Web-based educational discussion forums in a college undergraduate program sett...

• Author(s): Miranda, Luísa ; Morais, Carlos ; Dias, Paulo ; Almeida, Conceição
• Date: 2005
• Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10198/1093
• Origin: Biblioteca Digital do IPB
• Subject(s): Learning environment; Discussion forums; Students; Interactions
• Document Type: Article
• Language: English

Description

In this paper we talk about a particular web-based learning environment, alfamat, which was used as a mediator in educational discussion forums that took place in college undergraduate program settings. We will focus on a group of Portuguese prospective mathematics teachers’ perspectives about some of alfamat’ s characteristics as well as on its usage and consequent implications for their learning. Some special features stand out: interaction as a mediator of students’ reflection and sharing of ideas about subject matters; interaction as a catalyst of students’ performance; interaction as a means for rethinking and reformulating individual ideas based upon others’ ideas and experiences.