In the study, young adolescents’ hypothesis development in a computer-supported and problem-based learning environment was examined in terms of two empirical studies. The first study examined the effect of metacognitive scaffolds to strengthening hypothesis development as well as the influence of hypothesis development in the promotion of young adolescents’ problem solving performance in an ill-structured problem solving environment, Animal Investigator. Data was collected from sixth grade students (N = 172). The findings of the study indicated that participants using metacognitive scaffolds attained significantly higher hypothesis-development performance. Results also revealed that the hypothesis-development performance showed the predictive power of the solution development performance. In the second study, the researcher examined three factors, motivation, metacognition, and prior domain knowledge, as a predictor for children’s hypothesisdevelopment performance in the problem-based learning environment. A hypothesized model was evaluated using structural equation modeling, which is a statistical method of causal relationships. Data were collected from sixth grade students (N = 101) in treatment groups. Two significant factors toward children’s hypothesis-development performance in an ill-structured problem solving environment were determined: Prior domain knowledge and metacognition. Implications and limitations of the present study and issues including the experimental design are discussed.

This study develops a computer-based interactive content design framework to guide the design of metacognitive scaffolds in ill-structured problem-solving instruction. It adopts Type II design and development research approach to create a comprehensive and generalizable instructional design framework. The framework was composed by synthesizing research and practical literature, and then evaluated by experts in related fields. The completed framework includes metacognitive strategies, instructional design strategies, interactive media types, question prompts, and feedback. Instructional designers, instructors, and other key stakeholders could follow the guidelines proposed in this framework to create metacognitive-based ill-structured problem-solving instruction using e-Learning authoring tools. On one hand, this study bridges the gap between theory and practice; on the other hand, it adds to literature in media research with focusing on utilizing various media types to create effective learning materials. / Doctor of Philosophy / This study aims to develop an interactive content design framework to guide the design of metacognitive scaffolds in ill-structured problem-solving instruction. It applies the Type II design and development research method. The framework was proposed by synthesizing pertinent literature, and then evaluated by experts in related fields. The completed framework includes metacognitive strategies, instructional design strategies, interactive media types, question prompts, and feedback. Instructional designers, instructors, and other key stakeholders could follow the guidelines to create computer-mediated instruction using e-Learning authoring tools. On one hand, this study bridges the gap between theory and practice; on the other hand, it adds to literature in media research with implementing various media types to create effective learning materials.

Professional competencies are explicitly identified in the primary learning outcomes for science and engineering degrees at many tertiary institutions.  Fulfillment of the requirements to equip our students with these skills, while formally acknowledged as important by all stakeholders, can be hard to demonstrate in practice.  Most degree awarding institutions would have difficulties if asked to document where in degree programs such competencies are developed. The work in this thesis addresses the issue of professional competencies from several angles.  The Open-Ended Group Project (OEGP) concept is introduced and proposed as an approach to constructing learning environments in which students’ development of professional competencies can be stimulated and assessed.  Scholarly, research-based development of the IT in Society course unit (ITiS) is described and analyzed in order to present ideas for tailoring OEGP-based course units towards meeting learning objectives related to professional competence.  Work in this thesis includes an examination of both the meanings attributed to the term professional competencies, and methods which can be used to assess the competencies once they are agreed on. The empirical work on developing ITiS is based on a framework for educational research, which has been both refined and extended as an integral part of my research.  The action research methodology is presented and concrete examples of implementations of different pedagogical interventions, based on the methodology, are given.  The framework provides support for relating a theoretical foundation to studies, or development, of learning environments.  The particular theoretical foundation for the examples in this thesis includes, apart from the action research methodology, constructivism, conceptual change, threshold concepts, communities of practice, ill-structured problem solving, the reflective practicum, and problem based learning. The key finding in this thesis is that development and assessment of professional competencies is not a pipe dream.  Assessment can be accomplished, and the OEGP concept provides a flexible base for creating an appropriate learning environment for this purpose. / <p>Felaktigt tryckt som Digital Comprehensive Summaries of Uppsala Dissertations from the Faculty of Science and Technology 738</p>