Virtual Destinations and Student Learning in Middle School: A Cas ...

Internet access to a museum increases outreach by bringing the museum to the student. Facilitated by technology, the museum / school partnership between the Portland State University biology museum and local area classrooms could generate a prolonged and vibrant relationship, making biology more interesting, fun, and accessible for students. It could bring the students’ understanding to an entirely new level. Such partnerships could help create new energy and promote innovative ideas about the mission and meaning of schools and museums (McKenzie, 1997).

Melber and Cox-Peterson (2001) suggest that these museum environments provide untapped potential to engage teachers in professional enhancement that integrates professionalism, content, and pedagogy. The use of computer technology in the classroom further enhances opportunities for learning and engagement. One step to understand how to further these partnerships is to study the effect of an interactive web-based software program on student engagement and learning.

Learning Engagement

Engaged students make a psychological investment in learning and are involved in their own learning (Newmann, 1992). The Apple Classrooms of Tomorrow (ACOT) longitudinal research study defines engagement to include variables for indicators such as initiative, motivation, independent experimentation, and enthusiasm or frustration (Sandholtz, Ringstaff, & Dwyer, 1994). This study looked at the engagement indicators of computer importance, computer enjoyment, motivation / persistence, and email use.

One longitudinal study (Smith, Butler-Kisber, LaRocque, Portelli, Shields, Sparkes, & Vibert, 1998) investigated secondary student engagement in learning and school life. The intent of the study was to try to see through the eyes of students and teachers and to convey their experiences. One teacher in the study indicated that student engagement means getting the students involved in learning and having them take responsibility for their learning. The teachers used terms such as “facilitator” and “guide” to describe their role with reference to student engagement in curriculum. Instead of being passive in the learning process, the students were very much involved and were actively engaged.