Evaluation of Scholarly Sources

Scholarly Articles on Networking Computers into Learning and Education

In this article, I analyze two scholarly articles that discuss studies about learning through the assistance of computers, which, although not directly related to the recent controversy this year over a lack of transparency in the evaluation of research projects competing for national recognition in China, are related in that the award winning project was related to computer networking and each of the studies in the articles were using networking of computers into learning environments.

Bartmoni, "Walden Computer" 22 November 2009 via commons.wikimedia.org.
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.

(PLEASE SEE MY COMMENT BELOW, SEAN)
In their article, "Measuring Knowledge Elaboration Based on a Computer-Assisted Knowledge Map Analytical Approach to Collaborative Learning," authors Lanqin Zheng, Ronghuai Huang, Gwo-Jen Hwang and Kaicheng Yang describe a study in which they used computer mapping of knowledge and information to test how undergraduate groups gained knowledge and if prior knowledge on research topics assisted their knowledge gain.

The purpose of this article was primarily to inform readers of a study conducted with 185 undergraduate students divided into groups of three or four members, which were each instructed to learn as much as they could on one of two topics (which were related to curriculum or economics). The study, as assisted by advanced computer networking through the mapping of knowledge and information, tested to see if groups' prior knowledge on the topics given to them to research influenced how much knowledge they gained in the exercise. The result, as quantified by computer-assisted knowledge mapping, was that prior knowledge and performance of the group as a whole both were positively related to successful learning.

This article was published by the International Forum of Educational Technology & Society via the internet.

The article, in its massive list of 25+ references, cited numerous other studies in learning that were published in journals as articles, just like the article in question.

The authors were Lanqin Zheng,Ronghuai Huang, Gwo-Jen Hwang, and Kaicheng Yang, who are all professors at Beijing's School of Education Technology (Zheng, Huang, Yang) or at the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (Hwang).

The intended audience of this article is most likely educators who are interested in group dynamics in learning and possibly educators who are interested in integrating computers into learning exercises for the purpose of enabling groups to work better and assess their knowledge more adequately.

I found this article on JSTOR.org when I searched for scientific studies related to computer networking in China.

The article "An Augmented Reality-based Mobile Learning System to Improve Students’ Learning Achievements and Motivations in Natural Science Inquiry Activities" was about implementing a computer-enhanced digital reality mobile learning system to assist in fourth graders' learning.

The purpose of the article is to detail a study for scientifically-inclined readers that proved that a mobile learning system that augments reality through computer-assistance improves fourth graders' performance in learning inquiries and motivation to learn as compared to traditional methods of learning. Ultimately, the article seeks to inform readers that teaching with computer-assisted learning systems can result in more confidant, motivated students.

This article was also published by the International Forum of Educational Technology & Society, via the internet.

The references cited in the article were almost all other studies done in learning with computers and journals related to education and technology.

The authors of the article were Tosti H. C. Chiang, Stephen J. H. Yang, and Gwo-Jen Hwang (again!), who are professors or hold positions at National Central University of Taiwan (Chiang,Yang), or National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (Hwang).

The intended audience for this article is educators or parents of young children who are worried or interesting in working computers into their students' curriculums in order to facilitate increasing learning performance.

I discovered this article through JSTOR.org when I ordered a search on Chinese studies relating to networking computers in a scientific context. It seems to me that scientists in China and specifically Taiwan have conducted many studies with computers in an educational context.