14 June 2014 (Sat) 14:15 – 14:35 RMS 206 #648 Using Knowledge Forum (KF) for Scientific Inquiry: A Sharing of School Based E-Learning Project in Hong Kong WAN, Wai-Yan Sally (The Chinese University of Hong Kong); LAW, Lok-Kan Kevin (Delia Memorial School (Glee Path)) Knowledge Forum (KF) is a computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) platform. Some evidence has shown that using KF enhances students’ learning and develops their generic skills such as problem-solving skills, critical thinking skills, and so on. The purpose of this study is to examine how Secondary One students of a multi-ethnic private school in Hong Kong view knowledge building processes using KF in inquiring water purification whilst collaborating by a group of Spanish students. Primary data source includes focus group interviews, as triangulated by observations and online discussion. Findings and discussion of students’ views upon knowledge building process will be presented. Implications for curriculum and pedagogical design will be discussed.

1. Presented at the CITERS 2014 “Learning without Limits?”, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 14 June 2014
Presented by: Sally W.Y. Wan The Chinese University of Hong Kong Kevin L.K. Law Delia Memorial School (Glee Path)

2. Overview
Aim of Research:
Preliminary study of examining how Secondary One students of a multi-ethnic private school in Hong Kong view knowledge building processes using KF in inquiring water purification in a science unit
Research Questions:
How did participating students perceive the knowledge building (KB) processes?
What did they do in the KB processes?

3. Background of study
Global education: 21st century trend
Connectedness: Learning community
○Student level: interactions, exchanges of support and ideas and joint work

4. Background of study
Knowledge building
What? Why?
○knowledge creation through higher levels of interaction, idea exchange and sharing
Knowledge building project
How?
○Knowledge Forum (KF) as computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) platform
○Deepening understanding through build-ons and scaffolds
○Collaborative knowledge advancement at anytime, anywhere
Exploration of ideas
Sharing of new information
Creation of new knowledge

5. Background of study
Scientific inquiry
Participation in scientific project
about “purification of water” by 21 secondary one students
Preparation of water purification device based on their understanding of different principles in water purification
Three stages:
 Teaching basic scientific knowledge
 Offline discussion
 Online discussion (Knowledge forum)

6. Teaching and Offline discussion

7. Teaching and Offline discussion

8. Online discussion on KF

9. Final product – water purification device

10. Methodology
Settings and Participants
Introduction to the school
Junior F.1 class

11. Methodology
Research method: Qualitative approach
Primary data: Semi-structured interview
Secondary data: Observation; KF posts
Data Collection:
Time duration: early June 2014
Number of participating students:
○Convenient sampling method
○2 focus groups (2 students at a time)
Data Analysis:
Emerging themes by colour-coding method

12. Findings
1.How did participating students perceive the learning process?
2.What did they do in the learning process?

13. How did participating students perceive the learning process?
“New” learning experiences
Findings and discussion
“This is something new. This is also interesting as well. We have to talk with Spanish people. That’s really interesting. That really made me interested. I really like talking people from different countries.” (Student P, 6 June 2014)

14. How did participating students perceive the learning process?
“New” learning experiences
Findings and discussion
“It’s very different unlike other lessons! … This one is different. Very abnormally because we don’t have to present much. Because we have to just type it. And put it onto the forum for people to read. But it is interesting to see many people actually do this in the single forum because many of their ideas come to one place.” (Student P, 6 June 2014)

15. How did participating students perceive the learning process?
“New” learning experiences
Findings and discussion
“I like this one (using tablets). It is about technologies. We can go to the internet. You can find more information… sometimes you can’t understand what teachers said.” (Student N, 6 June 2014)

16. How did participating students perceive the learning process?
Thinking, sharing, synthesizing
“Everybody think hard, and check anybody miss things. After that, think, think and think. Everyone would check it and comments. After comments, and put up the ideas.” (Student N, 6 June 2014)

17. How did participating students perceive the learning process?
Thinking, sharing, synthesizing
“We just talked. And shared ideas. You know, some classmates had more ideas than me. We just … mixed the ideas. First, we use the main idea. We put the main points out there. We mix them all.” (Student N, 6 June 2014)

18. What did participating students do in the learning process?
Thinking, sharing, synthesizing
Findings and discussion
“You can check from other people’s points of view on that information. It would help us to know how they feel about the piece of information. It can help us understand a lot more because the way other people think is always different. It’s very unique to see the information being taught by the teacher, and the people all over the world to know more about this information.” (Student P, 6 June 2014)

19. What did participating students do in the learning process?
Thinking, sharing, synthesizing
Findings and discussion
“I tried to give opinions. I tried to put the information together. So and then try to cooperate with all of them [members].” (Student N, 6 June 2014)

20. What did participating students do in the learning process?
Thinking, sharing, synthesizing
Findings and discussion
“[My role] is to give your opinions freely I think. It’s to create more variety of stuff inside there.” (Student P, 6 June 2014)

21. What did participating students do in the learning process?
Information search
“We use the internet to go to like Wikipedia or websites, then we again borrow books to get more ideas. Then take out the point. Then we just share opinions. And then put them onto the forum.” (Student P, 6 June 2014)
“I found some ideas and came up this idea from online websites and books. I sometimes go to the library and borrow books related to this topic. And I bought some books outside school. I took references from the website about the water purification devices.” (Student G, 6 June 2014)
Findings and discussion

22. What did participating students do in the learning process?
Creation with collective ideas
“[after discussion] mutually post on KF. We posted on the KF forum. Then people comment on it. So we get more ideas from them. So it’s we are using their knowledge, not our knowledge. So that we can create something that we couldn’t start with.” (Student P, 6 June 2014)
“[I am] an information finder. I have to search information for our group. They also searched information by themselves. Our group is more like no-leader because it’s more like everyone doing anything. It’s more like a community that we could help build our very best so we could improve our skills.” (Student N, 6 June 2014)
Findings and discussion

23. What did participating students do in the learning process?
Practical applications
“I am impressed the most. That is some people really made the water purification applications, the devices.” (Student P, 6 June 2014)
“From primary till secondary, I did not try to really make something real. Nowadays I really made it. That is not in a light-hearted way to make it. I learn to be serious in making things real. In the past, we just did the PowerPoint and that’s all.” (Student G, 6 June 2014)
Findings and discussion

24. Conclusion and implications
Further directions for curriculum development
Inquiry-based approach & knowledge building
Integration of concepts and applications
Time for facilitation the learning process
Further studies
Quantitative studies (e.g. learning motivation, knowledge building process, etc.)