ERIC Number: EJ1473184
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025-Jun
Pages: 10
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0036-6803
EISSN: EISSN-1949-8594
Available Date: 2024-09-17
Fostering Students' Inquiry Aptitudes and Collaborative Reasoning in Higher Education Science Courses with Social Annotation Tools and Collaborative Platforms
School Science and Mathematics, v125 n3 p288-297 2025
Interactive digital technologies are playing an increasingly important part in education for enhancing collaborative learning processes and improving engagement. Social annotation (SA) tools and collaborative platforms are an innovative way to involve students to give and take feedback, annotate, and brainstorm on complex topics in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This article focuses on innovative practices that integrate inquiry-based discussions using SA tools and collaborative platforms to promote undergraduate students' interest and curiosity about sciences. In this article, lectures were combined with inquiry-based discussions using an open education SA tool and an open-access collaborative platform to engage students in a meaningful dialog with peers on scientific topics. Students debated with peers on scientific content in an online environment. Findings show that the integration of inquiry-based discussions using SA tools and collaborative platforms provides a practical way to effectively improve students interest in science. The information reported in this article can support STEM instructors in designing collaborative learning activities in online and hybrid settings that spark students' curiosity and inquiry attitude about natural sciences.
Descriptors: Skill Development, Science Process Skills, Thinking Skills, Inquiry, Cooperative Learning, Documentation, Educational Technology, STEM Education, Undergraduate Students, Science Interests, Science Instruction, Instructional Design, Science Activities, Learning Activities, Blended Learning, Natural Sciences
Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: Teachers
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: 1Department of Geology and Environmental Science, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA