Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Play and Fun with Maths Models.

Learning Mathematics is a complex and tiredsome activity for the students. Where as Maths subject is an essential one to prosper in their career. Now a days mathematics also entered into the laboratory concept and arrived creative models. CBSE board also makes that the Mathematics laboratory and the projects are the compulsory for the academic. Setting up the Maths Laboratory and making Maths Projects are not as easy as Physics or Chemistry.

I have done excellent work in this field to make students learn mathematics with "Fun & Play" through my “Sharp Institute” I am conducting various Mathematics workshops and programmes by which I am training and guiding teachers and students in setting up Mathematics Laboratory and Projects.
Here are some of the basic directions for setting up the Mathematics Laboratory.
  1. What is a Mathematics Laboratory : Mathematics Laboratory is a place where students can learn and explore mathematical concepts and verify mathematical facts and theorems through a variety of activities using different materials. These activities may be carried out by the teacher or the students to explore, to learn, to stimulate interest and develop favorable attitude towards mathematics.
  2. Need and purpose of Mathematics Laboratory: Some of the ways in which a Mathematics Laboratory can contribute to the learning of the subject are:
    • It provides an opportunity to students to understand and internalize the basic mathematical
    concepts through concrete objects and situations.
    • It enables the students to verify or discover several geometrical properties and facts
    using models or by paper cutting and folding techniques.
    • It helps the students to build interest and confidence in learning the subject.
    • The laboratory provides opportunity to exhibit the relatedness of mathematical concepts
    with everyday life.
    • It provides greater scope for individual participation in the process of learning and
    becoming autonomous learners.
    • It provides scope for greater involvement of both the mind and the hand which facilates
    cognition.
    • The laboratory allows and encourages the students to think, discuss with each other
    and the teacher and assimilate the concepts in a more effective manner.
    • It enables the teacher to demonstrate, explain and reinforce abstract mathematical ideas
    by using concrete objects, models, charts, graphs, pictures, posters, etc.
  3. Design and general layout: A suggested design and general layout of laboratory which can accommodate about 32 students at a time is given here. The design is only a suggestion. The schools may change the design and general layout to suit their own requirements.
  4. Physical infrastructure and materials: It is envisaged that every school will have a Mathematics Laboratory with a general design and layout as indicated with suitable change, if desired, to meet its own requirements. The minimum materials required to be kept in the laboratory may include furniture, all essential equipment, raw materials and other necessary things to carry out the activities included in the document effectively. The quantity of different materials may vary from one school to another depending upon the size of the group.
  5. Human Resources : It is desirable that a person with minimum qualification of graduation (with mathematics as one of the subjects) and professional qualification of Bachelor in Education be made incharge of the Mathematics Laboratory. He/she is expected to have special skills and interest to carry out practical work in the subject. The concerned mathematics teacher will accompany the class to the laboratory and the two will jointly conduct the desired activities. A laboratory attendant or laboratory assistant with suitable qualification and desired knowledge in the subject can be an added advantage.
  6. Time Allocation for activities : It is desirable that about 15% - 20% of the total available time for mathematics be devoted to activities. Proper allocation of periods for laboratory activities may be made in the time table. The total available time may be divided judiciously between theory classes and practical
    work.

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