Educational Software

This paper presents the role of tools provided by the well known educational software Cabri-Geometry II  [1] or the construction of the concept of similarity in triangles by the students. An a priori analysis showed that a variety of solution strategies could be invented by the students to tackle this concept in the context of the tools of Cabri-Geometry II. In fact, at least seventeen solution strategies can be performed by the students. For the construction of these strategies a variety of geometrical concepts could be integrated with the concept of similarity in triangles such as: the specific circles of a triangle (circumscribed circle, inscribed circle, and escribed circle), regular polygons, different forms of triangles (isosceles triangles, right-angled triangles), specific linear elements of a triangle (altitude of a triangle, bisector of an angle; medians of a triangle, parallel segments joining the mid points of two sides of a triangle), parallel and perpendicular lines, angles,  as well as specific elements of a circle such as tangents of a circle and chords intersected outside and inside of it.

In this article I describe software that facilitates “question-centric curricula” in which big questions, rather than academic disciplines, are the primary means of organizing educational resources. To find these questions, the software scans course catalogs and extracts all sentences ending in a question mark. To find connections between questions and courses, I present several computational techniques. One leverages the Library of Congress system; another implements so-called semantic technology that uses huge numbers of simple internet searches to ascertain the meaning of texts. The software assembles the results and shows, in one image, how every course at an institution relates to a given question.

Since 1990 the DRA Speech Research Unit has conducted research into applications of speech recognition technology to speech and language development for young children. This has been done in collaboration wirh Hereford and Worcester County Council Education ...

Design of educational multimedia rarely starts from scratch, but rather by attempting to reuse existing software. Although redesign has been an issue in research on evaluation and on learning objects, how it should be carried out in a principled way has remained relatively unexplored. Furthermore, understanding how empirical research on information and communication technologies (ICT) should feed back into redesign remains difficult. The present paper addresses these problems from the viewpoint of carrying out pedagogical expert evaluations, in the absence of empirical studies of target learners, in order to generate recommendations for redesign. Firstly, redesign proposals should be based on a coherent reconstruction of pedagogical foundations of educational ICT (software, documentation). Secondly, redesign proposals should result from dialogue between stakeholders, such as future users, pedagogical experts, software designers, and deciders. To these ends, we propose a framework, called GESTALT (Goals, (E) SiTuations, Actions, Learners, Tools), as a 'boundary object' for dialogical redesign. Within an activity theory approach, GE-STALT is based on analysis of available tools, the actions they support, the characteristics of learners who perform actions, and pedagogical goals that could be achieved in specific situations. An illustrative GESTALT analysis of educational software is provided, principally from the viewpoint of pedagogical experts. Finally, the strengths and limits of GESTALT are discussed.

Presents the design of an educational software that teaches Maracatu, according to user involvement methodology. Maracatu is a typical rhythm and popular dance of Pernambuco, Brazil, deriving from a ritual of the African slaves in Recife. The model used was based in Leontiev's activity theory in order to proceed with the functional and non-functional requirements of the system. Needs of most representative users were identified. A tool's prototype was developed.

More than for other studying disciplines, for physics the most important is laboratory experiment. Because of this reason, adding new components to classic case, which offers another dimension of study for physics systems, this represents an important item. In this documentation are presented some of the advantages of acquisition and computerized processing of experimental data, being presented first experiments, simple for the beginning, realized by students of "Tudor Vladimirescu" Theoretic High school, there are also presented qualities of Labview programming, Romanian high schools are licensed since 2002-2003 with this software.

Satellite Navigation has become a keystone for the development of Europe and its citizens. It is then essential to provide adequate educational programmes so to ensure a prepared workforce for the GNSS sector in Europe. In this context, ESA has launched a complete Satellite Navigation Educational program, called EDUNAV, aiming at providing upto-date GNSS based educational material and educational tools. The GNSS-Lab (gLAB) Educational Software Tool is part of this ESA EDUNAV initiative. gLAB, developed under ESA Contract by the research group of Astronomy and Geomatics (gAGE) from the Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya (UPC), is an interactive educational multipurpose package to process and analyse GNSS data. gLAB performs precise modeling of GNSS observables (pseudorange and carrier phase) at the centimetre level, allowing both standalone GPS positioning and PPP. Every single error contributor may be assessed independently, which, in turn, provides a major educational benefit. gLAB is adapted to a variety of standard formats like RINEX-3.00, SP3, ANTEX and SINEX files, among others. Moreover, functionality is also included for GPS, Galileo and GLONASS, allowing performing some data analysis with real multi-constellation data. The gLAB software tool is quite flexible, able to run under Linux and Windows operating systems and is provided free of charge by ESA to universities and GNSS professionals.

Pode-se dizer que praticamente todas as partes da sociedade têm sido atingidas pelosavanços tecnológicos. Estudos em informática na educação demonstram que o computadorpode potencializar o aprendizado em vários aspectos. Entretanto, desenvolver um softwareeducacional (SE) que supra todas as necessidades de uma perspectiva pedagógica, é uma tarefaárdua, tendo em vista que para isto é necessário seguir uma série de etapas para que o mesmoatinja inteiramente seu objetivo. Este artigo apresenta uma metodologia de desenvolvimento desoftware educacional, uma vez que a construção de um SE aborda questões específicas quediferem dos sistemas tradicionais e, portanto, devem ser consideradas em sua concepção.

Ruth Vilmi has been interested in collaborative writings since 1993, when she founded Helsinki University of Technology (HUT) Email Writing Project. The project started as an Email exchange with 80 students at Helsinki University of Technology, each Finnish student writing to students in two other classes in The USA, Canada and Japan. It involved 240 students and 9 teachers. From 1994 onwards, the project included not only Email, but also many other activities on the Internet. Very soon, students at twelve universities in four continents, both in the East and in the West, were working together. In this article we describe some of these Internet activities, the benefits to the students, as well as the difficulties encountered.
We will also tell how these projects have led to various interactive and
interdisciplinary activities such as designing and testing language teaching software with students and researchers at HUT.

In this work, we illustrated the development of an Educational Software for Project and Analysis of Radiowave Propagation (SEPAR). This software is composed by tools to project links radiowave-based and a tutorial with theoretical elements of electromagnetic waves propagation. In the radiowave design are considered the propagation losses, atmospheric effect, fading, modulation, relief and antennas characteristics. The software was utilized at radiowave design course and the observed results showed that the software is a strong tool to learning and motivation the student's autonomy. It was observed that after supplied the first theoretical concepts the students start to use the software intuitively and could consolidate the illustrated concepts.

Swarm intelligence courses have been offered at many universities all over the world from early 1990s. However, the field of Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) -a swarm intelligence technique -is still relatively young without any standard teaching method. This paper describes an educational software tool for aid the teaching of PSO fundamentals in MATLAB Ó (MATrix LABoratory) software environment of MathWorks. In this context, an application of mobile robotics planning is developed with a friendly graphical user interface in MATLAB for teaching PSO design. Graduate students of Intelligent Systems course of Industrial and Systems Engineering Graduate Program at Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná (PUCPR, Brazil) can then use this educational software tool called PSOLeT (particle swarm optimization learning tool) to learn and evaluate basic optimization designs. This paper also summarizes the proposed software tool and gives an application in mobile robotics.

The recently approved Cal Poly software engineering major concludes with a significant capstone project. During a yearlong course sequence, students specify, design, construct and deploy a large software project for an industrial partner. This report summarizes the capstone sequence project in the current academic year; sixteen student teams constructed an automated testing system for an industrial partner - Brocade Communications.

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Resumo Esta pesquisa teve como objetivo avaliar dois softwares educativos de conteúdos específicos de Língua Portuguesa, em discos compactos, para averiguar a possibilidade pedagógica desses materiais. A análise se baseou em critérios para os aspectos técnico, pedagógico, de leitura e compreensão textual. Após as análises, verificou-se que ambos os softwares não apresentam características que propiciam um eficiente ensino, pois apresentam boas características na parte técnica, mas nas dimensões pedagógica e específica não apresentam boa qualidade, tendo um dos softwares, apenas característica lúdica. Palavras-Chave: Avaliação de software educativo, disco compacto, língua portuguesa.

In this paper, we describe a multi-site evaluation of SimSE, an educational software engineering simulation game. This study was designed to build on our previous experience of evaluating SimSE in courses and controlled lab settings at UC Irvine, in order to validate our findings and discover any factors that come into play when SimSE is used in other institutions. The

In the present study, we develop and deploy a conceptual framework of “scaffolding” in groupwork learning, through the analysis of the pursuit of a learning goal over time. The analysis follows individuals’ different experiences of an interaction as well as collective experiences, considering individual attainment as a result of a bi-directional contextualized conversation and action. We detect, describe and evaluate

This paper presents a laboratory session of an Advanced Programming course to introduce students to the technology involved with the Java programming language. In this special lab session the educational software tool VisualJVM is used, providing a graphical front-end to a Java virtual machine (JVM). This tool helps students learn about JVM architecture, learn how JVM works, and consequently, to understand why a Java program is platform independent. The student reaction to this experience was very positive and the authors are planning to use the tool in other contexts.

Despite recent advances of electronic technologies in e-learning, a consolidated evaluation methodology for e-learning applications is not available. The evaluation of educational software must consider its usability and more in general its accessibility, as well as its didactic effectiveness. This work is a first step towards the definition of a methodology for evaluating e-learning applications. Specific usability attributes capturing the peculiar features of these applications are identified. A preliminary user study involving a group of e-students, observed during their interaction with an e-learning application in a real situation, is reported. Then, the proposal is put forward to adapt to the e-learning domain a methodology for systematic usability evaluation, called SUE. Specifically, evaluation patterns are proposed that are able to drive the evaluators in the analysis of an e-learning application.

El uso de las Tecnologías de la Información y las Comunicaciones en la educación ha alcanzado mucho auge, su implementación en el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje es crucial. Un diagnóstico efectuado a los software educativos que se utilizan en la carrera de Ingeniería Informática e investigaciones actuales, confirman que existen limitaciones en la aprehensión del contenido del trabajo con matrices en la asignatura de Álgebra Lineal en los estudiantes del primer año de la carrera. Para dar solución al problema planteado, los autores se proponen como objetivo desarrollar un sistema informático para el aprendizaje del trabajo con matrices en la asignatura Álgebra Lineal de la carrera de Ingeniería Informática en la Universidad de Granma. Como resultado se obtuvo un tutorial para el aprendizaje del trabajo con matrices y la visualización paso a paso de la solución de los ejercicios, sustentado en los referentes teóricos de la comunicación, del desarrollo de recursos para la enseñanza semipresencial y modular con un alto componente colaborativo. El software se desarrolló con tecnologías como HTML 5, CSS 3, JavaScript, Bootstrap, jQuery y NetBeans. Se utilizó como metodología de desarrollo de software Extreme Programming (XP) que es una metodología ágil. Después del análisis, se comprueba la utilidad y fiabilidad del software que se obtiene, contribuyendo a la formación profesional de los estudiantes de la carrera de ingeniería y a mejorar el aprendizaje del trabajo con matrices.

Nowadays all educational authorities in Europe are making an effort to teach foreign languages starting at very early ages. Teachers of English at nursery and pre-school levels used to produce their own materials, although in the last few years we have seen a flourishing amount of teaching methods and materials for young learners issued by every well-known publishing house. With this panorama in mind, the difficulty of the teacher's task has changed from one side to the other, as some times it is not easy to decide which books children should or shouldn't buy. Taking this need into consideration, in this paper we intend to study all the elements involved in the assessment of course books and supplementary materials for young learners and provide examples of evaluation templates. The analysis includes the physical format of coursebooks, the components of the methods the authors, their adequacy in terms of Ministry of Education requirements, and then, the contents taught with the underlying pedagogy. There are other elements such as audiovisual aids and educational software, also taken into consideration.

Resumen— El presente documento señala la maravillosa ayuda que ha brindado las Hojas de Cálculo en el mundo empresarial, da a conocer cual ha sido su evolución a través de la historia, a que paquete de oficina están integradas y cuales pertenecen a software libre o propietario. Los Sistemas Operativos que permiten el uso de las Hojas de Cálculo también están detallados en el documento y sus campos de aplicación. Palabras Claves— Software, Hojas de Cálculo, Software libre y propietario, alfanumérico, celdas, microcomputadores, Open Source.

Visualization and interactivity are valuable active learning techniques that can improve mastery of difficult concepts. In this paper we describe jFAST, an easy-to-use graphical software tool for teachers and students, with an emphasis on introductory level finite state machine topics. The jFAST software enables visual design, exploration and simulation of a variety of finite state machines, with a primary goal of enhancing teaching effectiveness in this subject, particularly for less advanced computer science students. The architecture and functionality of jFAST are explained, and results of preliminary evaluation are provided.

Despite the advances of the electronic technologies in e-learning, a consolidated evaluation methodology for e-learning applications does not yet exist. The goal of e-learning is to offer the users the possibility to become skillful and acquire knowledge on a new domain. The evaluation of educational software must consider its pedagogic effectiveness as well as its usability. The design of its interface should take into account the way students learn and also provide good usability so that student's interactions with the software are as natural and intuitive as possible. In this paper, we present the results obtained from a first phase of observation and analysis of the interactions of people with e-learning applications. The aim is to provide a methodology for evaluating such applications.

In the past, vocabulary teaching and learning were often given little priority in second language programs but recently there has been a renewed interest in the nature of vocabulary and its role in learning and teaching. Although most teachers might be aware of the importance of technology, say, computer, rarely teachers use it for teaching vocabulary. Thus, the current study aims at exploring the effects of CALL on vocabulary learning of Iranian EFL Learners. In this study, 40 intermediate EFL learners, both male and female aged from 16 to 18 studying New Interchange, book III, were chosen randomly from a language institute in Tehran. They were divided into two twenty-member groups. The experimental group was given the VTS.S (a computer program for teaching vocabularies), a computerized dictionary and provided with teacher e-feedback. The control group received no special software and vocabularies were taught using the conventional ways with the help of a paper dictionary. A vocabulary pre-test based on the tests available in their teacher's guide was given to both groups. The aim of this test was to make sure that the students were not familiar with the words in advance. By pre-test/post-test comparison researchers found learners exposed to VTS.S teacher e-feedback plus the computerized dictionary scored higher than the control group. Both high-stake and low-stake holders can avail from the findings of the study.

Στην παρούσα εργασία προτείνεται η οργάνωση και ο σχεδιασμός ενός επιμορφωτικού εργαστηρίου για το εκπαιδευτικό περιβάλλον ChoiCo (Choices with Consiquences). Πρόκειται για ένα ελεύθερο διαδικτυακό λογισμικό που υποστηρίζει τον σχεδιασμό ψηφιακών παιχνιδιών από μαθητές και εκπαιδευτικούς. Αρχικά παρουσιάζουμε τα μαθησιακά οφέλη, όπως αυτά έχουν φανεί από σχετικές έρευνες, που ενδέχεται να προκύψουν όταν οι μαθητές τροποποιούν και σχεδιάζουν ψηφιακά παιχνίδια. Κατόπιν αναλύουμε τις βασικές λειτουργείες του λογισμικού και πιθανούς τρόπους αξιοποίησής του στην εκπαιδευτική διαδικασία. Τέλος περιγράφουμε τον τρόπο οργάνωσης και διεξαγωγής του παρόντος εργαστηρίου το οποίο έχει ως κεντρικό στόχο την επιμόρφωση των συμμετεχόντων στον σχεδιασμό εκπαιδευτικών δραστηριοτήτων με την αξιοποίηση του ChoiCo. Εισαγωγή Η πρόσθετη αξία που μπορεί να προσφέρει το παιχνίδι στην μαθησιακή διαδικασία έχει τονιστεί από πολλούς ερευνητές στο παρελθόν (Prensky 2005, Jenkins 2009,). Ειδικότερα την τελευταία δεκαετία, που τα ηλεκτρονικά παιχνίδια αποτελούν βασικό μέσο διασκέδασης των παιδιών, οι έρευνες έχουν στραφεί στα μαθησιακά οφέλη που μπορούν να προκύψουν παίζοντας ηλεκτρονικά παιχνίδια (Jenkins 2009, Gee, 2007, Prensky, 2005). Παράλληλα, αρκετοί ερευνητές και υποστηρικτές της κονστραξιονιστικής προσέγγισης της μάθησης, έχουν τονίσει τα ευεργετικά αποτελέσματα της εμπλοκής των μαθητών στη διαδικασία σχεδιασμού ενός ηλεκτρονικού παιχνιδιού. Η διαδικασία σχεδιασμού ενός ηλεκτρονικού παιχνιδιού τοποθετεί τον μαθητή σε έναν ρόλο ξεχωριστό, αυτόν του σχεδιαστή. Ο σχεδιασμός ενός λειτουργικού, κατανοητού και ταυτόχρονα ελκυστικού ηλεκτρονικού παιχνιδιού, απαιτεί την εμπλοκή με πολλές και διαφορετικές διαδικασίες (Robertson & Howells 2007, Overmas 2004) όπως είναι η συγγραφή και η δόμηση του σεναρίου, ο προγραμματισμός της συμπεριφοράς και των κανόνων του παιχνιδιού, οι καλλιτεχνικές και αισθητικές επιλογές κλπ. Βλέπουμε λοιπόν πως ο μαθητής ως σχεδιαστής εμπλέκεται σε μια πολύπλοκη νοητική διαδικασία, στην οποία καλείται να δώσει λύσεις και να πάρε αποφάσεις συνδυάζοντας γνώσεις και δεξιότητες από διαφορετικά γνωστικά αντικείμενα. Τα αποτελέσματα ερευνών δείχνουν ότι οι δραστηριότητες επεξεργασίας και σχεδιασμού ψηφιακών παιχνιδιών μπορούν να συμβάλλουν στην ανάπτυξη ευρύτερων δεξιοτήτων των μαθητών, όπως είναι η επίλυση προβλημάτων, η δημιουργικότητα, η σχεδιαστική σκέψη (design thinking) και η υπολογιστική σκέψη (computational thinking) (Gee 2007, Lee et al 2011, Robertson & Howells

Keyboarding is a staple in school curricula. In the past, it has been taught at the middle school and high school levels by business teachers. It has been a separate course which involved learning the motoric skills of typing as well as formatting skills in writing reports and various forms of correspondence (Erthal, 1998; Rogers, 2006). Today the majority of school districts introduce students to keyboarding basics in elementary school. Teaching keyboarding/typing in the elementary classroom is nothing new.