Capturing the real world in the classroom.

Abstract

Practical investigation tasks are part of the Dutch examination programme of senior secondary education. In mathematics and science, pupils are expected to develop a broad range of research skills, which includes connecting a real world phenomenon with the scientific world, understanding the problems at hand and asking the right questions, making a project plan, designing and carrying out an experiment, and collecting, representing, analysing, and interpreting information. Pupils need ICT tools that make such investigation tasks feasible and that enable them to work at an appropriate level. In this paper we report on a classroom experiment in which pupils in pre-vocational secondary education develop and practise research skills by carrying out a small investigation task using digital video technology. We also discuss how one can deal with three particular problems experienced in practice, viz., perspective distortion of images, the complexity of recording video clips, and the amount of time needed for collecting data.