Knowledge Acquisition in Computer-Based Learning Environments among Elementary Children

Abstract

The need to understand how children acquire knowledge in computer-based learning environments led the researcher to undertake this study. The purpose was to develop a conceptualization of what learning strategies children frequently use to process conceptually demanding material. The goal was to expose children to different categories of courseware that featured multimedia, drill and practice, simulations, tutorials, spreadsheets, and databases; and to determine learning strategies including elaboration, organization, integration, and recall. The object was to compare the types of learning strategy and nature of knowledge forms acquired during the process of learning the given material in a subject area. The study was conducted at Washington Elementary School; and participants were children in the third through sixth grades. Data was collected by using surveys, formal observations, and formative and summative evaluation procedures. Results show that 80 percent of the time the students had attention focused on the learning material and gained an elevated level of awareness. The learning strategies imagery, exemplifying, and networking were used 70 percent of the time as means to gain conceptual knowledge, factual knowledge, procedural knowledge, and develop high order thinking. The learning strategies covert practice, overt practice, and identifying key ideas were used 60 percent of the time to gain conceptual knowledge, factual knowledge, procedural knowledge, and rules in the subject areas. The learning strategy categorization was used 40 percent of the time as means to gain conceptual knowledge, factual knowledge, procedural knowledge, and rules. The learning strategies sentence elaboration and anticipation were used 30 percent of the time to gain conceptual knowledge, factual knowledge, procedural knowledge, rules, high-order rules, and develop high order thinking. These findings have implications to learning and knowledge acquisition in computer-based learning environments, instructional design, program development and improvement, and technology and teacher education.