scholarly journals Thinking with External Representations

2013 ◽  
pp. 171-194 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Kirsh
Keyword(s):  
External Representations

Biochemistry instructors’ use of intentions for student learning to evaluate and select external representations of protein translation

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 787-803
Author(s):  
Thomas J. Bussey ◽  
MaryKay Orgill
Keyword(s):  
Student Learning ◽  
Visual Cues ◽  
Bond Formation ◽  
Protein Translation ◽  
Peptide Bond ◽  
External Representation ◽  
External Representations ◽  
Peptide Bond Formation ◽  
Scientific Phenomena ◽  
Selection Of

Instructors draw on their intentions for student learning in the enactment of curriculum, particularly in the selection and presentation of external representation of scientific phenomena. These representations both create opportunities for students to experience non-experiential biochemical phenomena, such as protein translation, and constrain the possibilities for student learning based on the limited number of features depicted and the visual cues used to draw viewers attention to those features. In this study, we explore biochemistry instructors’ intentions for student learning about protein translation and how those intentions influence their selection of external representations for instruction. A series of instructor interviews were used to identify information that students need to know in order to develop a biochemically accurate understanding of protein translation. We refer to this information as the “critical features” of protein translation. Two dominant themes of critical features were identified: (1) components/structures of protein translation and (2) interactions/chemistry of protein translation. Three general components (the ribosome, the mRNA, and the tRNA) and two primary interactions (base pairing and peptide bond formation) were described by all instructors. Instructors tended to favor simpler, stylized representations that closely aligned with their stated critical features of translation for instructional purposes.

scholarly journals Supporting awareness of content-related controversies in a wiki-based learning environment

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sven Heimbuch ◽  
Daniel Bodemer
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Study ◽  
Learning Environment ◽  
Knowledge Construction ◽  
Learning Processes ◽  
User Generated Content ◽  
External Representations ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Discussion Threads ◽  
Contradictory Evidence ◽  
Awareness Support

User generated content in wikis is mainly distributed on the article view and its corresponding talk page. Potentials of analyzing and supporting discussants' knowledge construction processes on the level of talk pages have still been rarely researched. The presented experimental study addresses this issue by providing external representations of content-related controversies which were led by contradictory evidence between discussants to foster awareness on socio-cognitive conflicts which can be beneficial for learning. Its aim is to investigate how increased salience of controversies can guide participants' (N = 81) navigation and learning processes. Three conditions differing in their degree of awareness support were implemented in this study. Results indicate that the implementation of awareness representations helped students to focus on meaningful discussion threads. Findings suggest that wiki talk page users can benefit from additional structuring aids.

scholarly journals Extended mathematical cognition: external representations with non-derived content

Synthese ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 197 (9) ◽  
pp. 3757-3777 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karina Vold ◽  
Dirk Schlimm
Keyword(s):  
Mathematical Cognition ◽  
External Representations
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