Using a computer simulation to promote conceptual understanding

An Isreali cognitive psychologist Reuven Feuerstein §holds the opinion that teaching of humans §best occurs when the learning experience is mediated §by fellow human beings. The main reason for §this being reciprocation. Computers are incapable of §empathy and cannot therefore reciprocate any §emotions that a learner expresses. §§However, computers are finding their way into the §learning environment. Their guises are §many and varied. These include laptops, cellphones §and ipods. However much I respect Feuerstein and §agree with his sentiments, I felt it was imperative §that we begin to explore to what extent the use of §technology could be a positive influence within our §teaching and learning environments.§§This work explored using the computer as a tool to §challenge science learners in order that they might §become aware of their own misconceptions in §electricity. The aim was to see if by interacting §with a computer simulation (PLAB) the learners would §reach the stage of cognitive dissonance and §eventually relinguish their naive conceptions. Their §conceptual understanding of electricity was §monitored throughout the intervention process.