Eleonora Faggiano

Robo-eLC: enhancing learning hypermedia with robotics

This paper describes the Robo-eLC project that aims at enhancing learning via the use of hypermedia in the case of robotics as learning appliances. The Robo-eLC robot, a cross application between e-learning and e-commerce, is the result of a multidisciplinary approach aimed at integrating elements of cognitive science, education, robotics and computer science in a single multimodal that takes into account human behaviour and cognitive processes. The robot is essentially an adaptive learning environment that interacts with users via audio-visual communication and that acts accordingly by moving its head and upper limbs depending on the specific situation. Preliminary analysis on Robo-eLC indicates that the combined interface was reported, by a majority of users, to have influenced their decisions to donate and that it was successful in accomplishing its tasks.

CSCL in Math Education

New frontiers in math education require new way of thinking learning. Nowadays, almost everywhere, educators are dealing with mathematics curriculum reform in order to make mathematics more relevant and meaningful for students. In particular they aim to encourage students to think critically, and make the process of learning mathematics more student centred and interactive. This work illustrates a study of metacognitive processes, set up in problem solving conditions and applied to the math field, supported by a Computer Supported Cooperative Learning environment, Math&Co.. By stimulating their mental processes, Math&Co. should enable students to develop higher level math skills and acquire problem solving abilities. In this sense, it aims to contribute to the cultural development of citizens, in order to enable them to participate in the social life with awareness and critical eye

Synergy between manipulative and digital artefacts: a teaching experiment on axial symmetry at primary school

ABSTRACT This paper presents a study aimed at investigating the didactic potentiality of the combined use of two different kinds of artefacts for the purpose of constructing and conceptualizing mathematical meanings related to the notion of axial symmetry. In our view, the process of meanings construction can be fostered by the use of adequate artefacts, but it requires a teaching/learning model, which explicitly takes care of the evolution of meanings, from those personal, emerging through the activities, to the mathematical ones, aims of the teaching intervention. The main hypothesis of this study is that a potential synergy may occur between the use of different artefacts, synergy that can foster the integration of different and complementary meanings providing a rich support to the development of the expected mathematical meaning. The Theory of Semiotic Mediation offers the theoretical framework suitable to design the teaching sequence and to analyze the collected data. Specifically, the construct of semiotic potential provides the tool for describing the potentialities of the two artefacts, while that of didactic cycle offers a model for the organization of the different activities. The paper reports on a teaching sequence and its implementation in a teaching experiment, involving pupils at fourth grade level. We describe them, within the chosen theoretical framework, and provide the analysis of key episodes of the teaching sequence. We show evidence supporting our main hypothesis about the combined use of an artefact that can be manipulated (paper and pin), and a digital artefact (Dynamic Geometry Environment) in the development of the notion of axial symmetry and its properties: the combined, intentional and controlled use of the two artefacts may develop a synergy, so that each activity enhances the potential of the other.

The synergy between Manipulative and Digital Artefacts in a Mathematics Teaching Activity: a co-disciplinary perspective

This paper presents a teaching experiment aiming at constructing the meaning of axial symmetry through the mediation of a “duo of artefacts”, made up by a digital artefact and a manipulative one. The meaning of the term “mediation” is described and used from a dual perspective, joining General Didactics and Mathematics Education. Herein, we describe an interactive book, created in a Dynamic Geometry Environment and a teaching sequence, based on the use of such a digital artefact, combined with a manipulative one. The main potential of the interactive book is based on the possibility to drag geometric objects and observe the effects of the dragging. The sequence has been experimented with a 4th grade class and the activities have been videotaped and analysed. Results have been analysed through the cited dual perspective and reveal how the mediation of the duo of artefacts can foster the construction of the mathematical meaning. In this paper we show how the digital artefact, acting in synergy with the manipulative artefact, seems to exploit the potential of the sequence in terms of embodied involvement of the pupils in their cognitive process.

A WWW-based cooperative learning system and its effects on students' achievement

Today, there is growing interest in the use of Internet and WWW to achieve cooperative type activities and in particular, cooperative learning, based on the principles of constructivism. Cooperation can undoubtedly enhance network-mediated instructional systems but efficacious cooperative learning can be ensured providing these systems with components that reproduce well-established pedagogical models of cooperative learning, together with components that can assess both individual and group progress. This is made possible by introducing AI techniques in computer-aided learning systems that allow pedagogical strategies to be embedded. In this work, the authors present a system on the WWW for cooperative learning about geometric figures, where each student communicates with the rest of the group online, and a study to evaluate the cooperative learning effectiveness of our project called Geometriamo. The system is based on Slavins Student Team Learning model for cooperative learning.

Introduction: Innovative Spaces for Mathematics Education with Technology

The idea of this book arose from research encounters occurred during a past ICTMT Conference: the International Conference on Technology in Mathematics Teaching. The ICTMT Conference, which is now moving to its 13th edition, has a strong commitment to promote technology in mathematics education for improving the quality of teaching and learning by effective use of technology. In recent years, international research in mathematics education has offered a range of theoretical perspectives that attempted to provide different and interrelated frames and viewpoints to the study of use and role of digital technologies in/for teaching and learning mathematics.

From Acorns to Oak Trees: Charting Innovation Within Technology in Mathematics Education

Technology has created an expectation in all levels of education that requires us to understand how we can harness its potential for improving the depth and quality of mathematical learning. It is highly unlikely that there is a universal recipe or formula for how technology should be used that would satisfy every context or culture, but there have been recurring trends in the process of designing and implementing such innovative environments. By considering the papers included in proceedings of the past International Conferences on Technology in Mathematics Teaching (ICTMT), this chapter aims to highlight how a few key innovations have been seeded and taken root within this community. We begin by describing the ways in which innovation has been presented at ICTMT conferences with a view to exploring this from the perspectives of technology designers, researchers and teachers/lecturers from all levels of education. Given the extensive literature on this topic, it is not feasible to carry out a comprehensive survey of the complete literature base, however it is anticipated that the analysis of key ICTMT papers will be sufficient to present an informative and insightful picture and highlight some important knowledge and experience that has been elicited and disseminated.

Geogebra as a Methodological Resource

The aim of this chapter is to stress the role of GeoGebra as a methodological resource. In particular, we contend that teachers need to become aware that a appropriate integration of GeoGebra within the classroom activities could foster the construction of mathematical knowledge. As a consequence, educators need to guide teachers to perceive GeoGebra as a methodological resource so that they would be able to effectively use it. As a theoretical framework we mainly refer to the “instrumental approach” and to the idea of “mathematics laboratory as a Renaissance workshop”.