In most theories on math and science education, experiences of students in authentic, real-world situations form the starting point of the learning process. Interactive simulations can be used as a virtual environment to recall earlier experiences and to extend these by purposefully provoked interactions. Very often the simulations are interactive models of real world situations, specifically designed to elucidate certain relations, concepts and rules. Aspects can be quantified and represented in different forms, and connections between these representations are made visible.
In this session we want to share experiences on the design and use of simulations.
Tools are designed to help us carry out tasks more efficiently and with less effort. In education tools might support learning, but they might also prevent kearning. The calculator is an example. For a student who has mastered arithmetic already, the use of a calculator can help to focus on higher level math activities. For a young learner, however, the calculator may be an inappropriate tool.
In this session we will focus on tools that, unlike calculators or CAS, are especially designed for education. The design of educational tools often goes hand in hand with the design of activities. A subtle balance should be found between offering facilities and urging effort of the student
Educational software is often used in combination with print materials. In digital learning environments. however, the computer can become the new overall medium to work in. This certainly has advantages. It is possible, for example, to present situations and problems in a richer way by using audio and video. Also digital environments can offer the possibility to integrate educational software with other learning activities. In web-based environments for example, work can be shared between learners and students may comunicate easily with other students or with the teacher.
In spite of these promising new features, many digital learning environments show vital short-comings. A balanced new medium, mature enough to replace a substantial part of the paper and pencil work, still seems far away.
For educational software designers, design challenges do emerge, not only to make this new medium mature, but also to bring to the fore the ultimate limitations of such systems.
In assessment design, there is a lot of discussion about the value of working with open answers versus multiple choice. Moreover, one can discuss the desirability of tracing the process that leads to an answer and use this information in the scoring process as well. The use of computer based assessment influences this discussion. The automatic scoring and processing – which is off course very efficient – seems to require simple answers in the assessment and therefore closed, or parseable answers are preferred. This possibly limits the usability of computer based assessment. On the other hand, especially in formative assessment applications, the immediate scoring, offers new possibilities to make disappear the boundaries between assessment and learning.