Critical thinking and team working through ICT. Action research, teaching history in Grade A of Lyceum in Greece

The benefit of the students on a cognitive and social level is researched through an action research utilizing ICT in the History lesson in the A Grade of Lyceum. The students used an application about the city-state of the Archaic era that was developed to discuss historical questions in groups. The answers to those questions arise from in depth understanding of the historical era but are not included in the textbook as information. The collection of detailed learning data from pre-tests, tests one week after the activity, observations by a second teacher, students" self-assessments and discussions, formed the data source used to evaluate, through appropriate comparisons, the learning effectiveness of the teaching intervention and on the other hand the targeted development of communicational and collaborative skills. The results obtained from the research are encouraging for the possibility of using ICT in real conditions in the Lyceum in order to achieve the teaching goals set by the Institute of Educational Policy but in which the usual teaching practice fails.