Supervisors info:
Παπαδόπουλος Σπύρος, Καθηγητής Τμήματος Αρχιτεκτόνων Μηχανικών, Πανεπιστήμιο Θεσσαλίας
Σφυρόερα Μαρία, Επίκουρη Καθηγήτρια, Τμήματος Εκπαίδευσης και Αγωγής στην Προσχολική Ηλικία, ΕΚΠΑ
Original Title:
Ανάπτυξη και αξιολόγηση ψηφιακού εκπαιδευτικού υλικού, για την προσχολική ηλικία με τίτλο: Ας μετρήσουμε, παρέα με τα ζώα της φάρμας
Translated title:
Development and evaluation of a web – based educational apppication, for preschool education namely "Let's count, together with farm animals!".
Summary:
This thesis presents the process of the development and evaluation of a web-based educational app, programmed in Scratch, namely "Let's count, together with farm animals!". The characteristics of the produced app are being analyzed based on the learning theories found in the approach to the subject area of mathematics for preschoolers and on the wider literature that focuses on the development of digital educational applications with interactive elements and digital game mechanisms, in the context of education and gamification, within the cognitive area of mathematics.
The purpose of the application is to familiarize preschool students with numbers, especially from 1 to 10. The aim of this thesis is to investigate the potential of this application, in terms of "playfulness" and as an aid for practicing the ability to count and understand the multiple uses of numerical digits in everyday life.
To complete this study, data were collected from kindergarten teachers who tested the web-based application. After testing the application, the teachers answered a questionnaire, to evaluate the application. The application was then piloted in two classrooms of preschoolers, ages 4 - 6, as part of an intervention. The aim of the intervention was to measure the levels of usability & entertainment offered by the app and to identify any possible learning outcomes.
Based on the analysis of the collected data, it can be concluded that the web-based interactive app "Let's count, together with farm animals!", is offered as an aid in practicing familiar knowledge, in the subject area of early numeracy, provided that it is used within a well-organized framework, with additional supporting activities and common learning objectives, able to approach the subject area of mathematics and especially the concept of numeracy.
Furthermore, the results show that there is room for improvement to further the potential of a more engaging and challenging environment for young children, able to approach the curriculum framework in Greece, which could potentially result in better learning outcomes.
Keywords:
numeracy, mathematics, pre-school education, ICT, Scratch
