Applying constructivism for interactive educational software: A research based design, implementation and evaluation method

Abstract

We have designed, developed and evaluated the educational software entitled "Interaction between objects" within the framework of social constructivism on the basis of the data issued from a preceded research with teachers and pupils of primary and secondary education, in order to remedy pupils' alternative ideas and help them construct scientific knowledge about action-reaction forces. The research was made in three stages: a) exploration of pupils' empirical views (451 Greek pupils aged 11-16, pre-tests with written questionnaires and interviews), b) software's design, development and formative evaluation with 8 pupils (videotaping-interviews) and 15 teachers (written questionnaires), c) software's summative evaluation with 13 teachers (filling of a "diary") and teaching interventions (226 pupils, post-tests with questionnaires- interviews). We found out that the use of this software had positive teaching and learning results and was very effective in pupils' conceptual change.