Title: Mathematics Divide: an educational software for learning division in the primary school

Authors: Judit Jasso, Simonetta Pallottelli, Gladys Benigni

Addresses: Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Perugia, Via Vanvitelli 1, Perugia 06123, Italy. ' Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Perugia, Via Vanvitelli 1, Perugia 06123, Italy. ' Universidad De Oriente, Av. 31 de Julio – Sector Guatamare, Nueva Esparta, Venezuela

Abstract: This paper describes the |Mathematics Divide| project carried out with the participation of researchers from different areas of Computer Science and Mathematics and in collaboration with the teachers and pupils of a primary school in Perugia (Central Italy). The project aimed at designing and implementing an interactive educational software for the fourth and fifth grades of primary school regarding the operation of division, accordingly to the Italian National Syllabus (Syllabus, 2008) defined by the Ministry of Instruction, University and Research (MIUR, 2010). The design of the software is based on findings from the didactics of mathematics research field regarding the operation of division and on engineering methodologies for educational hypermedia. In the implementation, guidelines and standards of usability and accessibility have also been observed (WCAG, 2008).

Keywords: hypermedia; mathematical didactics; arithmetic operations; calculation algorithms; primary schools; learning by playing; Mathematics Divide; educational software; computer science; teachers; pupils; teaching; Perugia; Italy; school grades; Italian National Syllabus; software development; learning division; engineering methodologies; guidelines; standards; usability; accessibility; innovation; education; interactive media.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIIE.2010.036861

International Journal of Innovation in Education, 2010 Vol.1 No.2, pp.213 - 228

Published online: 12 Nov 2010 *

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