), April 27 –May 1, 2017, San Antonio, TX.
Zhang, J. (2016). Connecting Idea Threads for Sustained Inquiry and Discourse. 2016 NSF video showcase “Advancing STEM Learning For All: Sharing Cutting Edge Work and Community Discourse,” May 17-23, 2016, http://videohall.com/p/770
Chen, B., & Zhang, J. (2016). Analytics for Knowledge Creation: Towards Agency and Design-Mode Thinking. Journal of Learning Analytics, 3(2), 139–163. https://learning-analytics.info/index.php/JLA/article/view/4552
Vokatis, B., & Zhang, J. (2016). The Professional Identity of Three Innovative Teachers Engaging in Sustained Knowledge Building Using Technology. Frontline Learning Research: An Official Journal of EARLI, 4 (1), 58-77. https://journals.sfu.ca/flr/index.php/journal/article/view/223
Chen, J., & Zhang, J. (2016). Design Collaborative Formative Assessment for Sustained Knowledge Building Using Idea Thread Mapper. In: Proceedings of the International Conference of the Learning Sciences (ICLS 2016). Singapore: International Society of the Learning Sciences.
Tao, D., Zhang, J., & Gao, D. (2016). Co-generation of Pragmatic Structure to Support Sustained Inquiry over a School Year. Paper presentation at the Annual Meeting of American Educational Research Association, Washington, DC.
Gagnon, P., Kirk, S., Zhang, J., and student representatives (Leah Dannehy, Drake Gilliam, Makayla Mackey, and Giuliana Vivenzio). (2016). Inquiry-Based Science in Grade 5: Students as Knowledge Builders. Presentation given at the Board Meeting of GuIlderland Central School District, Feburary 2016.
Hod, Y., Charles, E. S., Ben-Zvi, D., Zhang, J., et al. (2016). Future Learning Spaces for Learning Communities: New Directions and Conceptual Frameworks (A symposium). In Proceedings of the International Conference of the Learning Sciences (ICLS 2016). International Society of the Learning Sciences.
Judson, D. (2016). Teacher Noticing Associated with Responsive Support of Knowledge Building. In Proceedings of the International Conference of the Learning Sciences (ICLS 2016). International Society of the Learning Sciences.
Tao, D. & Zhang, J. (2016). “If you don’t tell us, how can we know what we are supposed to do?” Knowledge Building Summer Institute: Multi-Level Knowledge Innovation Networks. Singapore.
Zhang, J. (2016). Interconnecting the Knowledge Spaces of Different Communities for Sustained Knowledge Building. A presentation given in the Invited Closing Keynote Panel “Challenges and Opportunities for Research and Design of Future Learning Spaces,” The 11th Chais Conference for the Study of Innovation and Learning Technologies. Open University of Israel.
Tao, D., Zhang, J. , & Huang, Y. (2015). How Did a Grade 5 Community Formulate Progressive, Collective Goals to Sustain Knowledge Building Over a Whole School Year? In O. Lindwall & S. Ludvigsen (Eds.), Exploring the material conditions of learning: Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (Vol. 1, pp. 419-426). Gothenburg, Sweden: International Society of the Learning Sciences.
Zhang, J., Chen, M.-H., Tao, D., Sun, Y., Lee, J. & Judson, D. (2015). Fostering Sustained Knowledge Building through Metadiscourse Aided by the Idea Thread Mapper. In O. Lindwall & S. Ludvigsen (Eds.), Exploring the material conditions of learning: Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (Vol. 1, pp. 166-173). Gothenburg, Sweden: International Society of the Learning Sciences.
Collaborators
Dr. Carol Chan and Dr. Jan van Aalst (University of Hong Kong), Dr. Kai Hakkarainen (University of Helsinki and Turku University), Dr. Siwei Lyu (University at Albany), Dr. Alandeom Oliveira (University at Albany), Dr. Chewlee Teo (Educational Technology Office of the Ministry of Education, Singapore), Dr. Yanqing Sun (University at Albany).
Partners
- Dr. Jackman Institute of Child Study (JICS) Laboratory School, University of Toronto
- Guilderland Elementary School (Guilderland Central School District)
- Slingerlands Elementary School (Bethlehem Central School District)