Mediating PBL in a Wiki environment (cont’d)

Time period: 8-10 weeks in Semester 1 (24 May – 2 Sep) 2005

Sample size: 30 or more second-year students in one or two classes; 3 or 4 students per group

Quantitative: PBL rubric, interviews with students

Qualitative: Content analysis, observation (anecdotal data), and perhaps concept mapping

Research Question 3: Does the wiki enable or hinder the students at various stages of problem solving?

Research Questions	Data Sources	Data Analysis
a) Would the students find it effective to use the wiki to solve problems? Observations of participation in class and in the wiki (by researcher and lecturer)	Interviews with students, on group and/or one-to-one basis, to gauge perceptions of problem solving with the wiki Bangert-Drowns & Pike’s 7 engagement modes (Appendices C and D).	Constructs for usage, perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use during problem solving (Appendix E)
b) How often would the students activate cognitive / meta-cognitive processes at various PBL stages?	Students’ compilation changes and discussions (History, Comments and Shoutbox in the wiki)	Content Analysis: Researcher and lecturer will code/rate based scheme adapted from one or more of the analysis frameworks in Appendix A: Tables 1-7.
c) How would the students perform?	Students’ compilations and comments in the wiki	Students’ models or concept maps in the beginning, middle and at the end of solving the problem. (to be confirmed) PBL rubric (Appendix B) Compare and contrast for conceptual shifts.

Dates	Task
End Apr	Complete literature review. Choose suitable PBL approach for the study.
Mid May	Finalize problem scenario, scaffoldings and rubric for selected PBL approach.
30 May	[Semester 1, 2005 starts in NP.] Introduce a simple problem solving exercise that involves using the wiki, e.g. compile useful information from given resources.
13 Jun	Introduce problem scenario and scaffolding links/pages (e.g., templates, facilitating questions, cognitive prompts, and so on) to the students.
13 Jun – 26 Aug	[Break week in 11-15 July.] PBL in progress. Observe selected class sessions.
29 Aug – 2 Sep	Conduct semi-structured interviews with the students, on group or one-to-one basis.
5 – 16 Sep	[Study and exam weeks.] Collate changes and comments made by students (e.g. History, Comments and Shoutbox in the wiki) over the weeks. [Semester 1, 2005 ends. Vacation starts.]
Oct - Nov	Complete data analysis and wrap up report.