Tablets in Primary Schools

Abstract

This article presents the results of a short project in which tablets were used for teaching the respiratory, circulatory, and digestive systems to 162 sixth-grade primary school students who were divided into three groups. The first group was taught conventionally using a textbook, while in the second a constructivist teaching method was applied and the teachers actively participated in the process. The third group was also taught using the same constructivist teaching method, but the instruction was technologically enhanced with tablets and an application with augmented reality features. Data was collected by means of evaluation sheets and a questionnaire. The results indicated that students in the third group outperformed students in the other two groups. As for students' misconceptions, the only notable difference was between the third and first group. These results can be attributed to students' strong positive attitude towards the use of tablets, motivation, and enjoyment, as well as to the teaching method. The study's implications are also discussed.