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analysis and discussion of archive video material, they could learn using gen-
eral film analysis methodology to de-compose and to evaluate the video source,
thereby developing a critical stance and understanding of the diversity of ideas
during their collaboration. Furthermore, they could learn to design a web page,
to present their own ideas on the Berlin-Blockade and work creatively with
them.
Our task was first tested in a pilot laboratory experiment (Zahn, Pea, Hesse &
Rosen, in press) with a sample of psychology students. We investigated both the gen-
eral effectiveness of the task and the specific effects of how students use the digital
video tool DIVER/WebDIVER
TM
, in contrast to a control condition using “sim-
pler” technology (video-player and text-editor). We examined the possible implicit
impact of the different technologies on design products, dyads' conversations, and
individual learning and skills acquisition. According to our underlying assumptions,
the video tools were considered to be prototypical examples of either providing
specific support in terms of technical affordances for the dyads' activities and socio-
cognitive efforts (WebDIVER
TM
) or not providing such support (video player and
text editor). The results revealed generally high appraisal of the task and significant
positive effects of the WebDIVER
TMM
video tool concerning design, knowledge,
and visual skills acquisition. The affordances of WebDIVER
TM
thus enhanced the
quality of participants' design activities. Moreover, the influence of the video tools
extended to the learners' socio-cognitive processes and focused their interactions on
the task.
Integration into “Noisy” Classroom Settings—Initial Results
from a Field Study
What follows are results from a field experiment (see Zahn, Krauskopf, Hesse &
Pea, submitted) with 234 students in four German secondary schools. The same task
was applied with 10th grade students (70% female, age M
=
15.9 years, SD
=
0.8).
A2
2 factorial experimental design was applied to test impacts of digital video
technology, on the one hand, and shared media-related goals, on the other. More
precisely, concerning the first factor, we again compared DIVER/WebDIVER
TM
with a Player & Text condition, as in our lab experiment. Concerning the second
factor of the impact of shared media goals, we compared two different task goals
provided with the instructions for “creating Dives” vs. “creating annotated movies”.
The media goals were based on the findings of Stahl (2005) that metaphors guide
text-based construction of hyper-structures. As dependent variables we consid-
ered students' collaborative design activities, design products, dyads' conversations,
motivation and knowledge and visual skills acquisition.
The procedure was divided into four steps (see Fig. 25.6), of which steps 2 and
3 should support collaborative problem solving: In step 1, students completed a
questionnaire assessing 'participants topic- related prior knowledge, general inter-
est in history, prior computer experiences, and knowledge about media production.
In step 2, a phase of individual inquiry followed, where the students watched a
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