Abstract:

An ontology is a formal model generally used for knowledge representation within a specific domain through a set of key concepts and relationships between these concepts. First of all, an ontological representation of a knowledge domain is first intended to support the organization and retrieval of information by structuring knowledge in a clear and systematic way. On the other hand, in educational research and practice, ontologies can help teachers, as final users, connect targeted knowledge domains, competencies and abilities to learning activities. This characteristic can support teachers and educators in the processes of lesson planning and instructional design by offering a structured framework through which learning objectives, competencies, and knowledge domains can be systematically aligned with appropriate learning activities and pedagogical strategies.

Against this background, an ontology-based tool has been developed within the framework provided by the “Teaching Mathematics Using Drama - TIM^2” project. The present article provides a description of this digital tool and outlines its main features and intended educational applications. The TiM^2 project is an Erasmus+ funded initiative which aims at developing a pedagogical approach to foster students’ mathematical literacy through techniques derived from theatre. As envisioned by the project, embedding performative approaches into mathematics education the project aims to reduce anxiety and enhance mathematical literacy among students in primary and lower secondary education. In the context of the TIM² project, the ontology designed for the purposes of the project provides a structured framework that organizes the mathematical competencies identified as relevant and addressed by the mean of the drama-based methodology implemented by the project consortium. Moreover, the ontology-based tool aims at assisting teachers in selecting and organizing appropriate activities. More specifically, through this tool, teachers can identify tasks that target specific mathematical skills and assemble customized sets of activities connected with students’ needs and curricular objectives, as identified in national and supranational guidelines. In this regard, the digital tool facilitates both the discovery of relevant activities and the design of coherent learning pathways.

Keywords:

Ontology-based tool, Mathematics, education, drama-based learning, instructional design.