SOLVING ARITHMETIC PROBLEMS USING AN INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGICAL METHODOLOGY

Abstract

INTRODUCTION. This paper summarises the salient details of my doctoral thesis on the classification of arithmetic problems according to their semantic structure, and explains how an innovative methodology based on the use of learning and communication technologies can be used in teaching. METHODS. An innovative educational software called RPA was developed, which presents a teaching sequence based on the difficulty of the material. This software can be accessed at: http://mimosa.pntic.mec.es/mlucas2/rpa .The research consisted of using the RPA software for teaching in
seven schools located in four provinces in Castile and León (40 teachers and 483 students). This was an Educational Innovation Project funded entirely by the Ministry of Education of the Castile and León Regional Government.A simple design with repeated measures was employed, where treatment A consisted of methodological use of the textbook and treatment B consisted of using the RPA softwarebased methodology. RESULTS. The initial classification proposed by the RPA software for solving arithmetic problems according to their semantic structure was not consistent with the degree of difficulty experienced by the students participating in the research. Consequently, a new classification of arithmetic problems according to semantic structure is proposed which reflects the degree of difficulty experienced by Primary Education students. Nevertheless, 71.1% of the students who participated obtained better results after exposure to the RPA software-based methodology. DISCUSSION. Limitations of the research include possible interactions between treatments. Future lines of research would include further research using probability samples and control groups, together with the effect of the RPA software, with older people as a preventive activity against neurodegenerative diseases.