Dolphins in myth and reality: A constructivist approach to teaching critical thinking using I.C.T

Abstract

In a Secondary School in Central Greece ten students worked on a project titled "Dolphins in Myth and Reality" and published their work on their school's web-page. Dolphins' biological and social aspect, environmental dangers and threats, Ancient Greek myths and the dolphin-theme in several arts (Literature, Painting, Sculpture, Cinema and Music) were the sections the students worked cooperatively with an extended use of the Internet and I.C.T. This publication formed the basis of an experimental teaching for ten younger students whose initial ideas and cognitive deficiencies were taken into consideration in order to design several activities. The joint axis of the activities was the interpretation of myths about dolphins with the help of scientific and literary information found on the Internet and the raising of awareness on ecological matters concerning the survival of dolphins in the Mediterranean Sea. The initial hypothesis that the cooperative, constructivist model assisted by I.C.T. leads to better learning outcomes, compared to traditional teaching methods, has been confirmed, even if the results cannot be generalized.