PIViT

Definition

PIViT standards for "Project investigation and Visualization tool" is a Project Support Environment initially designed for science teachers and its main feature is a concept mapping tool.

The PIViT architecture

According to

• Design Window: The design window supports teachers in creating "project maps", graphical representations of the design of a project that highlight the connectedness among the individual components including concepts, driving questions, curricular objectives, investigations, teacher activities, and artifacts.

• Concept Map: In order to rationalize the design of a project, teachers need to identify the content that will be explored by students in performing the project. The concept mapping window supports teachers by allowing them to map out concepts and their relationships.

• Calendar: PIViT supports teachers in linearizing and temporalizing their non-linear project designs. Teachers can insert PIViT components (e.g., teacher activities, student investigations) from the design window into the calendar window

• Libraries: Libraries are mini-databases that support teachers in collecting and reusing related components. For example, teachers need not develop all the student investigations themselves. Rather, teacher can collect a variety of investigations from commercial materials or from other projects and store them in a student investigation library which they construct. They can they draw on these investigations and modify them when working on their own related projects.

References

• Brade, K., Krajcik, J.S., Soloway, E., Blumenfeld, P.C., & Marx, R.W. (1995). Project investigation and Visualization tool: Project planning tool. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan.

• Germann, P., & Young-soo, K. (2001). Heightening reflection through dialogue: A case for electronic journaling and electronic concept mapping in science classes. Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, [Online serial], 1 (3) . Available: HTML/PDF

• Soloway Elliot, Joseph S. Krajcik, Phyllis Blumenfeld and Ronald Marx (1995). Technological Support For Teachers Transitioning to Project-Based Science Practices, Preprint for a chapter of Koschmann, T. (Editor). CSCL: Theory and Practice of an Emerging Paradigm. Lawrence Erlbaum Assoc. HTML, retrieved 17:05, 12 July 2006 (MEST).