Implementation of a Teaching Scenario for Fifth-Grade Students Using the Software “MATHEMA” as a Teaching Tool: The Phenomenon of Light Reflection

In this paper the implementation of a teaching scenario on the phenomenon of light reflection for 55 students of the fifth grade of primary school is analyzed in detail. The novelty of this teaching scenario lies both in the fact that it is based on the use of the teaching tool/simulation software “MATHEMA” as a cognitive tool and in the fact that the pedagogical approach used is based on the principles of the constructivist approach. This teaching scenario consists of the following two parts: a) The teaching organization guide and b) The students’ worksheets. The SOLO method - taxonomy - is used to assess the learning outcomes. Based on the learning outcomes, a significant shift in students’ responses towards the scientific model was observed after the experimental interventions. Consequently, a conceptual change was achieved, to some extent, after performing the virtual experiments. The results presented in this study support the argument for the learning value and contribution of simulation software as a teaching tool in science teaching and learning.