Inquiry Project:Inquiry Project:The Nature of Science The Nature of Science

Learning in On-line and Learning in On-line and Face-to-Face Face-to-Face InteractionsInteractions

Bridget BurkeBridget BurkeCEP 806CEP 806

Professor WongProfessor Wong20072007

Setting IntroductionSetting Introduction

The purpose of the inquiry:The purpose of the inquiry: Three different challengesThree different challenges Three different settingsThree different settings Three different Three different

experiencesexperiences

Three different settings:Three different settings: Synchronous ChatSynchronous Chat Asynchronous PostingAsynchronous Posting Face-to-FaceFace-to-Face

Which setting would Which setting would prove to be the best prove to be the best

experience?experience?

What challenges would What challenges would each setting create?each setting create?

Could we find a way to Could we find a way to overcome the challenges overcome the challenges

and be successful?and be successful?

Challenge 1:Challenge 1:Tower of PencilsTower of Pencils

The first challenge was to have a The first challenge was to have a synchronous chat while constructing synchronous chat while constructing the tallest possible free standing the tallest possible free standing tower using nothing more than…tower using nothing more than…

20 pencils20 pencils Unlimited rubber bandsUnlimited rubber bands Tape MeasureTape Measure

The Base…The Base…After trying to use ANGEL After trying to use ANGEL

Chat we switched to Chat we switched to GoogleTalk as we could GoogleTalk as we could all talk together. The all talk together. The beginning was a struggle beginning was a struggle as we tried to find as we tried to find alternative ways to chat.alternative ways to chat.

We all began sharing ideas We all began sharing ideas and helping each other and helping each other create a triangular 3-D create a triangular 3-D base.base.

Base + OneBase + One

We then started working We then started working to build the tower up to build the tower up from the our bases.from the our bases.

At this point the At this point the interaction became interaction became interrupted as it interrupted as it became harder to became harder to type, take pictures, type, take pictures, and build all at the and build all at the same time. same time.

Tower is growing…Tower is growing…

The chat at this point The chat at this point became more of a became more of a question and question and problem place as problem place as opposed to a opposed to a discussion.discussion.

As these questions As these questions came about it was came about it was hard to communicate hard to communicate what each other what each other were doing.were doing.

Tower Reaches Maximum Tower Reaches Maximum Height…Height…

45 Inches!45 Inches!Unless we wanted to get Unless we wanted to get

into email and share into email and share pictures, we did not pictures, we did not have a way to share a have a way to share a visual.visual.

Although the chat allowed Although the chat allowed us a forum to talk, it was us a forum to talk, it was not convenient to show not convenient to show our results. The our results. The communication was communication was weak and not as good of weak and not as good of an interaction as hoped.an interaction as hoped.

Challenge 2:Challenge 2:CatapultCatapult

The second challenge was an The second challenge was an asynchronous posting to construct a asynchronous posting to construct a catapult that produces the longest catapult that produces the longest average distance on three consecutive average distance on three consecutive throws using…throws using…

Two Rubber Bands (power the catapult)Two Rubber Bands (power the catapult) Unlimited Pencils, Toothpicks, and Rubber Unlimited Pencils, Toothpicks, and Rubber

BandsBands Ping Pong BallPing Pong Ball Tape MeasureTape Measure

The Beginning…The Beginning…We created a Google We created a Google

Page and each Page and each participated in the participated in the discussion for four discussion for four days.days.

The discussion started The discussion started about how to about how to construct the base construct the base which started as a which started as a square with two other square with two other stairs rubber banded stairs rubber banded togethertogether

Challenges…Challenges…The time gap between days The time gap between days

and postings forced pauses and postings forced pauses in the progress or our work in the progress or our work when we ran into when we ran into challenges or setbacks.challenges or setbacks.

I struggled with creating the I struggled with creating the basket for the catapult as I basket for the catapult as I could not create a straight could not create a straight edge. It took a couple days edge. It took a couple days of postings and trials until I of postings and trials until I was able to construct a was able to construct a basket that would work.basket that would work.

Success Through Success Through CollaborationCollaboration

After several interactions we After several interactions we finally found a way to finally found a way to attach the arm and create a attach the arm and create a basket to hold the ping basket to hold the ping pong ball. pong ball.

Thanks to some research Thanks to some research from one of the group from one of the group members we were able to members we were able to see pictures of how the arm see pictures of how the arm and rubber bands should and rubber bands should be placed to power the be placed to power the catapult.catapult.

Different ApproachesDifferent ApproachesAlthough this challenge Although this challenge

allowed for allowed for collaboration in collaboration in different places in different places in which we were all able which we were all able to create a model, it to create a model, it posed many challenges posed many challenges as well.as well.

We again struggled with We again struggled with the setbacks of not the setbacks of not being able to readily being able to readily see and test ideas see and test ideas together. This made together. This made the experience quite the experience quite frustrating.frustrating.

Challenge 3:Challenge 3:Egg DropEgg Drop

This challenge was to use the materials to This challenge was to use the materials to construct a package for one egg that will construct a package for one egg that will prevent it from breaking when dropped prevent it from breaking when dropped from 8 feet above a hard surface.from 8 feet above a hard surface.

One BalloonOne BalloonTwo Sheets of Printer PaperTwo Sheets of Printer PaperToilet Paper RollToilet Paper RollFour Cells from Styrofoam Egg CartonFour Cells from Styrofoam Egg CartonScotch TapeScotch TapeSmall EggsSmall EggsTape MeasureTape Measure

A Package for Our EggA Package for Our Egg

Without realizing it we Without realizing it we broke down into roles. broke down into roles. I read the directions I read the directions and took pictures. and took pictures. Chris was the actual Chris was the actual hands on builder.hands on builder.

We placed the egg in We placed the egg in the toilet paper tube the toilet paper tube and placed the tube and placed the tube into one of the egg into one of the egg cartons.cartons.

We then decided to We then decided to change it and lay the change it and lay the egg in the bottom. And egg in the bottom. And taped the tube on top. taped the tube on top.

Then we taped the Then we taped the balloon on top to balloon on top to function as a parachute.function as a parachute.

Lastly we taped crunched Lastly we taped crunched paper on the bottom of paper on the bottom of the egg cartons to the egg cartons to function as added function as added padding.padding.

The Big Drop!The Big Drop!

5....4.....3.....2.....1…..DROP!

The egg took the 8 foot plunge to the hard kitchen floor.

It Survives!It Survives!

The egg survived the The egg survived the crash in it’s package crash in it’s package without a crack!without a crack!

I was excited that our I was excited that our egg had made it egg had made it through the crash, through the crash, but I was more but I was more surprised by some surprised by some other results of this other results of this challenge.challenge.

I felt there was less sharing of ideas in I felt there was less sharing of ideas in this face-to-face project then in the this face-to-face project then in the previous two. Perhaps when working previous two. Perhaps when working face-to-face it is easier to let someone face-to-face it is easier to let someone take charge and create more of the take charge and create more of the project. I found myself not asking as project. I found myself not asking as many questions and going along with many questions and going along with my partners ideas more than testing my partners ideas more than testing my own.my own.

Face-to-face opportunities do Face-to-face opportunities do allow you to see , quickly work allow you to see , quickly work though ideas, and make changes.though ideas, and make changes.

I had predicted that the face-to-I had predicted that the face-to-face would be more interactive. face would be more interactive. In reality I felt that I had an easier In reality I felt that I had an easier time sharing my ideas in the other time sharing my ideas in the other projects as we all were able to projects as we all were able to post information. We also had to post information. We also had to each create our own thus we all each create our own thus we all had more of a hands on had more of a hands on experience.experience.

In each situation we found a way to overcome the challenges and create a successful outcome.

Although each situation presented it’s positives and negatives they were all ways in which we could collaborate and work on projects in different settings or situations. Overall it was the combination of all the different challenges placed together that made the experience.

Perhaps it’s best stated by John Suler Perhaps it’s best stated by John Suler in in The Psychology of Cyberspace.The Psychology of Cyberspace.

Balance is important. Balance is important.

Settings that effectively Settings that effectively blend blend the familiar with the familiar with the novel – the novel – reality with reality with fantasy - can be fantasy - can be very very powerful in engendering powerful in engendering

the feeling of fully "being the feeling of fully "being there." there."

ResourceResource John, Sulers. "The Psychology of Cyberspace ." 5.1 (2003). 14 John, Sulers. "The Psychology of Cyberspace ." 5.1 (2003). 14

Nov. 2007 Nov. 2007 <http://www-usr.rider.edu/~suler/psycyber/presence.html>. <http://www-usr.rider.edu/~suler/psycyber/presence.html>.

Special Thanks to Special Thanks to PartnersPartnersAndrea Dolan

Audra Wheeler

Chris Brown