In this study we investigate the effects of long-term technology enhanced learning (TEL) in mathematics learning performance and fluency, and how technology enhanced learning can be integrated into regular curriculum. The study was conducted in five second grade classes. Two of the classes formed a treatment group and the remaining three formed a control group. The treatment group used TEL in one mathematics lesson per week for 18 to 24 months. Other lessons were not changed. The difference in learning performance between the groups tested using a post-test; for that, we used a mathematics performance test and a mathematics fluency test. The results showed that the treatment group using TEL got statistically significantly higher learning performance results compared to the control group. The difference in arithmetic fluency was not statistically significant even though there was a small difference in favor of the treatment group. However, the difference in errors made in the fluency test was statistically significant in favor of the treatment group.
Computerized Adaptive Testing (CAT) is now widely used. However, inserting new items into the question bank of a CAT requires a great effort that makes impractical the wide application of CAT in classroom teaching. One solution would be to use the tacit knowledge of the teachers or experts for a pre-classification and calibrate during the execution of tests with these items. Thus, this research consists of a comparative case study between a Stratified Adaptive Test (SAT), based on the tacit knowledge of a teacher, and a CAT based on Item Response Theory (IRT). The tests were applied in seven Computer Networks courses. The results indicate that levels of anxiety expressed in the use of the SAT were better than those using the CAT, in addition to being simpler to implement. In this way, it is recommended the implementation of a SAT, where the strata are initially based on the tacit knowledge of the teacher and later, as a result of an IRT calibration.
The use of computers as teaching and learning tools plays a particularly important role in modern society. Within this scenario, Brazil launched its own version of the 'One Laptop per Child' (OLPC) program, and this initiative, termed PROUCA, has already distributed hundreds of low-cost laptops for educational purposes in many Brazilian schools. However in spite of the numerous studies conducted in the country since PROUCA was launched, Brazil shows a lack of proficiency in basic information crucial for managing and improving any OLPC initiative (e.g., number of effectively used laptops, use time and distribution per subject, use location and school performance of users, and others). Therefore, the focus of this article is to introduce MEMORE, a computational environment for longitudinal on-line data collection, integration and an analysis of how PROUCA laptops are used by schools. Technical details about MEMORE's architecture, database and functional models are supplied and the results from real data collected from Brazilian public schools are presented and analyzed. They elucidate how MEMORE can be a valuable management tool in OLPC contexts.
The aim of this work is to adapt and test, in a Brazilian public school, the ACE model proposed by Borkulo for evaluating student performance as a teaching-learning process based on computational modeling systems. The ACE model is based on different types of reasoning involving three dimensions. In addition to adapting the model and introducing innovative methodological procedures and instruments for collecting and analyzing data, our main results showed that the ACE model is superior than written tests for discriminating students on the top and bottom of the scale of scientific reasoning abilities, while both instruments are equivalent for evaluating students in the middle of the scale.
Computer programming is perceived as an important competence for the development of problem solving skills in addition to logical reasoning. Hence, its integration throughout all educational levels, as well as the early ages, is considered valuable and research studies are carried out to explore the phenomenon in more detail. In light of these facts, this study is an exploratory effort to investigate the effect of Scratch programming on 5th grade primary school students' problem solving skills. Moreover, the researchers wondered what 5th grade primary school students think about programming. This study was carried out in an explanatory sequential mixed methods design with the participation of 49 primary school students. According to the quantitative results, programming in Scratch platform did not cause any significant differences in the problem solving skills of the primary school students. There is only a non-significant increase in the mean of the factor of "self- confidence in their problem solving ability". When the thoughts of the primary students were considered, it can be clearly stated that all the students liked programming and wanted to improve their programming. Finally, most of the students found the Scratch platform easy to use.