Designing A Principle‐Based Knowledge Building Environment for Collaborative Inquiry and Process Documentation in STEM Learning.
Background: Grounded in knowledge‐building theory, which posits learning as the collaborative advancement of community knowledge, existing research often overlooks the systematic documentation and reflective iteration of the learning process. This gap limits students' opportunities to engage in the...
| Publicado en: | Journal of Computer Assisted Learning Vol. 42; no. 2; pp. 1 - 24 |
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| Autores principales: | , , , , |
| Formato: | pictorial research tables/charts Journal Article |
| Publicado: |
Wiley-Blackwell
Apr2026
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| Acceso en línea: | Ver este registro en EBSCOhost |
| fields | @attributes: recordID: 1 pdfLink: plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ccm&AN=192476913&site=ehost-live header: @attributes: shortDbName: ccm uiTerm: 192476913 longDbName: CINAHL Complete uiTag: AN controlInfo: bkinfo: dissinfo: jinfo: jid: 02664909 6M1 jtl: Journal of Computer Assisted Learning issn: 02664909 maglogo: Y pubinfo: dt: Apr2026 vid: 42 iid: 2 pid: 480 pub: Wiley-Blackwell place: Malden, Massachusetts artinfo: ui: 192476913 192476913 192476913 10.1002/jcal.70207 192476913 ppf: 1 ppct: 23 formats: tig: atl: Designing A Principle‐Based Knowledge Building Environment for Collaborative Inquiry and Process Documentation in STEM Learning. aug: au: Kong, Jing Liu, Jialiang Chen, Gaowei Zhao, Jianhua Chan, Carol K. K. affil: FoShan University, School of Humanities, Foshan, China sug: subj: Learning Methods Problem-Based Learning Collaboration Learning Environment Science Education Technology Education Engineering Education Mathematics Education Education, Interdisciplinary Educational Technology Human Multimethod Studies Students, Undergraduate Discourse Analysis Documentation Funding Source China Female Male Young Adult Artifacts Thematic Analysis Analysis of Variance Path Analysis Factor Analysis Female Male ab: Background: Grounded in knowledge‐building theory, which posits learning as the collaborative advancement of community knowledge, existing research often overlooks the systematic documentation and reflective iteration of the learning process. This gap limits students' opportunities to engage in the epistemic practises central to knowledge advancement. Objectives: This study aims to design and implement a principle‐based knowledge‐building (KB) environment scaffolded by Knowledge Forum (KF) to investigate how this environment supports collaborative inquiry, process documentation, and artefact creation in STEM learning. Methods: We conducted a mixed‐methods study with 171 undergraduate students enrolled in a STEM education course over four months. The designed KB environment integrated KB principles with KF's discursive and visualisation tools. Data included KF interaction analytics, discourse analysis of KF notes, artefact assessments using a validated rubric, and an in‐depth case study of one group's project on preserving Yao Long Drum traditions. Results: Quantitative analysis confirmed that KF interaction significantly predicted artefact quality, mediated by high‐level discourse moves such as synthesising. Qualitative analysis of the case study demonstrated how KB scaffolds (e.g., My Theory, A Better Theory) guided students to progress from abstract problem identification (e.g., 'cultural confidence') to transdisciplinary solutions (e.g., digital emojis and ethnographic videos), making their iterative design visible, recordable, and improvable. Conclusion: The study demonstrates that a deliberately designed KB environment functions as a socio‐dynamic, process‐oriented system where documentation, discourse, and design co‐evolve. It provides a replicable model for using principle‐based scaffolds to make learning processes tangible, thereby fostering epistemic agency and culturally grounded innovation in STEM education. Practitioner Notes: What is already known about this topic ○Traditional STEM education often struggles to foster collaborative inquiry, iterative reflection, and documentation of learning processes, limiting students' ability to connect abstract concepts to real‐world challenges.○Technology‐enhanced environments like Knowledge Forum (KF) have shown promise in scaffolding collaborative knowledge building but require intentional design to align with pedagogical principles (e.g., epistemic agency, collective cognitive responsibility).○Effective knowledge‐building environments emphasise discourse quality, artefact creation, and shared accountability for advancing community knowledge.What this paper adds ○A principle‐based knowledge‐building environment (KBE), supported by Knowledge Forum (KF), enables students to document and reflect on STEM learning processes.○A KBE with the 'Theory‐building' scaffold fosters high‐level discourse, collaborative inquiry, and artefacts creation in STEM learning.○Discourse acts as a critical mediator, directly linking collaborative engagement to learning outcomes, with epistemic agency and iterative discourse enabling students to navigate complex design challenges.○The study positions KB as a socio‐dynamic system, bridging principles and STEM learning, where ideas, tools, and collaboration co‐evolve through process‐oriented documentation and reflection.Implications for practise and/or policy ○Leverage KB environments to connect STEM learning with real‐world cultural challenges, enabling learning process documentation and reflection○Integrate KB scaffolds (e.g., theory‐building) into STEM learning to foster epistemic agency and collective responsibility. pubtype: Academic Journal doctype: pictorial research tables/charts Journal Article ougenre: Article language: English refInfo: holdings: @attributes: islocal: N |
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