Within this article is included a description and justification of a didactical sequence to improve the learning of problem solving strategies of Secondary Education students. The design of the didactical sequence is guided by four principles: a) to context the activities and problems to solve in students' every day practices; b) to use teaching methods that show the problem solving processes; c) to design didactical materials in order to guide strategies such as selection, organisation and control; d) to facilitate the co-operative learning of problem solving strategies.

This paper aims to analyse if virtual forums set up in an environment specifically designed to improve collaborative learning can effectively influence students' discourse quality and learning when compared with those forums set up in a general environment. Following a coding schema based upon the set of scaffolds offered in the Knowledge Forum environment, we have qualitatively analysed 60 forums and 1370 students from different subjects. The results show that there are very few elaborated and shared deep discussions: the central axis in those superior contributions focuses on bringing new information to already written contributions. There are more new and contrasting opinions in forums set up in a specific virtual environment, whereas there is more reasoning and elaboration in those that were set up in a general one. We propose some explanations for this dissonance and we conclude that collaborative virtual environments are secondary aspects in accounting for deep exchanges of information. Therefore, there are many aspects that need to be taken into account to improve collaborative learning and knowledge building.

Resumen: La escuela rural ha ocupado muchos de los focos de debate social y pedagógicos, si bien no centrales, sí constantes en el tiempo. Desde la administración educativa se ha expresado la voluntad de potenciar el desarrollo cualitativo de las escuelas rurales mediante la promoción de proyectos de innovación y mejora de las aulas, fomentando estudios e investigaciones que tengan como objeto la escuela rural. Por su parte, la Universidad de Lleida mantiene el interés en la formación de docentes, la investigación, la promoción y divulgación de la misma. Con este propósito presentamos los principales objetivos y actividades del Programa de Coordinación de los Estudios y la Innovación de la Escuela Rural de Catalunya (CEIER), que inició sus acciones recientemente.

This paper aims to explore asynchronous communication in computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL). Thirty virtual forums are analysed in both a quantitative and a qualitative way. Quantitatively, the number of messages written, message threads and original and answer messages are counted. Qualitatively, the content of the notes is analysed, cataloguing these into two different levels: on the one hand, as a set of knowledge building process categories, and on the other hand, following the scaffolds that Knowledge Forum offers. The results show that both an exchange of information and a collaborative work take place. Nevertheless, the construction of knowledge is superficial.

El diseño de contextos educativos mediados por ordenador y el aprendizaje de contenidos procedimentales de matemáticas en la ESO 1 . Manoli Pifarré y Jaume Sanuy Título en inglés.The design of a didactical sequence mediated by a computer and the learning of mathematical procedimental knowledge in Secondary Education.Palabras clave. Proceso de enseñanza/aprendizaje; artefactos culturales; hoja de cálculo; estrategias de resolución de problemas; proporción.