Un entorno virtual de aprendizaje (EVA) para el desarrollo de la materia matemáticas en segundo curso de Educación Secundaria Obligatoria: estudio de caso desde la perspectiva del alumnado

Abstract

This article presents the design of an educational proposal for applying a blended learning methodology with a virtual classroom Moodle in order to run the full development of the subject Mathematics in the second course of Compulsory Secondary Education and analyzes and explains the effects of its implementation on the educational practices, taking the students’ viewpoint who attended the experience as a reference. The case study tries to understand the meaning that such methodological innovation had for the selected group of sixteen young students –aged 12 and 13– and the reasons that justified their behaviour regarding the use of the technology. For this purpose, the results of an assessment survey taken by the students upon completion of the course are analyzed. The main results of the survey pointed out difficulties associated to organisational problems that obstructed access to the virtual learning environment coming basically from the organization of teaching space and time at the school and from misconceptions about icT usage within the families. The students appreciated the potentiality of the virtual environment to develop diverse skills through Math subject and experienced interactive and collaborative technologies to carry out mathematical tasks, but they showed little interest in collaborative practices among peers, appreciating above all the chance to communicate with the teacher beyond the face-to-face world. It became clear the strong influence of traditional learning models –deeply rooted in the students and their families– that changed, in some important aspects, the expectations that had been set.