About the project
The aim of MIRACLE is to scrutinize how 3D web solutions and other digital representations can be designed to foster productive learning in and across school and museum settings. The project also plans to do detailed studies of what characterizes science learning and instruction when these technologies are used.
MIRACLE collaborates with Norwegian Science and Technology Museum (NSTM) that is in a process of redesigning their energy exhibition. The designed learning models will be tried out by upper secondary school students.
The main focus for this post doc project is to study the design and development work and students’ learning trajectories across school and museum.
Objectives
The research focus is:
- The construction and negotiation process when designing for learning models that tie together the school and museum settings
- Students’ learning activities before, during, and after the museum visit
- How students make use of representational tools in their learning process
- Students’ development of conceptual understanding
- Teachers’ and museum curators’ intervention in learning activities across school and museum
Theory and methods
The work conducted in this post doc project utilizes a cultural historical activity theory (CHAT) and sociocultural approach, meaning that cultural tools and resources are mediating human activity and conceptual thinking. In a CHAT approach the use of technological applications for learning and teaching can only be understood as part of a cultural practice or activity system. In the empirical analysis the focus is on what people actually do and the opportunities and constraints for actions.
To study the dialectical relation between individual and collective learning, the project conduct a multilevel analysis following three levels of description; activity, trajectory and interactional. Video recordings is the main data material, and will be used both to capture the project groups’ negotiation in the design process and groups of students interaction while engaging with the MIRACLE platform.
Funding and time frame
The post doc project is funded by the Research Council of Norway (RCN).
Timeframe: December 2010–December 2013.