Examining Collective Inquiry and Knowledge Advances in a Knowledge Building Environment

Abstract

This paper examined the role of a designed computer-supported knowledge building environment on domain knowledge, nature of Knowledge Forum® (KF) contribution, and explanatory and collective inquiry in KF. Participants were forty Grade 9 students studied in a Chinese language and literature course in a Hong Kong secondary school. Students worked in a computer-supported knowledge building environment used Knowledge Forum® (KF), an online discussion platform, to engaged in the collaborative inquiry and pursued of idea improvement. Analyses indicated that there is a significantly prepost improvement in domain knowledge; as well, students also viewed their experience in knowledge building classroom more positively in terms of collaboration and learning approaches. Correlation analysis suggested that KF participation, KF engagement, students’ explanatory inquiry, views of collaboration and learning approaches were correlated. Furthermore, regression analysis showed that students’ KF participation, rise-above efforts, and KB explanatory inquiry predicted students’ domain understanding. Implications of examining the knowledge building environment on students’ views on collaboration, approaches to learning and domain knowledge are discussed.