learning in students in virtual classrooms USMP

The article, The CmapTools tool improves collaborative learning in virtual classroom USMP, aims, disclose that the use of CmapTools tool in the virtual classroom improves collaborative learning in graduate students of the Virtual USMP. the experimental method with quasi-experimental design was used for research. The instrument used to measure the Collaborative Learning, was applied input and output indicators were related to the dimensions of collaborative learning: positive interdependence, construction of meaning and psychosocial relationships. The research was conducted in virtual classrooms of the Virtual USMP on the basis of the pedagogical theories of constructivism, constructionism and connectivism, as well as its own pedagogical model. The research results showed that the use of CmapTools tool improves collaborative learning of graduate students of the Virtual USMP.
Introduction

The low level of collaborative learning in students in virtual classrooms USMP is a problem that has been observed lately, for this reason has been investigated how the CmapTools tool improves collaborative learning in virtual classroom USMP. The article discusses the effect of using CmapTools tool in the virtual classroom for the development of summaries and group book reviews, which significantly improves levels of collaborative learning in graduate students of the Virtual USMP, compared with traditional activities teamwork that usually are carried out. It was taken as basis or free software tool CmapTools, as it is very effective for this purpose, allowing collaboratively build and leave records video about it, and develop meaningful learning, prioritizing and synthesizing ideas.
The research was conducted during the academic year 2011 II, a period in which we worked with two groups of students type, experimental group and control group. With the first group group activities summaries and reviews were developed with support from the Cmap Tools, pretreatment / training tool for students; with the second group or control group, we worked in a traditional way without the support of CmapTools tool with the same readings.
The research results showed the effectiveness of using CmapTools tool, constituting a contribution to the teachers and the organization itself, as it allows us to understand the great importance of using new technologies of information and communication in the process teaching and learning.
In this context, this article is an academic proposal to enhance collaborative learning among students in virtual classrooms USMP.
academic proposal of using CmapTools tool
The existing problems
Collaborative work is an activity that provides many benefits to both students and teachers, which makes it indispensable for the development of human beings in society, as a means of training and constant integration.
Among the benefits offered to students, it is what allows them to develop skills related to teamwork, including collaboration in the development of group activities, taking into account the contributions and views of his colleagues with different perspectives, taking monitoring the activity and to review ongoing development work without having to meet in person, thus reducing costs and is an economic benefit. finally providing a single version of the product, which allows to observe what each member has contributed, because it is registered and is available to everyone at any time.
It also allows reducing the rate of group work which are generally prepared by one or two members, while others do nothing. And, encourage teamwork, banishing copy and paste with which often tend to present a paper in text, but this is not possible in a conceptual map.
Among the benefits offered to teachers it is that they can have at their disposal a tool that will allow a recording record in detail the whole process of development of group work of students. This recording will be available to the teacher, who can view and review the times you want to proceed to a more objective rating. This no longer depend on a simple report that refer students but engraving report that is available to him in a virtual space.
So, you can better assess the qualifications of the members of a working group, verifying who contributed most to the development of a specific assigned group work. It is thus a great educational benefit.
Digital learning and teaching theories
The background to the constructivist paradigm are strongly grounded in the work of Lev S. Vygotsky and Jean Piaget, and has a strong emphasis on an epistemological search on how reality is known, how to learn, in other words, the genesis and development knowledge and culture.
Unlike other psychological paradigms, constructivism strongly agree with the new trends of science, is an area of ​​multi and interdisciplinary study, as in its "construction" have worked together researchers from many disciplines such as mathematicians, biologists, logical, linguists, philosophers, educators and others who for more than 60 years have been approaching a widespread and accepted today as constructivist approach. Ferreiro and Calderon (2005).
The central idea of ​​constructivism is that human learning is built, the minds of people develops new knowledge from the basis of above teachings. The student learning should be active, the student must participate in activities, rather than remain passively observing what is explained. Hernandez (2008).
Seymour Papert, based on Constructivism work, has developed a vision of learning called constructionism. He points out that if we take the constructivist theory approach that learning is much more a construct a transmission of knowledge, extend saying that learning is most effective when it is part of an activity that the subject experiences as building a significant product. Papert and Harel (1991). Among the great ideas of constructionism Papert (1999) are the following premises: learning by doing and technology should be used as building material. It is important to know that Papert developed a computer language called Logo, this is considered as a product with constructionist view. Logo works as a product that allows students to build their knowledge.
George Siemens (2004) in his "learning theory for the digital age" indicates that a central tenet of most learning theories is that learning occurs inside a person. Even social constructivist approaches, which argue that learning is a social process, promote the role of the individual in learning. These theories do not refer to learning that occurs outside of people (the learning that is stored and manipulated by technology).
Summarizing, connectivism, according to the theory of Siemens, is the integration of principles explored by chaos theory, networks, complexity and self-organization. Learning can reside outside of ourselves (within an organization), it is focused on connecting specialized information sets, and the connections that enable us to learn more, are more important than our current state of knowledge.
Collaborative learning
Collaborative learning is another constructivist postulates of conceiving education as socioconstrucción process allowing to know the different perspectives to address a particular problem, develop tolerance around the diversity and expertise to rework a joint alternative. Environments Constructivist learning is defined as "a place where students must work together, helping each other, using a variety of tools and information resources to the pursuit of learning objectives and activities for problem solving" Wilson ( nineteen ninety five).
Collaborative learning is based on constructivist theory, knowledge is discovered by students, reconstructed by the concepts that can relate and expanded through new learning experiences. Emphasizes active student participation in the learning process because the transaction arises between students and between teacher and students. Panitz (1998).
The process of group interaction and systematization of a set of indicators virtual collaborative learning, value and support allow the proper functioning through observation of the evolution of the construction of a meaning all the students.
Casanova (2009) presents three dimensions of collaborative learning, which have been used for this research:
Positive interdependence: is defined as the mutual interdependence among participants, for the development of the task and achieving group objectives.
Construction of meaning: The construction of meaning is defined as the joint development of knowledge, goals, plans, ideas and / or concepts.
Psychosocial relations: Psychosocial relations are defined as the establishment of conditions for stimulating interaction through expressions of reinforcement, encouragement or support among members.
It is important to note that the presence or absence of these dimensions allow us to assess whether or not there is collaborative learning in the process of group work of students. These mechanisms occur interleaved manner constituting three dimensions of the same process, which aims to help students learn in collaboration with others.
Each of these dimensions has indicators to assess the level of collaborative learning, making a total of 11.
With this instrument could measure the levels of collaborative learning in students Graduate virtual classroom USMP, having applied before using the CmapTools and then to observe the difference levels that occur with the support of this free tool which gives us the web.
Here we can see to evaluate the proposed collaborative learning tool.
Tool to assess collaborative learning
Group N °: _________ Members:
1. ____________________________________ (evaluator integral)
2. 3-. _____________________________
Four. Five-. _________________________________________________
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Quantitative values:
0 = no
1 = Poor
2 = Regular
3 = Good
4 = Excellent
Source: Adapted. Casanova, M. et. al (2009)
Information processing model
Among the models of information processing approach Ausubel serving as a reference "for the study of concept maps as cognitive strategy and technique" Ontoria (13 2001) is located. Building a map is a conscious act of writing, an activity that is considered a good strategy for collaborative learning. It involves a demand for active student participation. Working with maps, especially using CmapTools. Cañas (2004), motivates and gets intensely compenetrar students, which undoubtedly benefits the process of collaborative learning and learning in general. This form of writing also requires a building process in which it is possible to identify those steps that a student when he faces the understanding of a text. With this we are training, and therefore providing a strategy that you can use when faced with the preparation of summaries, hierarchies, book reviews, among others.
The theoretical foundation of this research takes into consideration the ideas of Ausubel and some of his disciples, as Novak, with the design of methodological tools for both the educator and for the learner, one of them is the conceptual map, which was created by Joseph D. Novak who presents him as "strategy, method and schematic resource." Ontoria (2000: 31). Concept maps which through programming were used as teaching materials. The processes developed in this technique are: understanding what is read, reflective thinking, relational thinking, establishment of meaning, spatial relations, perceptual integration field, differentiation between essential and accidental, reasoning deductive series, reasoning inductive series and verbal comprehension.
There are now various electronic applications among which is Cmap Tools. This educational software helps develop collaborative learning and creative thinking. The advantages of a visual learning such as concept maps: organize and / or express new ideas, understand and / or clarify concepts, deepen explanations, increase retention of ideas and concepts, process, organize and prioritize information, stimulate creative thinking and integrate new elements to the knowledge base significantly.
Ausubel argues that the cognitive structure of a person is the deciding factor about the significance of the new material and the acquisition and retention. New ideas can only be learned and retained usefully if they refer to concepts or propositions already available, which provide conceptual anchors. Ausubel (1989).
CmapTools tool
In recent years, the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC) has been developing CmapTools (Cañas, 2004), an environment of client-server software that facilitates the construction and sharing concept maps. The software is used extensively throughout the world by people of all ages and for a variety of applications.
CmapTools has been designed with the aim to support collaboration and sharing. The client-server architecture, along with a collection of "Public Places" (CmapServers or CmapServers) where any Internet user can create a folder itself and build, copy and / or publish their concept maps, facilitates the sharing concept maps and collaboration during the construction of concept maps (Canas, Hill, Granados, Perez & Perez, 2003). In addition, you can easily install a Site (CmapServer) in the classroom to facilitate local collaboration. The collaboration is supported at various levels. If two or more users try to edit the same conceptual map at the same time, the program, with the consent of the users establishes a synchronous collaboration session where users modify the map concurrently and communicate through a window "chat" . By "Annotations" (similar to notes "post-it") you can select a part of the conceptual map and make an annotation, providing peer review and collaboration. In addition, any node (concept or link) you can add a discussion thread, allowing discussion among participants about the selected proposal. When a user creates a folder in a Public Place (server) he / she becomes the administrator of that folder, and can determine which users receive permission from "annotation (allowing comment on the map but not modify, which is appropriate for review peer), permit "modification" (allowing to modify the maps, appropriate for collaboration and teamwork) or permit only "read" (suitable for publication). in addition, Knowledge Soups enable collaboration at the proposition of knowledge (Cañas, Ford, Brennan, Reichherzer, & Hayes, 1995; Cañas et al., 2001).
CmapTools supports the construction of "knowledge models" concept mapping groups and associated resources on a particular topic (Cañas, Hill, & Lott, 2003). With simple operations "drag and drop" (drag-and-drop) students can link all kinds of media (images, videos, text, Web pages, documents, presentations, etc.) and other concept maps, either yours or built by others, their maps. These resources can be located anywhere on the Internet.
Knowledge creation requires a high level of meaningful learning and concept maps facilitate the process of knowledge creation for individuals and students in a discipline. Novak (1993). Educators have recognized that what is important is the process of building a conceptual map, not only the result (map) end. However, in many cases the teacher can not accompany the student during the construction of concept maps, either because there are many students, the student is doing work at home, or distance learning is. CmapTools provides the ability to "burn" the process of building the conceptual map, allowing graphically show the construction steps later, controlling the speed and moving forward or backward as needed. For example, a student takes 78 steps to reach a point in the map construction, and by pressing a back button will begin to show step by step the entire process of building the map. The recording is saved with the conceptual map, so if you copy or recording is not lost is transferred. Playback also identifies which user performed each step, which is essential to support collaborative work. In fact, the reproduction of concept maps created by an individual reveals the processes by which meaningful learning was occurring.
Educational research shows that, Novak said the value of Vygotsky's ideas for education. Novak (1982, p.114), some of them valuable to interpret and intervene in new educational facts, this is an example of collaborative work strategies. Novak (2004, p.464), which is important since the cooperation and knowledge sharing is one of the design principles of CmapTools. Novak and Canas (2004, p.469), a tool that is part of the practices that involve the concept map.
Software designed to create, publish and share concept maps. Cañas (2004). CmapTools is a very powerful tool for students to express their knowledge on a topic, work collaboratively and for teachers conoscan detail each of the actions carried out by the student, as is recorded in an area of ​​the web where you can access and edit anyone who belong to the team and have the respective permits.
? This tool also promotes meaningful learning, is based on the idea that each person builds his own knowledge, each person has an individual cognitive structure that is based on his experiences, what he has learned. Cañas (2004). It allows both individual local work, and network (from a group of computers in a closed environment), or what is better, on the Internet and link it to a virtual classroom, thereby facilitating group work or collaborative. This tool enables navigation maps made, making them interactive. They can be linked and index virtually all types of files, with the possibility of adding information to each of the concepts or nodes of the map and the student from your course, you can interact with the product.
The software was created by Alberto Canas, who was based on the theoretical foundation of concept maps and constructivism, allowing students to have this powerful tool to translate their concepts regarding an activity. In this way the pedagogical use is much more dynamic and inclusive, as it allows anywhere can work on the E-learning mode.
Process Research
In research conducted in the Virtual USMP an experimental group was considered and a control group to which is applied a reference to collaborative learning test pre assessment after treatment in the use of CmapTools tool, the experimental group was applied and finally, after evaluation test it was applied to each group. The two groups belonged to the virtual classrooms Graduate Diploma of Digital Educational Materials Production and Multimedia.
The treatment experimental group consisted of training students to learn how to properly use CmapTools, it is virtually gave through classroom USMP supported by tutorials and guidance for videos, so video conference, chat and forum for consultation.
The application process was developed with the use of CmapTools tool is a free software, was installed on a free server where all http://cmap.ihmc.us/download/ concept maps are published. The teacher created a folder on the server, a map, gave a name and gave permits to students so they can work their summary at the map collaboratively. He put the link in the "Activities" section of the virtual classroom USMP, along with guidelines on how to perform the task. Students already had the readings assigned by the teacher through the virtual classroom, in order to read, analyze and prepare their abstracts in the visual organizer.
Figure No. 01 Entry into CmapTools through the virtual classroom
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Preparation: Huaman Castro, Milagros (2012)
Students were preparing the map conceptual collaboratively, and teaching triggered the action "record", so the process was recorded in its entirety, can observe the participation of each member step by step every time you want, objectively assessing the contribution each.
There is an option to send messages between all students to consult on the subject, an internal chat to exchange ideas while they build the concepts, thus reinforcing the meaningful learning. On the other hand, in the area of ​​news, it indicated who are joining the collaboration session and displays messages that are sent participants. While in list of participants, all students who are participating in the session are displayed.
The creator of the concept map teaching is who moderated the modifications made on it. He decided to allow a new work in the group or not. Finally, when the conceptual map was ready, the HTML extension was copied to the virtual classroom (in the "Materials" section for being now a product), so that everyone can interact with it and visualize it by way of feedback theme developed by the group. It is also important to note that this link will also be pasted into your blog or webpage, from any space to interact with the conceptual map created.
Figure No. 02: Location of the final product in the virtual classroom
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Preparation: Huaman Castro, Milagros (2012)
Therefore, the assessment made by the teacher was objective, having registered each part of the process of testing. Thus at the end after applying the assessment tool of collaborative learning with its three dimensions (presented in this article), both the control group and the experimental, it was demonstrated that the level of collaborative learning improved among participants who worked with the tool Cmap Tools.
results
In the study it was found that the use of CmapTools tool in the virtual classroom improves collaborative learning in post-graduate students of the Virtual USMP, that meant making two measurements and compare if it really improved. In general it was observed that after using CmapTools tool in the virtual classroom, with the experimental group, the results regarding collaborative learning, were better than those obtained in the control group. Which it was also observed in each of the dimensions comprising collaborative learning, where the averages of the experimental group increased satisfactorily, after using the Cmap Tools.
Figure No. 03: Comparison of results when using CmapTools
Monografias.comElaboración: Huaman Castro, Milagros (2012)
conclusions:
1. The Cmap Tools is a free software tool for easy access and installation, which lets you create concept maps collaboratively, leaving visible record of each process performed by students.
2. The use of CmapTools in Virtual USMP not only benefits the collaborative work of students, but allows obtain a more objective evaluation of teachers and is useful to the institution, because the registration is valid for accreditation processes.
3. The proposal of using CmapTools tool for group work collaboratively in the Virtual USMP, is based on research on technology and pedagogical theories of constructivism, constructionism and connectivism.
4. The use of CmapTools tool in the virtual classroom, improved overall collaborative learning of graduate students of the Virtual USMP 10.4 to 15.05.
5. The use of CmapTools tool, improved three levels of collaborative learning; positive interdependence, the construction of meaning and psychosocial relations graduate students of the Virtual USMP.
6. The group activities of students with the use of free software in virtual spaces CmapTools contribute to arouse interest in academic work, and to enhance collaborative learning.
References:
Ausubel, D. (2002). Acquisition and retention of knowledge. A cognitive perspective. Spain: Polity Press.
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Ferreiro, R .; M. Calderon. (2005). The ABC of Cooperative Learning. Mexico: Trillas Edition.
Hernandez, S. (2008); The model constructivist with the new technologies: applied in the learning process. In: Communication and construction of knowledge in the new technological space. Journal of University and Knowledge Society (RUSC). Vol. 5, No. 2. UOC. Recovered from http://www.uoc.edu/rusc/5/2/dt/esp/hernandez.pdf
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Panitz, T. (1997); Collaborative versus Cooperative Learning: Comparing the two definitions Helps Understand the nature of interactive learning. Cooperative Learning and College Teaching, Vol. 8, No. 2. Recovered from http://home.capecod.net/~tpanitz/tedsarticles/coopdefinition.htm
Papert, S .; Harel, I. (1991); Place the constructionism. Massachusetts Institute of Technology MIT. Translated by INCAE in May 2002. Recovered from http://web.media.mit.edu/~calla/web_comunidad/Readings/situar_el_construccionismo.pdf
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