Abstract

CIRCLE (Classification Identification, and Retrieval-based Collaborative Learning Environment) is a new web-based application designed to teach students how to identify and classify real world objects including trees, birds, rocks, or any other object amenable to classification (Borchert and Slator 2014). Students gather multimedia representations of specimens using their mobile devices, collaborate to determine appropriate observations and experiments to perform on the specimens, identify the specimens based on these elaborations, and create classification trees of the co-constructed knowledge. These classification trees are then used to populate context-independent game templates, which students play to solidify their knowledge using retrieval learning concepts (Karpicke and Blunt 2011). In this study, two separate groups used CIRCLE: a group of Science, Technology, Engineering, and mathematics Education (STEM Ed) experts and a group of undergraduates enrolled in a General Ecology course. Comparisons of perceived usability were conducted using the System Usability Scale (Brooke 1996). Experts found the system more usable than novices in general. These successful first steps provide important lessons for future development.