Educational uses of virtual manipulatives
(Source: Math Playground)
What are Virtual Manipulatives?
Virtual Manipulatives are digital objects that provide students with the opportunity to interact with content.
Virtual Manipulatives are currently use for basic skills and conceptual understanding from K-12 grade levels. There are various and unique forms of manipulatives in 2D and 3D forms, such as pictorial images, numeric images or both, simulations and concept tutorials with directions and feedback. At present virtual manipulative are being used in conjunction with concrete manipulatives for instance coins, base ten block, fraction bars, pattern blocks, geometric plane, solid figures and rulers are usually in the form of Java or Flash applets.
Why use virtual manipulatives?
Many educators are choosing virtual manipulatives over concrete to teach due to uniquely of the images that avoid confusion on students, space saving, cost, ease of access to the entire class, easy to use and many activities give students hints something that the more traditional concrete manipulatives cannot do without teacher assistance.Therefore Virtual Manipulatives are becoming more acceptable by students of all ages.
Research has shown that concrete manipulatives help students better understand abstract concepts in math, and comparative studies show virtual manipulatives to be as effective as concrete ones. Some research shows Virtual manipulatives may lead to more complex. (Source:Deubel, 2001)
Learners can also use Second Life as a form of a Virtual Manipulative!
It has been noted that at the Research Center - Center for Implementing Technology in Education that:
Choosing a Virtual Manipulative
Although relatively new, virtual manipulatives can support learning in mathematics for all students, including those with disabilities. As with concrete manipulatives, they need to be integrated into the curriculum and not just used as an adjunct activity. Used wisely, they provide students with opportunities for guided exploration, helping them to build a solid understanding of mathematical concepts and demonstrate learning. Several factors should be considered when selecting virtual manipulatives:
- Can the level of difficulty be adjusted for different students?
- What type of feedback do they provide?
- Will teachers need to provide feedback and support?
- How clear are the instructions for use?
( Source: http://www.cited.org/index.aspx?page_id=151)
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2nd Editor Addition
Houghton Mifflin has a nice math manipulative webpage for each grade level, where students can interact with certain math concepts.
Here is another video that reviews the National Library of Virtual Manipulatives:
Links:
Using Virtual Manipulatives on the Web to Develop Number Sense.
http://mason.gmu.edu/~mmankus/talks/nctm2000/nctmch00.htm
Word Problems, Puzzles and Games.
http://www.mathplayground.com/math_manipulatives.html
Math Manipulatives.
http://www.ct4me.net/math_manipulatives.htm
The Interactive Geometry Software Cinderella
http://cinderella-geometry.com/files/HTMLDemos/
eManipulatives.
http://www.eduplace.com/kids/mw/manip/mn_4.html
References:
Deubel, P., SAS., & is, s. c. (n.d.). Math Manipulatives. Computing Technology for Math Excellence. Retrieved May 7, 2010, from http://www.ct4me.net/math_manipulatives
About the Center for Implementing Technology in Education (CITEd). (n.d.). Center for Implementing Technology in Education (CITEd). Retrieved May 7, 2010, from http://www.cited.org/index.aspx?page_id=8
YouTube - Math and Science in Second Life (Exploratorium) . (n.d.). YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. . Retrieved May 7, 2010, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GM4EDCKZlUs
EDUC150ReviewsF09 (2009, November 02). National Library of Virtual Manipulatives. Retrieved May 8, 2010, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=403yQQ_4W48
Deubel, P., SAS., & is, s. c. (n.d.). Math Manipulatives.
Computing Technology for Math Excellence. Retrieved May 7, 2010, from
http://www.ct4me.net/math_manipulativesDeubel, P., SAS., & is, s. c. (n.d.). Math Manipulatives.
Computing Technology for Math Excellence. Retrieved May 7, 2010, from
http://www.ct4me.net/math_manipulatives
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