The systems model approach can be modified with the application of constructivist tenets to fit the conditions of nonlinear, Web-based instruction. Constructivism is based on the premise that knowledge is not something that can be transferred from one person to another, but instead must be built by each individual. In a constructivist Web-based instructional system, students learn by doing. Knowledge is constructed through experience and learning is an active process. 

In a constructivist Web-based instructional system, learning is based on students' active participation in problem-solving and critical thinking regarding a learning activity that they find relevant and engaging. The student's role is active, not passive, in this setting. The Web-based medium becomes a learning environment that offers more than just text to read followed by a multiple-choice question to answer. This article describes how we used the systems approach model to provide a base for the design and development of an instructional system for an online learning environment for science education.

New reform efforts taking place in science education today are framed by the tenets of constructivism. Constructivist theorists regard learning as an active process in which a learner constructs knowledge and understanding in an active manner through personal experience or experiential activities. Learners "construct" their own knowledge by testing ideas and approaches based on their prior knowledge and experience, applying these to a new situation, and integrating the new knowledge gained with preexisting intellectual constructs. In essence, students learn by doing. 

Constructivism has its roots in twentieth century psychology and philosophy and the developmental perspectives of Piaget (1954), Kant (1959), Bruner (1966), and Vygotsky (1978). The act of learning is not simply the acquisition of bits of information that then are recycled through summative assessment. Instead it is the process of learning, the act of solving the problem, that becomes predominant in the experience. 

Another focus of the current reform movement in science education is to develop students' ability regarding inquiry as well as understanding of inquiry. The National Research Council, in its National Science Education Standards (1996), defines scientific inquiry as "diverse ways in which scientists study the natural world and propose explanations based on the evidence derived from their work." Inquiry also refers to the activities of students in which they develop knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas, as well as an understanding of how scientists study the natural world.

The process of scientific inquiry can be embedded in a Web-based instructional system. In such a system, the learning process is facilitated by an environment that emphasizes active student involvement. The Web-based medium becomes a learning space where students can make observations, classify objects, communicate observations and data, make measurements, formulate inferences, and make predictions. Furthermore, online scientific inquiry can be facilitated by resources students explore from distant geographical locations, including remote environments, laboratories, museums, and reference libraries.

"One of the main goals of this project was to create an online environment for primary, middle school, and upper secondary students of varying abilities to engage in authentic scientific inquiry …"
 

In response to the demand of reform efforts and the lack of an appropriate design model approach, the Carolina Coastal Science project commenced with an idea to develop a Web site that was an organized, nonlinear information resource in the context of an inquiry-based constructivist learning environment. Most of the content would be original, created specifically for the site, while other material would be available via links to other sites. 

One of the main goals of this project was to create an online environment for primary, middle school, and upper secondary students of varying abilities to engage in authentic scientific inquiry, including identifying questions that guide scientific investigation, using technology to improve investigations and communications, formulating scientific explanations using logic and evidence, recognizing and analyzing alternative explanations and models, and communicating and defending a scientific argument. This instructional system was created on the World Wide Web because the nature of hypertext markup language (HTML) supports a user-centered learning environment through a nonlinear information landscape. Also, a Web site is not a static entity. It can be a dynamic, changing entity in ways that are simply not possible with traditional printed material. Designing effective materials for science educators that provide instructional strategies based on constructivist approaches and various uses of technology was a challenge of this project. 

Another important goal of the design and development process was to create a user-friendly interface that would make it easy for novice teachers and students to navigate within the Web site. Table 2 lists design considerations that were taken into account in developing the Carolina Coastal Science Web site. Several modes of learning and teaching strategies were chosen to be available to the users, including a role-playing simulation/debate, open-ended inquiries, guided inquiries, independent research, and cooperative group learning. 

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