Microworlds, Constructionism and mathematics

Abstract

In this paper, we outline the notion of constructionism and how it might be put into practice through the design of "microworlds", insulated and accessible islands of activity in which nuggets of relevant knowledge are encountered through specially designed tools, sequences of activities with suitably oriented pedagogies. In the second part of the paper, we describe the design, implementation and evaluation of a constructionist intervention, Scratch- Maths, introduced in England where computing is compulsory throughout schooling (from 5 to 16 years). This case study highlights the tension between the fidelity of implementation of an innovation and its adaptation by teachers, especially the context of mathematics, which is high stakes for both teachers and learners.