Project Title: Reduced Bearing
Software used: Flash MX
Role and responsibilities:
Jaco and I contributed equally in our group project. We worked on different parts of the project. Then we checked each other’s work and discussed how to improve as a whole via emails. Finally, we merged the different parts together and got the final version.
Links for the files of this project:
http://iln.cite.hku.hk/com/1374/users/swlee/final_01.fla
http://iln.cite.hku.hk/com/1374/users/swlee/final_01.swf
Direction is one of the basic techniques of map reading in Form 1 Geography & Integrated Humanities. Students must learn ‘compass points’, ‘whole circle bearing’ and ‘reduced bearing’. Usually, students know ‘compass points’ well in their daily life. They can apply ‘whole circle bearing’ easily. However, it is difficult for them to remember what the reduced bearing is and how it is expressed. Some students measure the direction not only from the north or south, but also from the east or west for reduced bearing. Some even think that the angles can be larger than 90o.
To cope with the above-mentioned misconceptions, our group has designed a learning object to help students learn reduced bearing and make recall easier. According to Daniel (2006), our learning object is classified as a conceptual model.
In traditional teacher-centred approach, students are passively informed of what reduced bearing is and how to express directions in reduced bearing. But in our ‘Task’ section, students are required to explore how the direction is expressed in reduced bearing on their own by dragging a slider. According to dual coding theory (Clark & Paivio, 1991; Paivio, 1986) and multimedia learning hypothesis (Mayer, 2005), students are expected to simultaneously combine the motion of the pointer X and the reduced bearing of X from O to make a connection between them. To accommodate individual differences, buttons of ‘instruction’ and ‘conclusion’ are provided for students to check for hints or conclusion.
In the application section, students are required to choose an item (swimming pool, church, library, or playground). A red line will be drawn and linked from home (O) to the chosen item. Then students are required to observe the angle shown on the protractor, and input the reduced bearing in correct format in the boxes provided. After they have clicked the ‘check’ button, feedback is provided to direct their further action. As recreational computer games may have a role to play in enhancing cognitive skills and processes that apply in educational situations (Pillay, Brownlee & Wilss, 1999), the gaming feature of this application can foster students’ interaction, increase their involvement and lengthen their contact periods with a learning activity (Polonoli, 2000). It is hoped that this simple application can help students consolidate what they have just learnt.
As reduced bearing is a topic in trigonometry in Form 3 Mathematics, this learning object can be reused in Form 3 as well. Students can also use this learning object for concept recall at home. As a learning object which is best described as a technology-based and psychological tool can mediate a learning activity through perception, consciousness and psychological processes (Churchill, 2005), we believe that students can have a deeper impression on how to express reduced bearing and what it is if they can explore it by observation (perception), draw the conclusion themselves (consciousness) and practise more with application (psychological processes).
References:
Clark, J.M. & Paivio, A. (1991). Dual coding theory and education. Education Psychology Review, 3, 149-210.
Churchill, D. (2005). Learning object: an interactive representation and a mediating tool in a learning activity. Educational Media International, 42 (4), 333–349.
Churchill, D. (2006). Towards a useful classification of learning objects. Educational Technology Research and Development.
Ip, K.W., Lam, C.C. &Wong, K.F. (2003). Exploring Geography Book 1A (2nd Edition). Oxford University Press (China) Ltd.
Mayer, R.E. (2005). The Cambridge handbook of multimedia learning. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press
Paivio, A. (1986). Mental representations; A dual-coding Approach. Oxford University Press, Oxford, England.
Pillay, H., Brownlee, J., & Wilss, L. (1999). Cognition and recreational computer games: Implications for educational technology. Journal of Research on Computing in Education, 32(1), 203-217.
Polonoli, Keith E. (2000). What makes educational software educational? Virginia Society of Technology in Education Journal, 15(1), 6-31.
