A MOBILE APPLICATION TO IMPROVE MATHEMATICAL COMPETENCE FOR STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DIFFICULTIES

Nikoleta P. Retzepi, Paz Prendes-Espinosa, Isabel Gutiérrez Porlán

Abstract


This study aims at the design and evaluation of an educational Android application that is expected to help Greek gymnasium students with learning difficulties acquire extra skills in mathematics. Firstly, the attitudes and perceptions of Greek special education teachers about the use of ICTs in class have been searched via a questionnaire. The results show that all teachers are familiar with the use of ICTs and recognise the importance of ICTs in the education of pupils with SEN. Additionally, they could very easily accept and use a new mobile educational app in the learning process. We then created an application that was first evaluated by 7 mathematicians and informatics’ teachers. Their evaluation showed a positive attitude toward the application. During the 2021-2022 school year, the application was implemented in two secondary Greek schools. 16 students with learning difficulties, tried the app under the supervision of 3 special education teachers. Students, answering a questionnaire with both closed-ended and open-ended questions, appear enthusiastic about the application with no differentiation according to their gender and type of difficulty. Positive points of view towards the application are also observed in the answers of the 3 special education mathematicians who were interviewed.

 

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learning difficulties, behaviourism, mobile learning, android apps, integration/inclusion departments

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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejes.v10i6.4822

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