This paper presents a pilot study on the use of artificial life software in an educational setting. Two groups of high school students received a standard lesson in evolutionary biology followed by a software session. The experimental group used the suite of artificial life software presented in this paper; the control group used a commercial multimedia hypertext. At the end of the software session both groups were asked to fill in a simple multiple-choice questionnaire testing the students’ knowledge of various aspects of evolutionary biology. The results show that the group using the artificial life software performed significantly better than the control group. We argue that the experimental group may learn more effectively because the artificial life makes it possible for students to perform experiments, a possibility not available to the control group.

Teaching evolutionary biology using artificial life models / Miglino, Orazio; Rubinacci, Franco; L., Pagliarini; H. H., Lund. - In: COGNITIVE PROCESSING. - ISSN 1612-4782. - STAMPA. - 5:(2004), pp. 123-129. [10.1007/s10339-004-0009-z]

Teaching evolutionary biology using artificial life models.

MIGLINO, ORAZIO;RUBINACCI, Franco;
2004

Abstract

This paper presents a pilot study on the use of artificial life software in an educational setting. Two groups of high school students received a standard lesson in evolutionary biology followed by a software session. The experimental group used the suite of artificial life software presented in this paper; the control group used a commercial multimedia hypertext. At the end of the software session both groups were asked to fill in a simple multiple-choice questionnaire testing the students’ knowledge of various aspects of evolutionary biology. The results show that the group using the artificial life software performed significantly better than the control group. We argue that the experimental group may learn more effectively because the artificial life makes it possible for students to perform experiments, a possibility not available to the control group.
2004
Teaching evolutionary biology using artificial life models / Miglino, Orazio; Rubinacci, Franco; L., Pagliarini; H. H., Lund. - In: COGNITIVE PROCESSING. - ISSN 1612-4782. - STAMPA. - 5:(2004), pp. 123-129. [10.1007/s10339-004-0009-z]
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11588/106193
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