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New epistemologically oriented educational
software design in the context of the visual thinking capabilities of the
Shape Understanding System One
of the aims of this research is an attempt to develop new forms of evaluation
of educational software effectiveness, measured by students’ achievements.
It is also important to stress that computerization of the educational
process is not merely a matter of equipment, but even more importantly of
awareness of changes that it brings. Thus the computer is treated here in a
dual sense. In the first and narrow sense, as a modern educational mean
which can improve the learning/teaching process, and in the second sense,
as an information operator influencing the method of thought. There are various methods
of software evaluation but most of them formulate ad hoc criteria for
evaluation. At this stage does not exist any empirical methods of
educational evaluation so there is a need for elaboration of the method of
the evaluation of the educational software. The
new method of the software evaluation needs to take into account factors
that have influence on the learning process and on the understanding, as
the result of the learning process. Existing educational
software is applied across a broad range of domains and topics. In this
study we will restrict our attention to mathematics as a domain where there
is the most of the educational software available. Each topic has its
specific factors that have influence on the degree of difficulties in
learning to understand. There are also many factors that are characteristic
for the group of topics such as complexity or dependence on the context
knowledge that needs to be learnt. In this project existing
educational software is assessed based on the evaluation methods that are
now being developed. The test for measuring ability is being elaborated,
taking also into account the results of the previous research in designing
and testing educational software and application of the software in educational
process. The results of the research will be applied to elaborate a new
complex method for the designing and implementing educational software. Curriculum and its changes
(improvements) affected by introduction of the educational software are also
under study. |
Adres:
The Queen Jadwiga Foundation
P.O. Box 654, Toorak, VIC 3142
Australia
