Information Environment Project
Overview
The Information Environment Project is a National Science Foundation funded technology project to design and integrate a set of computer-based tools for developing higher-order thinking skills at the college and secondary school levels. The innovative science curriculum uses computer-based intelligent systems, multimedia, and network technologies to create an environment that is student-centered, interdisciplinary, problem-based, and collaborative.
Collaboration
The project is a collaborative effort which partners the New Century College, the School of Information Technology and Engineering, and the Graduate School of Education at George Mason University and with Northern VA Community College and three local schools.
Research
This project pursues basic research questions concerning how to integrate effectively knowledge about science instruction, higher-order skills acquisition, instructional design, intelligent assessment, and computer networks. The research seeks to understand how computer-based and network technologies can be applied to:
- support the development of student higher-order thinking skills which are prerequisites for engaging in inquiry, scientific literacy, and problem solving;
- promote collaborative learning and support constructive access to scientific data and information and access to network-based resources for analyzing data;
- facilitate the development of student communications skills that are appropriate for communicating scientific knowledge in the multimedia age;
- facilitate student assessment from self-assessment to teacher assessment support problem-centered approaches to learning; and
- support problem-centered approaches to learning.
The project seeks to understand how emerging information technologies can be integrated to create a learning environment that supports new approaches to science instruction.
Background
The project brings together innovative pedagogy developed in the New Century College at George Mason University with information technology developed under the Computer Assisted Education and Training Initiative sponsored by the Defense Advance Research Projects Agency.