Figures 6.1 to 6.12, and the data in tables 6.1 and 6.2, indicate that a lot of information about the thinking of the students while solving the mystery can be extracted from the clearly marked named groups, the notes, and the two types of sticky tapes. Figures 6.1 to 6.12 show screenshots at the end of the grouping and the sequencing stages for all the trials. From these figures it is possible to see only the general layouts. Tables 6.1 and 6.2 show the group names, the contents of
the notes, and the final answers for each group while solving Windy Creek. Tables 6.3 and 6.4, on the other hand, show the number of attempts for the grouping and sequencing stages, the names of the groups created, and the final answers for all the mystery trials.
While actual assessment of the attainment levels of the different groups is not required as part of the evaluation of Digital Mysteries, it is worthwhile exploring the role of the application in making such an assessment easy for the teacher. For the grouping stage, for example, the quality of the grouping can be readily identified as the groups are clearly distinguished and named, and in some cases groups are explained with associated notes (e.g. Figure 6.3 for group 1, trial 3). The figures make clear the extra amount of information made available through the use of the cognitive tools compared with what can be extracted from paper mysteries. As for the overall solution, contrasting the final layout and the written answers of group 1 (Figure 6.1, Table 6.1) and group 3 (Figure 6.9, Table 6.1), for example, make clear the difference in the achievement levels of these two groups. While group 3 failed to build a proper sequence even with the provision of hints from the application and the supervisor, group 1 built a webbed sequence without requiring any external support from the supervisor. The sequence of group 1 shows how students used the arrow shaped sticky tape to mark cause and effect but used the normal sticky tape for normal relations. The sequence is also split into a left section that relates to the reasons to stay and a right section that relates to the reasons to leave as marked by the two notes at the top of the sequence. Students in group 3 on the other hand, kept the slips in their groups and put a number of both types of sticky tapes randomly on the slips. While the written answer of group 1 “we think that she should leave because she can always visit family and friends if she moves and she could get a better job and car if she moves. Plus this means that she would not be wasting her education” takes into account family, friends, career, education, and how a better job can help her buy a car; the written answer of group 3 “she should move because it is hot there” ignored all the important facts and focused only on the weather issue. These two groups demonstrate that even with the enforced structure on the task, enforcing the creation of a minimum of four groups, and clear instruction and feedback prompts on how to build a proper webbed sequence, the design did not marginalize the difference between the ability levels of the different groups.
(a) Grouping
(b) Sequencing
Figure 6.1: Screenshots at the end of the grouping and sequencing stages for group 1, trial 1: Windy Creek.
(a) Grouping
(b) Sequencing
Figure 6.2: Screenshots at the end of the grouping and sequencing stages for group 1, trial 2: Oliver Hopkins.
(a) Grouping
(b) Sequencing
Figure 6.3: Screenshots at the end of the grouping and sequencing stages for group 1, trial 3: The Village Shop.
(a) Grouping
(b) Sequencing
Figure 6.4: Screenshots at the end of the grouping and sequencing stages for group 1, trial 4: Alice White.
(a) Grouping
(b) Sequencing
Figure 6.5: Screenshots at the end of the grouping and sequencing stages for group 2, trial 1: Windy Creek.
(a) Grouping
(b) Sequencing
Figure 6.6: Screenshots at the end of the grouping and sequencing stages for group 2, trial 2: Oliver Hopkins.
(a) Grouping
(b) Sequencing
Figure 6.7: Screenshots at the end of the grouping and sequencing stages for group 2, trial 3: The Village Shop.
(a) Grouping
(b) Sequencing
Figure 6.8: Screenshots at the end of the grouping and sequencing stages for group 2, trial 4: Alice White.
(a) Grouping
(b) Sequencing
Figure 6.9: Screenshots at the end of the grouping and sequencing stages for group 3 solving Windy Creek mystery.
(a) Grouping
(b) Sequencing
Figure 6.10: Screenshots at the end of the grouping and sequencing stages for group 4 solving Windy Creek mystery.
(a) Grouping
(b) Sequencing
Figure 6.11: Screenshots at the end of the grouping and sequencing stages for group 5 solving Windy Creek mystery.
(a) Grouping
(b) Sequencing
Figure 6.12: Screenshots at the end of the grouping and sequencing stages for group 6 solving Windy Creek mystery.
Table 6.1: Group names, notes, and the answers for groups 1, 2, and 3 solving Windy Creek mystery:Should Annie leave Windy Creek or should she stay? and why?
Group 1
Groups
1. for 2. against 3. family for
4. business for leaving 5. for and against Notes reasons for leaving
reasons for staying
Answer we think that she should leave because she can always visit family and friends if she moves and she could get a better job and car if she moves. plus this means that she would not be wasting her education.
Group 2 Groups 1. stay 2. leave 3. arizona 4. no money Notes
Answer leave to get a better job and shall be able to get a car so she will be able to visit her family Group 3 Groups 1. move 2. dont 3. maby move 4. maybe stay 5. notes
Notes well if it is hot she will suffer and if she goes 2 a cold place it is sometimes hot so where can she go
maby stay for the boy ranch for her boyfriend and to see her family but will be dangerous because it is sunny and suffers alergies caused mainly by the sun. Answer she should move because it is hot there.
Table 6.2: Group names, notes, and the answers for groups 4, 5, and 6 solving the Windy Creek mystery:Should Annie leave Windy Creek or should she stay? and why?
Group 4 Groups 1. were lives 2. education 3. hobbies 4. relationships 5. weather 6. population 7. shops Notes
this all tells you about where she lives and who with. this is the population in 1370
this tells you about the weather and her allergies. this is where shops are
this tells you her hobbies
this tells you that she wants to have a good education
Answer we think she should stay because she is with all of her family and she has a good education and job and she loves where she lives.
Group 5
Groups
1. arizona
2. reasons to move 3. reason to stay
4. reasons neither to stay or to go
Notes arizona sounds like its busy, maybe she doesnt like busy
towns/villages/cities/countries.
Answer she should go because there are alot more activities to do and more shops Group 6 Groups 1. stay 2. moving 3. not sure 4. distance Notes
this is to show the things to stay at Windy Creek things why she should move
good activities better education different allergies Answer more things to stay for
Table 6.3: The number of attempts, the groups created, and the answers for the six groups solving Windy Creek mystery: Should Annie leave Windy Creek or should she stay? and why?
Group Attempts Groups The answer
stg.2 stg.3
Grp1,T1 1 2 1. for
2. against 3. family for
4. business for leaving 5. for and against
we think that she should leave because she can always visit family and friends if she moves and she could get a better job and car if she moves. plus this means that she would not be wasting her education.
Grp2,T1 2 1
1. stay 2. leave 3. arizona 4. no money
leave to get a better job and shall be able to get a car so she will be able to visit her family
Grp3 1 2 1. move
2. dont 3. maby move 4. maybe stay 5. notes
she should move because it is hot there
Grp4 1 3 1. were lives 2. education 3. hobbies 4. relationships 5. weather 6. population 7. shops
we think she should stay because she is with all of her family and she has a good education and job and she loves where she lives.
Grp5 1 1 1. arizona
2. reasons to move 3. reason to stay 4. reasons neither to
stay or to go
she should go because there are alot more ac- tivities to do and more shops
Grp6 2 4 1. stay
2. moving 3. not sure 4. distance
Table 6.4: The number of attempts, the groups created, and the answer for groups 1 and 2 while solving the rest of the mysteries.
Group Attempts Groups The answer
stg.2 stg.3
Why did Oliver decide to join up?
Grp1,T2 1 1 1. oliver 2. agnes 3. miscellaneous 4. family 5. tommy 6. work/war
he wanted to join the army because he wanted more money and to make his family and friends proud of him. plus he was too short to play football
Grp2,T2 1 1 1. stay
2. leave 3. family 4. money
to get a better job
Why is the village shop in Hensford closing?
Grp1,T3 1 2 1. money
2. owners of shop 3. putting them out of
business
4. keeping them in business
5. keep in and out of business
its closing because they arent making enough profit. this is because of there are other shops opening so there is competition.
Grp2,T3 1 2
1. no customers 2. the other shop has
more customers 3. theft
4. awards
5. good for customers
everyone is going to the other supermarket and there getting no customers
Who was responsible for the death of Alice White?
Grp1,T4 1 1 1. leather 2. illnesses 3. work related 4. death river 5. family
the tannery were responsible for alice whites death because if she did not work there then she wouldnt have been at cockshaw burn and would not have drowned.
Group 2, T4 1 2 1. leather
2. the river where she died
3. family 4. work
she was because the sides of the river was slippy and she slipped and she drowned