Francesca Morselli

Accessing knowledge through narrative context

In this paper we discuss how narrative may contribute to create meaningful learning contexts. Starting from a socio-constructivist and situated learning perspective, we acknowledge the crucial role of context in accessing knowledge. Then we point out the potential of narrative in education and discuss the positive role it can play in the creation of meaningful learning contexts. To this end, we focus on different examples of narrative contexts within technology-enhanced learning environments, drawn from the literature. We analyze what kind of contexts raise from different ways to set up narrative activities. Our study points out that narrative can be a powerful tool for the creation of a variety of contexts suitable for different learning situations, by stimulating learners’ direct involvement and offering a concrete starting point for reflection.

Formative assessment and technology: reflections developed through the collaboration between teachers and researchers

In this work, we present the analysis of the ways in which formative assessment processes can be developed, by the teacher and the students, thanks to the support given by technology. The analysis is carried out focusing on two case studies developed in France and Italy within the European Project FaSMEd, with two main aims: (1) highlighting how the different functionalities of technology could support formative assessment strategies at the teacher’s, the students’ and the peers’ levels; and (2) characterising the dynamics that intervene within programs involving a strict collaboration between teachers and researchers. Through the analysis of the two case studies we discuss, on one side, the effectiveness of the adopted theoretical tools, and, on the other side, the contribution, in terms of professional development, of the collaborative work developed within the project.

Conceptions of Proof – In Research and Teaching

This chapter first analyses and compares mathematicians’ and mathematics educators’ different conceptualisations of proof and shows how these are formed by different professional backgrounds and research interests. This diversity of views makes it difficult to precisely explain what a proof is, especially to a novice at proving. In the second section, we examine teachers’, student teachers’ and pupils’ proof conceptions and beliefs as revealed by empirical research. We find that the teachers’ beliefs clearly revolve around the questions of what counts as proof in the classroom and whether the teaching of proof should focus on the product or on the process. The third section discusses which type of metaknowledge about proof educators should provide to teachers and thus to students, how they can do this and what the intrinsic difficulties of developing adequate metaknowledge are.

Create learning environments through narrative activity

Analisi dei possibili ruoli che la narrativa puo’ svolgere nella creazione di vari contesti d’apprendimento. Vengono illustrati diversi esempi di creazione di contesti narrativi, fra cui quelli relativi ai giochi di ruolo, alle narrazioni personali, alla condivisione in rete di esperienze, alla narrazione collettiva.

The Use of Digital Technologies to Enhance Formative Assessment Processes

We focus on formative assessment processes carried out, by the teacher and the students, through the use of digital technologies. The research is situated within the European Project FaSMEd, in which a new model connecting the role of technology to classical views on formative assessment is proposed. Through data analysis from teaching experiments in Italian schools using connected classroom technology, we highlight how the specific choices concerning the use of technology and the design of the activities can enable the enactment of formative assessment strategies at the teacher’s, the students’, and the peers’ levels.

Promuovere strategie di valutazione formativa in Matematica con le nuove tecnologie: l’esperienza del progetto FaSMEd

Abstract – This contribution describes a research work within the European project FaSMEd (Improving Progress through Formative Assessment in Science and Mathematics Education) aimed at investigating, through a design-based research approach, the use of technology to foster formative assessment strategies in primary and lower secondary school. The project (2014-2016) was carried out by eight European universities (for Italy, the University of Turin) and one university from South Africa. The theoretical framework refers to formative assessment, with a specific focus on different levels of feedback. By analyzing data from our teaching experiments, we identify strategies employed by the teacher to provide feedback during class discussion and investigate the effect of such strategies on the enactment of formative assessment. Riassunto – In questo contributo si presentano e discutono le metodologie didattiche sviluppate attraverso una ricerca design-based sull’utilizzo delle nuove tecnologie per promuovere strategie di valutazione formativa in matematica in classi di scuola primaria e secondaria di primo grado. La ricerca si situa all’interno di un progetto finanziato dall’Unione Europea denominato FaSMEd (Improving Progress through Formative Assessment in Science and Mathematics Education), che nel triennio 2014-2016 ha coinvolto otto Universita dell’Unione (per l’Italia l’Universita di Torino) e il Sudafrica. Facendo riferimento a un quadro teorico centrato sulle strategie di valutazione formativa e sui diversi livelli di feedback che possono essere forniti durante discussioni di classe su attivita matematiche ad alto contenuto argomentativo, proponiamo una classificazione di possibili azioni didattiche dell’insegnante, mettendo in luce gli effetti di tali azioni rispetto all’attivazione di strategie di valutazione formativa. Parole chiave – matematica, valutazione formativa, strategie di feedback, nuove tecnologie, ruolo dell’insegnante Keywords – mathematics, formative assessment, feedback strategies, new technologies, role of the teacher

“Every Time I Fell Down (Made a Mistake), I Could Get Up (Correct)”: Affective Factors in Formative Assessment Practices with Classroom Connected Technologies

In this contribution we analyse data coming from the research project FaSMEd, which aims at investigating the role of technologically enhanced formative assessment methods in raising the attainment levels of low-achieving students. Our working hypothesis is that low attainment is also linked to affective factors and that, consequently, these factors should be taken into account when planning interventions and when evaluating their effectiveness. We report our first steps towards the analysis of the experiments in terms of affect, drawing some preliminary conclusions on the students’ attitude towards the project and outlining further research developments.

Attitudes, Beliefs, Motivation, and Identity in Mathematics Education

Research on mathematics-related affect is varied in theories and concepts. Here, we record the state-of-art in this research through short sections from leading experts in different areas. We describe the historical development of the concept of attitude and different ways it is defined. Research on students’ self-efficacy beliefs in mathematics is summarized. There is reflection on the dialectic relationship between teachers’ beliefs and practice as well as on how their beliefs change. One section records the emerging research on students’ and teachers’ mathematical identities over the last two decades. Finally, mathematical motivation is elaborated from the perspectives of engagement structures, social behaviors, and the relationship between individual factors and social norms.