Animation has great potential for improving the way people learn. A number of studies in different scientific disciplines have shown that instruction involving computer animations can facilitate the understanding of processes at the molecular level. However, using animation alone does not ensure learning. Students sometimes miss essential features…

This pilot study documents the design and evaluation results of an innovative teaching approach with the use of ICT regarding the optics concepts of light reflection and diffusion, and vision in Greek primary school. First there was a survey of 140 students to ascertain their initial ideas regarding these concepts. On the basis of the results of…

Introduces a new way of evaluating instructional strategies using computers. Discusses two basic theories, instructivism and constructivism, in terms of their effectiveness in conceptual learning. Outlines the radical forms of constructivism. Introduces and evaluates two versions of a multimedia physics software based on the inventive model and…

Examines the impact of using the Macintosh-based knowledge organization tool, SemNet, with prospective elementary and middle school teachers enrolled in an upper division biology course. (ZWH)

Explorer is an interactive environment based on a constructivist epistemology of learning that integrates animated computer models with analytic capabilities for learning science. The system includes graphs, a spreadsheet, scripting, and interactive tools. Two examples involving the dynamics of colliding objects and electric circuits illustrate…