Exploring the Effects of Constructive Learning Activities on Web-Based Learning

Author: Ming-Puu Chen, Liang-Pao Chuang, Yu-Sheng Lin(Department of Information and Computer Education, National Taiwan Normal University)

Vol.&No.：Vol. 47, No.2
Date：October 2002
Pages：71-82
DOI：10.6300/JNTNU.2002.47(2).01

Abstract：

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the type of learning activity and cognitive style on learners' web-based learning performance. One hundred and forty- four vocational high school students participated in the experiment. Two-way ANCOVAs were conducted in analyzing the collected data, with learners' prior knowledge of the computer network as the covariant. Participants' attitudes toward web-based learning activities were ascertained through questionnaires given to them immediately after these learning activities were completed. The results showed that both the knowledge-map- construction activity and the knowledge-map-browsing activity were effective in facilitating learning of factual and complex declarative knowledge. Field-independent learners outperformed field-dependent learners on the post-test of complex declarative knowledge. The interaction between cognitive style and learning activity was not significant in this study. In general, participants showed a positive attitude toward using knowledge-map activities in web-based learning environments. Participants also showed a greater tendency to use the knowledge-map-construction activity than the knowledge-map- browsing activity.

Keywords：web-based learning, cognitive style, knowledge construction, knowledge-map

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