In the early years of school, pupils have a very positive approach towards any new topic. Very often, the first contact with mathematics in the Italian school risks giving a limited and somehow negative impression, generating long-lasting effects. In this paper, we report on a series of experiences carried out in a second-year class of a primary…

The social, cultural and economic changes of this century have inevitably also affected the world of education and training, which, therefore, have renewed paths, objectives and goals. Internalised knowledge must be re-used creatively in a new context. 'Knowing' becomes 'knowing how' and then 'knowing how to be'. Learning is lifelong and is…

The role of virtual simulations in the evolution of primary school students' mental models about electrostatics is investigated by analysing the answers of two groups of 9-10 years old pupils inside instructional sequences that combine two hands-on activities using balloons and jackets with the same activities using PhET simulations: one group…

This is the second of two papers on a novel physical science course for student teachers that develops and uses an imaginative approach to Primary Physical Science Education. General philosophical, cognitive, developmental, and scientific issues have been presented in the first paper; here, we briefly recapitulate the most important aspects. In…

Intended to promote the innovative use of technology in education and promote educational advances all over the world, this volume brings together 16 best-practice cases on technology-enhanced educational innovations. Experts from Turkey, Tunisia, Cyprus, Italy, Malaysia, China, India and Finland have contributed to these cases, highlighting the…