Schools as Knowledge Building Organizations

Marlene Scardamalia and Carl BereiterOntario Institute for Studies in Education

of the University of Toronto

Schools as service organizations

aimed at the promotion of learning in their clients, the students

School reform – for a better service (above) New standards and new curricula Layers of management Site-based management Teacher control over curriculum

A knowledge society

What kind of education will best prepare students for life ? flexibility, creativity, problem-solving ability, technological literacy, information-finding skills, and a lifelong readiness to learn.

Another way

Experience in a learning organization The function of schools

from that of service provider to that of a productive enterprise to which the students are contributors

The role of studentsFrom clients to participants in

producing new knowledge (constructing collective knowledge)

Schools as Knowledge Building Organizations Knowledge-Building Community –

a group of individuals dedicated to sharing and advancing the knowledge of the collective (in the society)

an elementary school class that takes a knowledge building approach is to construct an understanding of the world as they know it.

aimed at developing from an early age the social practices that make people responsible participants in the work of a knowledge society.

Student

Student

Teacher

Student

Teacher

The world:Knowledge problems

Expert

Student

The class that takes a knowledge building approach

Knowledge building pedagogy

Problem focus versus topic focus Production of knowledge objects versus

media objects Contribution versus display Theory improvement versus finding answers Sustained versus single-pass knowledge

creation Public versus person-to-person

communication Opportunity for reflection versus 1-second

wait time

CSILE(Computer Supported Intentional Lea

rning Environments) CSILE is a networked, collaborative learning environment

designed to support a classroom-based Knowledge-Building Community (expanding the knowledge building community)

Each computer workstation is connected to a multimedia database that contains the ongoing research of the class

Each student's files are segregated into a separate folder or "account“ All files are placed in a common area (which in CSILE are called

"notes"), viewable by all. CSILE Allows students to connect their notes to the notes

of others share information, answer each other questions, and provide advi

ce

Knowledge Forum

a second generation CSILE product

http://www.learn.motion.com

Study Activities

For access http://kforum.motion.com:27320/

For usernames and passwords From guest1 to guest 10

For better viewing Install client (No Chinese characters)

User interactions by

creating notes which users “contribute” for the knowledge base

quoting the work of their peers building on the work of their peers co-authoring notes annotating work rising above a series of notes to synthesize

the ideas in a way that creates a knowledge advance

publishing (after peer voting) their best work for peers to read and comment on

Interface design

Scaffolds that direct users toward particular cognitive operations

Keywords that help users focus on concepts

My reader to organize users’ own readings

Visualized Links (build-on, reference) between notes

Pictures to facilitate discussions

Another approach of courseware design To mimics the cognitive processes of

expert learners To help students

Learn how to learn Learn how to set cognitive goals Learn to apply effective strategies for

comprehension, self-monitoring, and organization of knowledge