[[alternative]]A Web-based Simulation Learning Environment with Instructional Supports

[[abstract]]The main objectives of this research are (1) to establish a web-based simulation learning environment with instructional supports (2) to investigate the difference of learning efficiency between the web-based simulation learning and the activity of traditional lab (3) to investigate the learning effects of students who have various inferential abilities under the web-based simulation learning environment with different instructional supports. The instructional support environment designed includes providing learners with pre-requisite knowledge and evaluation, the support of hypothesis generation, sequential guidance, and notes for recording the learning process. The target audience of this research is the second graders of junior high schools students who live in the megalopolis of North Taiwan. While investigating the learning effects of the web-based simulation learning and the activity of traditional lab, four classes were randomly chosen. One class was assigned to the traditional lab group, one class was assigned to the self-orientated hypothesis group, one class was assigned to the selective-composition hypothesis group, and the other was assigned to sequential guidance group. The total number of selected students is 153. While investigating the relationship between instructional supports and inferential ability of students, six classes were randomly chosen. Two classes were assigned to the self-orientated hypothesis group, two classes were assigned to the selective-composition hypothesis group, and the others were assigned to sequential guidance group. The total number of selected students is 231. The course in this experiment focused on the nature of image generation through optical lens which appears in Science Course of junior high schools.. We found that the learning effects of the groups of web-based simulation learning are all superior than the group of lab learning. As for the relationship between instructional supports and inferential abilities of students, there is no interaction between instructional supports and inferential abilities. The post-test of high inferential group under different instructional support environments is obviously superior to the post-test of the middle-low group. The post-test of the self-orientated hypothesis and selective-composition hypothesis groups is apparently superior to the sequential guidance group. As for the analysis of learning process, the accurate rate of experimental design of the self-orientated hypothesis group is better than the sequential guidance group. Besides, most students just give affirmative attitude for the learning activity of the web-based simulation learning environment which has instructional supports.