Widget Based Learning in Math and Physics Undergraduate Courses as Blended Learning Approach

This work summarizes the didactic design and introductory outcomes in an educative program, involving six math and physics university courses for engineers, based on the use and construction of widgets. Widgets were generated under Project Oriented Learning and blended learning methodologies. In the program, widgets previously generated by teachers are firstly used by students to appropriate basic and middle concepts. After, students were requested to generate their own widgets to develop complex thinking skills, applying related concepts but involving alternative situations. Design was based on curriculum integration to build mathematical, technical and visual representations of the problems and concepts involved. Wolfram Alpha, Desmos and Mathtab widget developers were used to generate ad hoc activities in terms of their capabilities and course requirements. Post-test only results of students’ value perceptions indicated positive attitudes towards the use of widgets. Differential gain in the general learning performance between experimental and control groups was less conclusive. Researcher observations of teachers’ educative technology skills acquired are also reported.