(under construction)
This is a knowledge sharing document about the use of bLearning to teach computer architecture technology with 4C/ID1 strategy along with some other educational procedures. This paper is made with the point of view of the concrete practice of using the bLearning in a educational setting for professional students, from planning to the final assessment, including the tools students have to surpasse the challenges which are devided in four basic levels. Ths experiencing is being done since 2020 (PSI5 class ESCO professional school in Torres Vedras, Portugal) with more than 100 students2. In this paper we show the assessment results, compare them with other modules results in the same discipline and with other disciplines, concluding with the pro and cons for students and teachers about this blended environmental educational setting using MOODLE LMS3 and the traditional presential class.
Author: António Gonçalves4 Senior teacher of chemistry and physics, Lab Aberto FAB LAB coordinator and projet manager.
The bLearning environment was produced during the 2020 pandemic with one calleague of mine, from the Leiria Polithenic School, David Rodrigues, expert in Physics Computing. He made the production of the video content under the 4C/ID map plan attached5. The eLearning enviroment6 uses mostly MOODLE lesson activities7 with h5p questions embeded in the video lessons8. The lessons are for learning computer logic. The students age is about 14 years, mainly males, with to females in the 24 students. They had two previous lesson modules about repairing, mantenaice, benchmark and optimization of computer systems. This specific module its about the understanding how a computer make sum computation.
For that they start by learning with video lessons what is inside a processor and how they are produced. Then they turn to the logic gates, simulate them on Tinkercad9 and make them in a breaboard. Finnaly its time to do sum basic mathematics logic operations to understand the connection between the circuits they build to the truth table of sum to buinarry nummbers. there is a part where they also convert numbers in BIN, HEX and DEC formats.
The goals where stablished under the question mark "How a computer sum?". After this, under the 4C/ID educational methodology strategy, there was a map discussed with the team. This map as two vectors: from concrete to conceptual, and from simple to complex with crucial points: automatization of computations and procedures and the use of knowledge and concepts in more diverse and complex settings.
The assessment is made by what they write on the learning manual and the simulations and the respetive circuit in the the breadboard outcame they present to the teacher. They also have an online test that as weight in the final assessment about 30%. Students are allowed to assess what they have experienced anonymously.
Since the author of this work is not a expert on the subject there was the need of getting a team of experts, which is challenging. The maib goal of the teacher is to coordinate and monitor the lessons and the student progress. So, as a teacher, in this new environment, the self learning has more weigth them its usual.
- Impact on the student learning?
- Students perform better in the test comparing to other módules in the same discipline?
- Students perform better in the text comparing to other classes in the same grade?
- What percentage of students accomplished the 4th levell?
- Is there a diferent between the test performance, the circuits made and the level of registering in the manual?
- Impact on the teacher professional life?
- What problems faced and how they were overcome?
- How students assess the bLearning environment?
- Game enviroment with four levels of challenges;
- Promoting practice along with simulation;
- Manual for content and conlcusion registering;
- Use 4C/ID Inductive methodology educational.
The three major conclusions:
- Implement it if you have a team, because its very dificult to implement it alone, under the fact that you need three major roles: content producer, instructional designer, quality control and assessment;
- Allows the teacher to have time to help and monitor the learning while the students are trying to overcame the challenges proposed, incresasing the interaction time stdent/teacehr;
- Not all the students find it usefull and profitable, mostly the inductive strategy.