A pedagogical tool based on the development of a computer application to improve learning in advanced mathematics

Dynamic study of iterative methods has become more common in recent decades thanks to the development of computers, something that illustrates the importance of including these methods in curricula. There are several types of software whose didactic application in the classroom is very useful, but they have not been designed in response to students’ difficulties related to learning of the dynamics of iterative methods. It should also be noted that there is no software exclusively designed for teaching iterative methods, and th with the difficulties students encounter in this area, has caused many students problems with understanding fundamental concepts as it is a subject with a large visual component. Taking into account all the above factors, we have designed a software program to help students understand this subject and allow teachers to perform simulations in the classroom while preventing students from using the tool or the parametric plane or dynamic plane that is appropriate for the particular situation they face. This article considers the development of a methodological proposal in which the software we designed is used with a sample of students from the Discrete and Continuous Dynamic Systems module on the Master’s degree in Mathematical Engineering and Computing at the Universidad Internacional de La Rioja, and their results are compared with another sample of students who did not have access to this mathematical tool. The result that emerges is that the group that followed the new methodology obtained much higher average score than the groups taught with the previous methodology.El estudio dinámico de los métodos iterativos ha aumentado en las últimas décadas debido al desarrollo de los ordenadores, aspecto por el cual se ha visto la necesidad de incluir la enseñanza de estos métodos en los planes de estudio. En la actualidad, hay varios tipos de software cuya aplicación didáctica en las aulas es de gran utilidad, pero no se han diseñado atendiendo a las dificultades que los alumnos presentan en relación al aprendizaje de la dinámica de los métodos iterativos. Cabe, asimismo, destacar que no existe un software diseñado en exclusiva para la enseñanza de métodos iterativos y este hecho, junto con las dificultades encontradas por los alumnos en esta temática, ha llevado a que muchos de ellos no entiendan los conceptos fundamentales, ya que se trata de una materia que tiene un alto componente visual. Teniendo en cuenta todos los factores anteriores, se ha diseñado un software que sirve para ayudar a los alumnos en la comprensión de esta materia, permite a los profesores realizar simulaciones en el aula y a la vez evita que los alumnos puedan utilizar la herramienta, el plano de parámetros o el plano dinámico que no corresponda en cada situación a la que se enfrenten. El presente artículo aborda el desarrollo de una propuesta metodológica en la que se emplea el software diseñado en una muestra de alumnos de la asignatura Sistemas Dinámicos Discretos y Continuos del Máster en Ingeniería Matemática y Computación de la Universidad Internacional de La Rioja, y se comparan los resultados con otra muestra de alumnos que no han dispuesto de la herramienta. El resultado que se desprende es que el grupo que siguió la nueva metodología obtiene una nota media muy superior al grupo con el que se utilizó la metodología habitual

How to use holographic tools to teach area and volume concepts

Es un capítulo del libro: L. Orcos (2020), "Didactics of Mathematics: New Trends and Experiences": How to use holographic tools to teach area and volume concepts.This chapter includes a methodological proposal based on the design of a material to be projected through a pyramidal holographic prism for the study of the concepts of areas and volumes of geometric bodies in the stage of Secondary Education. First of all, it has been carried out a bibliographic review about the difficulties involved in geometry learning process in the stage of Secondary Education, as well as on the foundation of the holography technique as a means of teaching and its involvement in geometrical content. Then, it is explined the design of a methodological proposal model based on a material to be projected on a tablet or mobile phone to form a hologram. For the creation of the figures and the videos, we have used GeoGebra® and Camtasia® respectively. © 2020 Nova Science Publishers, Inc

Perceptions of secondary education teachers in educational robotics as a teaching resource in the STEM approach

Educational Robotics (RE) has more and more prominence in the secondary education classrooms and also the participation in the FIRST® LEGO® League championship. Its implication involves a globalizing approach to the different areas of the curriculum that generates a high degree of motivation in the students. In this article we intend to focus on the perception of Secondary Education teachers to know the strengths and difficulties of the implementation of the ER. To this end, a group of teachers who participated in the FIRST® LEGO® League championship in the 2018-19 school year were requested to collaborate. The research provides data on the experience of these teachers and their assessments of motivation and learning in students. The results obtained allow us to conclude that the RE project is well valued by teachers and highlights its potential as a motivational element committed to the students' competence achievement.La Robótica Educativa (RE) tiene cada vez más protagonismo en las aulas de Educación Secundaria. Su implicación comporta un enfoque globalizador de las diferentes áreas del currículum. Este estudio se centra en la percepción de un grupo de docentes que participó en el campeonato FIRST® LEGO® League sobre la implementación de la RE en el curso escolar 2018-19. Se aportan datos sobre la experiencia de esos profesores y sus valoraciones sobre la motivación y aprendizaje en los alumnos. Los resultados de valoración obtenidos nos permiten corroborar la potencialidad como elemento motivacional comprometido con el logro competencial de los alumnos

ICTs and School Education

Nowadays, there exist lots of ICTs that teachers use as teaching tools. In this work, we introduce the theoretical context of the study of using ICTs in school education, then we present the method that will be used in order to achieve our goals. This work constitutes the groundwork to continue the study of ICT and its use in teaching

The hologram as a teaching medium for the acquisition of STEM contents

The aim of the work presented in this article is to assess whether the use of a hologram enhances the meaningful learning of cellular division contents. A pilot phase has been carried out with a sample of students of 4th course of high school education in the town of Logrono, Spain, working with a control group in a traditional way and an experimental group with the use of the hologram. A test of knowledge about cell division contents was answered so as to know if there were significant differences between the results obtained by the two groups. The statistic U of Mann-Whitney of the non-parametric mean comparison test showed that there is a significant difference of 2.55 points, at 0.05 level, between results obtained in both groups. Moreover, there was also assessed the level of motivation and satisfaction when using the tool for the purpose of knowing their opinion for the future use and development of the tool. The results obtained lead us to consider the hologram as a potential teaching medium as well as a highly motivational tool

Educational Robotics in the Stage of Secondary Education: Empirical Study on Motivation and STEM Skills

Educational robotics (ER) is increasingly present in secondary education classrooms and has acquired greater projection, especially with the appearance of championships, such as FIRST® LEGO® League. These competitions are based on a globalizing focus of the different areas of the curriculum, therefore, we consider that it directly links with the achievement of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) skills. We present a research study that provides objective data based on the opinions of teachers and students that participated in this championship during the course 2017/2018 about its impact in the learning process. To this end, Spanish students and teachers answered questionnaires to collect their perceptions and assessments just after their participation. The results obtained allow us to conclude that both teachers and students believe this project promotes interest and scientific curiosity, as well as social skills through teamwork

Considerations about jigsaw II cooperative learning technique in project-based learning among students of secondary education

Es un capítulo del libro: L. Orcos and M. Curto (2020), "Didactics of Mathematics: New Trends and Experiences": Considerations about Jigsaw II Cooperative Learning Technique in Project-Based Learning among Students of Secondary Education.The objective of this study is to know the impressions of a sample of students of the third course of Secondary Education (14-15 years old) who have used the Jigsaw II technique to work mathematical contents through project-based learning with contexts of everyday life. For this purpose, base groups and expert groups have been established from each content block, arithmetics, measurement, geometry, statistics and probability. The results obtained have been satisfying and represent a starting point for interdisciplinary collaborative work in the mathematics classrooms. © 2020 Nova Science Publishers, Inc

The design and validation of an instrument for assessing undergraduate dissertations

INTRODUCTION. The dissertation represents the fulfillment of undergraduate studies in which the student demonstrates mastery and integration of the content and skills they have developed. Therefore, its evaluation requires complete and complex tools. The aim of this research is to design and validate a reliable instrument to evaluate the final dissertation of the degree of Bachelor Degree in Primary Education Teaching to avoid the deficiencies and problems commonly observed in the traditional rubrics. METHOD. A group of seven experts, both from the school and university environment, were trained to develop this instrument. Different evaluation tools and essays were analyzed for its elaboration. Subsequently, the reliability of the resulting instrument was studied by applying the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) to twenty disssertations by six independent experts. RESULTS. The result is an instrument that combines the best properties of the rubric and the checklist, with a concrete and precise breakdown of all the performance indicators that make up the written part of a dissertation, and that assesses elements considered central in a final manuscript: the contents and their quality, the aspects of format and expression. The intraclass correlation analysis offered excellent results in the measured scales, all of which were >.90, which shows their high consistency. DISCUSSION. These results allow confidence in the reliability of the tool. The instrument can be a clear support for dissertation supervisors and for the members of the dissertation panel due to its clarity, objectivity and ease of use. Likewise, it can be a useful tool for students' learning and favour their self-regulation and self-evaluation since it includes in detail all the indicators by which they will be evaluated.INTRODUCCIÓN. El trabajo final de grado (TFG) supone la culminación de los estudios universitarios en los que el alumno demuestra el dominio y la integración de los contenidos y las competencias desarrolladas. Por ello, su evaluación requiere de instrumentos completos y complejos. El objetivo de esta investigación es diseñar y validar una herramienta de evaluación de los TFG de los Grados de Maestro en Educación, a fin de soslayar las deficiencias y problemas observados en las rúbricas al uso. MÉTODO. Se formó un grupo de siete expertos, tanto del ámbito escolar como universitario, para la elaboración de este instrumento. Se analizaron diferentes herramientas de evaluación y trabajos para su elaboración. Posteriormente, se estudió la fiabilidad del instrumento resultante aplicando el coeficiente de correlación intraclase (ICC) a veinte trabajos por parte de seis expertos independientes. RESULTADOS. El resultado es un instrumento que combina las mejores propiedades de la rúbrica y de la lista de verificación, con un desglose concreto y preciso de todos los indicadores que configuran la parte escrita de un trabajo final de grado, y que valora sus elementos considerados centrales: los contenidos y su calidad, los aspectos de formato y de expresión. El análisis de correlación intraclase ofreció unos resultados excelentes en las escalas medidas, siendo todas >.90, lo que muestra su alta consistencia. DISCUSIÓN. Estos resultados permiten confiar en la fiabilidad de la herramienta. El instrumento puede ser un claro apoyo para directores de TFG y para miembros de tribunales de evaluación, por su claridad, objetividad y facilidad de uso. E, igualmente, puede ser una herramienta útil para el aprendizaje de los estudiantes y favorecer su autorregulación y autoevaluación, dado que comprende con detalle todos los indicadores por los que serán evaluados

Educational robotics proposal in early childhood education to enhance mathematical competence acquisition

Ponencia de la conferencia "12th Annual International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation (ICERI)", Seville, Spain.It is a fact that Robotics are considered to be one the emerging technologies used in the classrooms nowadays. It is common to apply educational robotic projects both in Primary and Secondary Education, but its implementation in Early Childhood Education is not having so much rise yet despite the potential it can achieve. Its potential is related not only to the achievement of spatial and temporal competences both in a playful, interactive and constructive way but also to the enhancement of the learning process in terms of developing the different types of intelligences. The work carried out intends a first approximation of Robotics in a classroom of 3 year old children to evaluate the potential of this tool to achieve spatial and temporal concepts. The main objective of the work is to have a starting point that allows us to evaluate the evolution of these students when achieving mathematical competencies using this tool. Results obtained show that 83% of students have been able to use the tool by their own being the teacher the guide of the learning process while their level of motivation has been very high

Virtual Forums as a Learning Method in Industrial Engineering Organization

A practical experience using electronic debates in the Area of Industrial Organization has been developed. The Harvard case method (HBS) was used with students of different nationalities, over 5 years (2007-2012). The analysis of test records and data from student surveys allow to conclude that the discussion forums, such as alternative to traditional classroom learning methodology, significantly improve learning in the area of Industrial Organization