Learning through ecological inquiries using a virtual learning environment

The Virtual Ecological Inquiry (VEI), a virtual learning environment for ecology education and assessment research, is developed through a collaborative project between the Information Technology in Science Center for Teaching and Learning at Texas A&M University and the Computer Network Information Center of Chinese Academy of Sciences. It provides opportunities for the learner to observe ecological patterns, generate testable hypotheses, design and conduct virtual field investigations, analyze the data, and make ecological interpretations, based on the landscape ecology of the Wolong Natural Reserve. In addition to having attitude surveys and rubrics for assessing student learning and attitudes toward ecology, VEI enables collection of behavioral data of registered users to explore the learning processes.  An inquiry lab using the main components of the VEI was implemented in a multiple section ecology lab course in 2005 and 2006.  A study on leaning behavior of single vs. paired users of VEI was conducted and time on task and use pattern were examined to assess the learning behavior. Preliminary results showed limited differences in average time on task between single and paired users. The variability in time on task for the paired users was lower for hypothesis generation and design of investigation but higher for field investigation and data analysis than single users.  In conjunction of field-based inquiries, virtual inquiries using learning environments like VEI can potentially help engage students, broaden their ecological experiences, and enhance learning while enable research to explore how these e-learning approaches affect student learning.